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History of the Victorian APS Head of the River rowing regatta

1961 Head of the River

1961 Programme Cover

Conditions for the racing at the ninety-fourth Head of the River were difficult with strong and gusting winds. All crews struggled in the conditions.


Organising Committee and Officials

Organising Committee: A W Mitchell (WC), David Boykett (BGS), I Wilson (Carey), W Victor Nash (CGS), J H Campbell (GC), H Ward (GGS), Gordon Sargood (MGS), M B Stallard (SKC), L H Christie (SC), Rev E W Morris SJ (XC)

Starters: Herbert Shears, Robert Duncan

Umpires: Norman W Cairnes, Stan R Jeffery

Judges: J William Bradshaw, W B Grose

Officials: V Profitt, R W Purnell, H W Splatt, J Trengrove, P G Davidson, D K Hyslop, A A Staley, E C Thomas


Head of the River

Time: 4: 37.4
Margin: Canvas and then 4 lengths

1st Wesley College - Bow: S F Ralton, 2: C D Dance, 3: K G Sanford, 4: R Kim Luff, 5: M A Butcher, 6: G M Price, 7: D J Hosking, Str: J D Mitchell, Cox: L F Royal, Cch: Alan W Mitchell
2nd Scotch College - Bow: Malcolm D Campbell, 2: John L McFarlane, 3: Peter M Gibbs, 4: Graeme H Boykett, 5: Richard E Johnston, 6: A Ross McKinnon, 7: Donald K Bowden, Str: Ian C Watkins, Cox: Chris J Newman, Cch: Robert R Aitken
3rd Geelong College - Bow: A C Geddes, 2: J A Mactier, 3: D M Berney, 4: A J Lawson, 5: J S Robson, 6: P C Mayne, 7: R J Bade, Str: R J John, Cox: H McDonell, Cch: Albert B Bell

In a wind swept race, all crews struggled and crabbed at various stages of the race. Scotch crabbed in the last 100 yards as it tried to launch a final sprint to break Wesley. The worst of all crabs went Geelong College whose crew stopped rowing at one point. Wesley College prevailed in its first win since 1947. Alan Mitchell was again coach of the crew and this year his son John stroked the crew.

The finish of the Head of the River with a narrow win to Wesley College

Intermediate Final:
1st Xavier College - Bow: A J Conquest, 2: J H West, 3: D J Ross, 4: M W Ritchter, 5: T M Kearney, 6: J V Hayes, 7: P A Gunson, Str: Richard J Garrard, Cox: Brian C Saleh, Cch: Charles G Saleh
2nd Melbourne Grammar - Bow: J M Dowling, 2: R N McArthur, 3: B N Bucknall, 4: P G lovett, 5: I K M Galbraith, 6: B Gillespie, 7: W R Stokes, Str: G A Park, Cox: G D Tuck, Cchs: Gordon SSargood and Anthony J Smith
3rd Caulfield Grammar - Bow: R F Ludeman, 2: A H Cruickshank, 3: R G Ross, 4: P J Campbell, 5: R B Warne, 6: W L Roberts, 7: J D Corden, Str: R L Eyres, Cox: R J Sampson, Cch: I W McMillan
4th St Kevins College - Bow: B L Rodda, 2: M F Hussey, 3: M E O'Connell, 4: P D Tozer, 5: J E Morkham, 6: D J Robilliard, 7: B A Kurrle, Str: D J O'Doherty, Cox: C F Dwyer, Cch: Jack Coghlan

The equal second placing in the heats caused a four crew intermediate final.

Losers final:
1st Geelong Grammar - Bow: R I Weber, 2: A B Griffiths, 3: P H M Williams, 4: N A Robinson, 5: P W L Dobson, 6: J W Rutter, 7: Peter R Bubb, Str: J G Sellar, Cox: J S Edgar, Cch: H Ward
2nd Brighton Grammar - Bow: J R Ellerton, 2: B R Hancock, 3: J P Wymond, 4: A C Milner, 5: John Burford, 6: D M Johns, 7: Roger B Wilson, Str: K M Davies, Cox: D M McMurtry, Cch: David H Boykett

Heats:
E1: 1st WC, Equal 2nd MGS, Equal 2nd CGS. Time: 4:46.6
E2: 1st SC, 2nd SKC, 3rd BGS. Time: 4:45.6
E3: 1st GC, 2nd XC, 3rd GGS. Time 4:42.0


Second Crews

Time: 3:21.4
Margins: Canvas and 1.25 lengths

1st: Scotch College - Bow: A J Bristow, 2: R F Moulds, 3: A B Holmes, 4: B A Keon Cohen, 5: A J McKay, 6: R M Brownfield, 7: N J Morrison, Str: B R Speed, Cox: P N Nicholson, Cch: Donald R T MacMillan
2nd Wesley College -
Bow: R W Liley, 2: J G Girdwood, 3: K R Howie, 4: M H Lindell, 5: J Woodcock, 6: J W Hood, 7: R B Scott, Str: M M Nicholas, Cox: R Marks, Cch: A G Simmons
3rd Geelong College
- Bow: K R Kilsby, 2: R O Burger, 3: D M Birks, 4: J R Irvine, 5: D J Urquhart, 6: J H Greene, 7: H C Forbes, Str: I W Urquhart, Str: R G Strong, Cch: J M Ferguson

Losers final:
1st Melbourne Grammar - Bow: J G Cousins, 2: G W Hone, 3: B E Arnold, 4: W Robinson, 5: J R G Paxton, 6: J G Meyer, 7: A W Cockbill, Str: D R E Barraclough, Cox: G J Pullen, Cchs: Gordon Sargood and Anthony J Smith
2nd Xavier College 
- Bow: P E Boston, 2: G G Hurley, 3: P J Muliins, 4: D S Bolitho, 5: P R Gibson, 6: C R Arendsen, 7: G I Mort, Str: D M Jensen, Cox: H I Williams, Cch: J J Mulcahy
3rd Geelong Grammar
- Bow: F N Cornell, 2: B O Saxton, 3: Peter McA Hose, 4: D M Robinson, 5: P R Latreille, 6: T D Alston, 7: S W Massy-Greene, Str: J F Maddison, Cox: R M C Pearse, Cch: W A Searle

Heats:
E1: 1st WC, 2nd GGS. Time: 3:38.2
E2: 1st SC, 2nd MGS. Time 3:34.0
E3: 1st GC, 2nd XC. Time: 3:32.0


Third Crews

Time: 2:24.0
Margins: 1.25 and 0.5 lengths

1st Melbourne Grammar - Bow: D R Lean, 2: C B Gantner, 3: D N Gardiner, 4: A T Hughes, 5: P J Moffatt, 6: J F McL Oldham, 7: J H Goodall, Str: C C Furphy, Cox: J M Lewis, Cch: N A H Banks
2nd Wesley College
- Bow: M J Oakley, 2: J D McCelland, 3: W D K Teasdale, 4: K A Nicholson, 5: W A Sanguinetti, 6: N E Tweddle, 7: J W Moffat, Str: R M J Long, Cox: B Castles, Cch: P M Guest
3rd Geelong College
- Bow: B N Singer, 2: K T Andrews, 3: D E Gardner, 4: T J Holden, 5: A J Forbes, 6: G F Taylor, 7: C W Whitehead, Str: G M Cotton, Cox: D E Downey, Cch: R W Purnell

Intermediate final:
1st Scotch College - Bow: R E Harbig, 2: A J Carr, 3: I E Woods, 4: J L Bradfield, 5: I Telford, 6: Peter A Watkins, 7: J J Whyte, Str: A S Pearson, Cox: N S Faichney, Cch: A M H Aikman
2nd: Geelong Grammar
- Bow: J R P Luckock, 2: C J Gilbert, 3: W G Pincott, 4: R B Jarvis, 5: W T McKay, 6: J P Bicknell, 7: G R Anderson, Str: C K Kernot, Cox: P J E Haughton, Cch: A E Laycock
3rd: Brighton Grammar
- Bow: G J Hannan, 2: P Holmes, 3: N L Zantuck, 4: C H Charles, 5: J Sayers, 6: J Cummins, 7: R Sharr, Str: M Hatnes, Cox: A Weight, Cch:

Losers final:
1st Xavier College - Bow: A J Fox, 2: R E Dowling, 3: P W Higins, 4: M K Connolly, 5: P A Yuncken, 6: J W Leahy, 7: A J Collier, Str: B C Sierakowski, Cox: B J Hess, Cch: W R Galbraith
2nd Caufield Grammar
- Bow: E D Crockett, 2: B J Pollock, 3: B J Cruikshank, 4: R J Constable, 5: J W Lawson, 6: P R Murphy, 7: R R Pogue, Str: R H James, Cox: I M Beeton, Cch: W V Nash
3rd Carey Grammar
- Bow: J Doery, 2: P Stuart, 3: R Barnes, 4: Y Jushaz, 5: L Rees, 6: T Younger, 7: I Reidy, Str: D Smeeton, Cox: I Johnstone, Cch: D Evans
4th St Kevins College
- Bow: J C Halfhide, 2: R E Leonard, 3: N J McMahon, 4: R T Gillis, 5: M A Kelly, 6: A J Parker, 7: A J O'Connell, Str: W J Winter, Cox: T M Tommasi, Cchs: J D Tynan and M B Lefebvre

Heats:
E1: 1st GC, 2nd CGS, 3rd GGS
E2: 1st WC, 2nd BGS, 3rd XC
E3: 1st MGS, 2nd SC, 3rd Carey, 4th SkC


Fourth Crews

Time: 2:24.0
Margin: 3 lengths

1st Wesley College - Bow: P L Harris, 2: B J V Johnson, 3: G B Small, 4: L B Hall, 5: E A Smyth, 6: J E Harrison, 7: M L Ralton, Str: Phil J Franet, Cox: M E B Wells, Cch: A W Oakley
2nd Geelong College
- Bow: G G Irvine, 2: R J Lawler, 3: I H Falk, 4: W J Reddrop, 5: N M Both, 6: J M Cannington, 7: A J Paterson, Str: W L Lehmann, Cox: B D Walker, Cch: R George
3rd Geelong Grammar
- Bow: J R B Digges, 2: W D Blackwell, 3: A F H Stuart, 4: M S Priestley, 5: P R C Seymore, 6: P E Lamb, 7: D J Fenton, Str: W J C Garland, Cox: R J Kemelfield, Cch: J F Mann

In an action packed final, a Geelong Grammar crew member crabbed and was ejected from the boat.

Losers Final:
1st Scotch College - Bow: J McMeckan, 2: J H kelly, 3: D L Walker, 4: Peter Philp, 5: P R Martin, 6: R C M Knappet, 7: J L Rafferty, Str: W Swaney, Cox: H Mitchell, Cch: D Vass
2nd Xavier College
- Bow: Tim J Hogan, 2: M K Lynch, 3: D M Walker, 4: G P Jones, 5: R J Spillane, 6: P A Lunn, 7: A R Burgess, Str: J P McDavitt, Cox: J E Curtis, Cch: G J O'Keeffe
3rd Melbourne Grammmar
- Bow: P J Graves, 2: A M De Clifford, 3: M J Slee, 4: D C Hutchings, 5: R S A Armstrong, 6: M A Reid, 7: J R Lyle, Str: M J Blamey, Cox: G D Richards, Cch: K N Thomson

Heats:
E1: 1st GC, 2nd XC
E2: 1st GGS, 2nd SC
E3: 1st WC, 2nd MGS


Fifth Crews

Time: 2:38
Margins: 0.75 and 0.5 lengths

1st Melbourne Grammar - Bow: C R Masters, 2: D J Everist, 3: R Gilbert, 4: P R Benson, 5: R J Lawrence, 6: J H Mumme, 7: R M McMeikan, Str: J P Masters, Cox: R J McKean, Cch: J W Mallinson
2nd St Kevins College
- Bow: M Austin-Smith, 2: P J Horkin, 3: M J Dalling, 4: D F Farrell, 5: A R Hoare, 6: J K Reinehr, 7: P A Fulton, Str: C R Harrison, Cox: G C Tommasi, Cchs: A P Dwyer and P J Conlon
3rd Geelong College
- Bow: G D McCracken, 2: W T Troedel, 3: R P McCann, 4: M R Florence, 5: G C Henderson, 6: J S Johnston, 7: P T Busbridge, Str: J D Troedel, Cox: D W Heath, Cch: S Thomas

Intermediate final:
1st Scotch College - Bow: J K Wregg, 2: R Bowden, 3: C B Campbell, 4: R Creed, 5: A G Bell, 6: R D Kimberley, 7: P N Dick, Str: D McKenzie, Cox: W John, Cch: R S Olsson
2nd Caulfield Grammar -
Bow: R K Jackson, 2: R Stevenson, 3: W H Morgan-Payler, 4: I J Ross, 5: J B Lawson, 6: K V Kracke, 7: B R Lester, Str: R C Beaton, Cox: R T Ellis, Cch: H Pennefather
3rd Carey Grammar
- Bow: A McCredie, 2: P Rees, 3: A Pretty, 4: B Patterson, 5: D Alcock, 6: R Pennycook, 7: R Prior, Str: R Anson, Cox: B Jones, Cchs: D Oliver and I Wilson

Losers final:
1st Wesley College - Bow: D R George, 2: G R Kelly, 3: A C Powell, 4: J P Collins, 5: B K Walker, 6: J E Price, 7: J K Anderson, Str: P J Castle, Cox: A E Denny, Cch: J D Castle
2nd Geelong Grammar
- Bow: A G Haines, 2: J B Mitchell, 3: D W Davies, 4: C E Bright, 5: R E Chambers, 6: T R Hutchins, 7: J E Alcock, Str: A A Chapman, Cox: C M Clemons, Cch: N C Tait
3rd Xavier College
- Bow: L A Hardy, 2: G E Wilson, 3: H F Jones, 4: P D Jeffrey, 5: R J Gurry, 6: S J O'Dwyer, 7: P F Burke, Str: R L Ellis, Cox: M J Tehan, Cch: K C Andrews

Heats:
E1: 1st GC, 2nd Carey, 3rd WC
E2: 1st StK, 2nd SC, 3rd GGS
E3: 1st MGS, 2nd CGS, 3rd XC

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