History of Ballarat Head of the Lake rowing regatta

1918 Ballarat Head of the Lake

Evening Echo, on 24th October 1918 reported: After a postponement from Saturday afternoon on account of the unfavourable weather conditions, the annual four-oared public schools race for supremacy of the Lake, was decided on Lake Wendouree on Monday evening, and resulted in a rather comfortable win for St.Patrick’s College.

Organising Committee and Officials

Organising Committee: Ballarat Public Schools' Association. The officials appointed by the Ballarat Regatta Association were:

Judges - George Tonner and A H Nevett

Umpire - Lt Col Bennett

Starter - T A Moran

Clerk of scales- Andrew Alipius O’Dea

Course: Mile course

Head of the Lake

Time: 7 mins.31 secs. (This was the first race that an official time was recorded.)
Margin: One length to second and two lengths to third.

1st St Patrick's College - W Hutchinson (str), A Hambrook (3), Leo Clinton (2), A Kavanagh (bow), Cox: P Chinn, Coach: J P Bourke
2nd Ballarat Grammar - E Tunbridge (str), F Dodd (3), H Reynolds (2), A. Pittard (bow), Cox: J Smith, Coach: W D Dawson (Wally Dawson)
3rd Ballarat College - R Langsford (str), D Langsford (3), A Clarke (2), R Simpson (bow), Cox: A King, Coach: J B Suffren

The race report included the following description: St. Patrick’s had the south station, Grammar School the centre, and Ballarat College the north position. Mr. T. Moran got them away to a splendid start, and for the first few strokes Grammar School held a slight advantage over St. Patrick’s. Then the bow of the latter crew missed the water, and he was off his seat for a moment or two, which gave the other two crews the advantage, Grammar School’s boat being nearly a length to the good when the St. Patrick’s four got rowing again. They then settled down nicely, and, rowing with a clean even stroke, soon made up the leeway. At the quarries, St. Patrick’s were in front and gradually drawing clear and they rowed home comfortable winners, being just over a length to the good when the winning post was reached. Grammar School were second, and Ballarat College, about two lengths further back, third, both the latter crews having rowed a plucky stern chase over the last half of the journey.

St Patrick's College

From '100 Years of the Head of the Lake' published by The Courier in 2012

Principal researcher: Kate Elliott

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The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
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