1980 QLD GPS Head of the River
The 1980 GPS Head of the River was conducted on March 29th 1980 at the Hinze Dam, Gold Coast.
Brisbane Grammar School achieved their fourth O'Connor Cup in five years.
Organising Committee:
Great Public Schools Association
All Schools' Championship First Eight
The O'Connor Cup
Distance: 2000 Metres
Winning Time: 6:25.00
Margins:
6ft (1-2)1st Brisbane Grammar School - Bow: Robin W. Wilson, 2: Peter J. Thompson, 3: Alaistair I. Trier, 4: Rodd W. Yann, 5: Andrew W. Henderson, 6: Angus M. Baker, 7: Chris W. Boucher, Str: Andrew W. Burke, Cox: Richard H. Somerville, Coach: Alan Bromiley
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: R. J. Denny, 2: D. G. Marshall, 3: M. J. Howard, 4: R. A. Paterson, 5: C. J. Paterson, 6: R. L. Thompson, 7: W. J. Argent, Str: S. J. Pilcher, Cox: M. J. Laidlaw, Coach: G. J. Kernot
3rd The Southport School
Other Participating Crews:
6th Gregory Terrace - Bow: Steven Grant, 2: Henry Kranen, 3: Roger Postle, 4: Roger Browne, 5: John Kormendy, 6: Michael Arnold, 7: John Matson, Str: Peter Slater, Cox: Sam Carroll
1980 Church of England Grammar School First VIII
The Race Described
“Brisbane Grammar School snatched the GPS Head of the River rowing championships in a spectacular finish on Hinze Dam yesterday afternoon.
Two hundred metres from the finish, it seemed that Churchie with a length advantage had the race well and truly won, but the superbly fit Grammar Crew mounted a final effort, rating 37 to nudge ahead crossing the finish line with 6ft in hand. All crews were almost in line abreast at the 1000m mark, and it was over the final 1000m that Southport, Grammar and BBC broke the line.
Despite the excellent conditions and the closeness of the race, the time at 6 min 25 sec was 5 sec slower than Grammar recorded in their win last year."
Page 40, The Sunday Mail, Sunday March 30 1980 Edition
"At last the major race of the day, the First Eights. All crews started well and raced in a straight line for the first 1000m. At this point Churchie broke away from the field. By 1500m CEGS held a good lead but BGS were starting to make a concerted effort to bridge the gap. From the 1750m the race was a tense struggle between CEGS and BGS. Unfortunately, CEGS could not respond to BGS's blistering finish and had to be content with a hard fought but disappointing second. Congratulations to BGS on a fine row to win in 6 minutes and 25 seconds."
Page 234 Churchie Rowing by Peter Jell, Published by Anglican Church Grammar School
All Schools' Second Eight
Distance: 2000 Metres
Winning Time: n/a
Margins:
+ 0.05s (1-2)1st The Southport School
2nd Brisbane Grammar School
3rd Brisbane Boys' College
4th Church of England Grammar School - Bow: E. C. Ringrose, 2: I. B. Donovan, 3: D. J. Webster, 4: C. J. Williams, 5: J. E. Hayne, 6: A. B. Paskins, 7: T. A. Hazard, Str: D. P. Wadsworth, Cox: D. A. Quayle, Coach: G. J. Kernot
5th Gregory Terrace - Bow: Victor De Ruos, 2: Chris Tyquin, 3: Anthony McNamee, 4: Peter Lynch, 5: James Venables, 6: Michael Gauld, 7: Warren Grau, Str: Hugh Morrison, Cox: Jon O’Brien
The Race Described:
“Southport earlier narrowly won the second eight by 0.05s from Brisbane Grammar. Grammar had established a solid lead and were well in command at the halfway mark of the 2000m course, working solidly, Southport stroke Tom Lawton eased his crew out to the front with 750m to go. Grammar sprinted to again take the front running. However, Southport were not to be denied and fought back to clinch the event right on the line.”
Page 40, The Sunday Mail, Sunday March 30 1980 Edition
All Schools' Third Eight
Distance: 1500 Metres
1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd Brisbane Boys' College
3rd The Southport School
4th Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. A. Paterson, 2: B. A. Harwood, 3: W. A. Remington, 4: M. H. Richardson, 5: B. J. Makepeace, 6: A. R. Dickson, 7: G. A. Webber, Str: B. M. Wilson, Cox: B. A. Viner
5th Gregory Terrace - Bow: Guy Gibbons, 2: James Tiernan, 3: Paul Crack, 4: John O’Connell, 5: Kim Pradella, 6: Jeff Murphy, 7: James Davidson, Str: Greg Reid, Cox: Brendan O’Keefe
All Schools' Fourth Crew
Distance: 1000 Metres
1st The Southport School
2nd Gregory Terrace - Bow: Warren Andrew, 2: Pierre Grouhel, 3: Robert Needham, Str: Mark Facey, Cox: Morgan Hurst
3rd Brisbane Boys' College
4th Church of England Grammar School - Bow: R. D. Grieve, 2: P. W. Johnston, 3: R. H. Gillies, Str: D. J. Fisher, Cox: B. M. O’Carroll, Coach: D. G. Ethell
All Schools' Fifth Crew
Distance: 1000 Metres
1st The Southport School
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: N. D. Stubbs, 2: R. J. Brennan, 3: J. C. Dutton, Str: A. D. Roach, Cox: W. I. Ringrose, Coach: D. G. Ethell
3rd Brisbane Grammar School
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: Justin Morgan, 2: Scott McNamee, 3: Damian Kelly, Str: Damian Wirght, Cox: Steven McIntyre
All Schools' Sixth Crew
Distance: 1000 Metres
1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: J. M. Gale, 2: T. D. Hunt, 3: P. S. Hogg, Str: G. F. Robinson, Cox: A. C. Duguid, Coach: D. G. Ethell
3rd Brisbane State High School
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: Michael Backstrom, 2: Robert Quinn, 3: Bernard Williams, Str: Andrew Stewart, Cox: Julian Hayes
All Schools' Seventh Crew
Distance: 1000 Metres
1st The Southport School
2nd Brisbane Grammar School
3rd Brisbane State High School & Church of England Grammar School
C.E.G.S. - Bow: J. A. Soutar, 2: P. A. Martyr, 3: W. G. Gearing, Str: T. B. Francis, Cox: C. G. Mansfield, Coach: M. Fisher & D. Powell
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: Michael King, 2: Simon Sweeney, 3: Mark Menhinnitt, Str: Charles Hawkins, Cox: Stephen Ribone
All Schools' Eighth Crew
Distance: 750 Metres
1st Church of England Grammar School - Bow: R. W. House, 2: G. M. Gall, 3: A. Huntir, Str: J. van der Kreek, Cox: S. P. McAdam, Coach: M. Fisher / D. Powell
2nd The Southport School
3rd Brisbane State High School
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: Andrew Cullen, 2: James Clark, 3: Richard Vanderiet, Str: Steven Murray, Cox: Luke Conroy
All Schools' Ninth Crew
Distance: 750 Metres
1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd Brisbane State High School
3rd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: R. S. Archibald, 2: C. J. Passi, 3: C. P. Green, Str: T. A. Leigh, Cox: J. P. Flower, Coach: J. Collins
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: Simon O’Kane, 2: John Leutenegger, 3: Mark Ryan, Str: John Tyquin, Cox: Liam Proberts
All Schools' Tenth Crew
Distance: 750 Metres
1st Gregory Terrace - Bow: Criag Miller, 2: Peter West, 3: Andrew Rolfe, Str: Pat. O’ Keefe, Cox: John Lincoln
2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. D. Sparshott, 2: B. D. Graham, 3: R. J. Purssey, Str: G. J. Way, Cox: J. R. Stone, Coach: J. Collins
3rd Brisbane Grammar School
All Schools' Eleventh Crew
Distance: 750 Metres
1st Brisbane Grammar School
2nd The Southport School
3rd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: P. T. Stone, 2: J. B. Powell, 3: L. B. Hart, Str: D. W. Wagner, Cox: M. R. Grimmer, Coach: D. Powell / M. Fisher
Other Competing Crews:
Gregory Terrace - Bow: Paul Cole, 2: Stuart Cioccarelli, 3: Chris Barry, Str: Paul Anderson, Cox: Martin Wildman
All Schools' Twelfth Crew
Distance: 750 Metres
1st The Southport School
2nd Brisbane Grammar School
3rd Brisbane State High School
Other Competing Crews:
5th Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. Keogh, 2: R. W. Beaton, 3: H. S. Rowan, Str: C. A. Perkins, Cox: P. J. Ellis, Coach: A. Barrett
Sources
Page 33, The Sunday Mail, Sunday March 30th 1980 Edition https://archive.org/details/1980-good-picture
Page 40, The Sunday Mail, Sunday March 30th 1980 Edition https://archive.org/details/1980_20210613
St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 1980 School Newsletter https://media.digistormhosting.com.au/sjgt-au-qld-91-oldboys/documents/1980-St-Joseph-College-Terrace.pdf?mtime=20180403151654
Churchie Rowing by Peter Jell, Published by Anglican Church Grammar School
Queensland Rowing 1880-1995 by Jack Pritchard, published by Rowing Queensland