1903 Australian University Championships— Parramatta River Sydney NSW
The Melbourne crew which won in 1902, raced almost in the same combination as in 1903 but only managed second placing, some 5 lengths behind Sydney. The other two crews also were also very similar to the crews of the previous year. Adelaide finished third. The race was conducted on 6th June 1903 upstream over the three mile course from Abbotsford Point to the Ryde Bridge.
Men's Eight
Time: 15 mins 36 secs
Margins:
5 lengths
1 length
1st Sydney University - Bow: Joseph Coen, 2: Cecil R Cropper, 3: Lancelot R Woodcock, 4: George H S Lightoller, 5: John N F Armstrong, 6: Oscar A Ireland, 7: Francis B Craig, Str: Valentine McDowell, Cox: Ivan G MacKay, Emerg: T Coen, Cchs: Ernest M Mitchell and Allan C Purves
2nd Melbourne University - Bow: John Arthur Hopkins Sherwin, 2: Alfred Arthur Hunt, 3: Marcus Bell, 4: Howard Cecil Fulford, 5: Eric Leslie James, 6: Reginald J Lewis, 7: C R Kirkby, Str: Henry Joseph Whiting, Cox: Joseph Patrick Fogarty, Cch: Thomas Crossthwaite
3rd Adelaide University - Bow: Charles Lewis Jessop, 2: Nathanial John Hargrave, 3: Lionel Wykeham Hayward, 4: Alfred Francis Stoles, 5: Charles Augustus Edmunds, 6: Melville Birks, 7: Beauchamp Lennox Gardiner, Str: John R Muirhead, Cox: Ronald Nickels Finlayson, Cchs: William A Gosse & Rev Charles Edmund Doudney, Emerg: Archibald Campbell Magarey
The race had to be restarted. In the first start Melbourne got away well with a lead of about a length from Sydney then a further length back to Adelaide. Within the first minute an accident accurred which involved the Adelaide crew and a restart was called. Next time around, both Sydney and Melbourne got off well with Adelaide soon a length behind. The race was neck and neck for the first two miles when Sydney took a lead. They went on to win easily in five lengths.
1903 MUBC crew
Standing: A Hunt, M Bell, H C Fulford, J A H Sherwin
Seated: E James, C R Kirkby, H J Whiting, R J Lewis
Front: J P Fogarty
(Photo from MUBC history "Well Rowed University" by Judith Buckrich)