1908 Australian University Championships— Port River Adelaide SA
Again the Sydney crew were pushed but won by a margin of 2 lengths over the 3 mile course at Port Adelaide. The Sydney crew was highly regarded having finished second in the NSW Championship eights. The Melbourne crew was less experienced and regarded "practically as a maiden crew" but performed very well. The Adelaide crew also raced well but were outclassed.
The Melbourne crew led early with a half length lead for the first mile. Sydney then made their move taking Melbourne and then never losing their lead thereafter. They led by a length for most of the race with all crews "stubbornly competing". The Sydney crew's margin extended in the last part of the race to a length and a quarter.
The Sydney crew contained coxswain Robert Waley and the Melbourne crew contained Harry Ross Soden and Simon Fraser who were to row in the 1912 Olympic eight.
The race was conducted on 6th June 1908.
Men's Eight
Time:15 mins 45 secs
Margins:
2 lengths
6 lengths
1st Sydney University - Bow: William K Inglis, 2: Kenneth Smith, 3: Llewellyn Bissett Rudder, 4: Allan Worsley Holmes a'Court, 5: Charles N Smith, 6: Max E Bedford, 7: Oscar A Ireland, Str: Thomas S Dixson, Cox: Robert G K Waley, Cch: Rowan R Hickson
2nd Melbourne University - Bow: Frederick L Apperly, 2: Sydney James Campbell, 3: Harry Ross-Soden, 4: James Hemery Lindon, 5: Charles W B Littlejohn, 6: Frank Aurley Henry Boynton, 7: Francis Ernest Dosseter, Str: Simon Fraser, Cox: John Dow, Cch: Henry Joseph Whiting
3rd Adelaide University - Bow: Frederick Brune Frinsdorf, 2: Charles Lempriere Abbott, 3: Glen Howard Burnell, 4: Lancelot Waring Gill, 5: Ronald Melville Scott, 6: Robert Wilson Tassie, 7: Arthur Lorimer Kennedy, Str: Charles Archibald Hamilton, Cox: Angus Salier Ferguson, Cch: William Henry Savigny
Melbourne University
Back row: Harry Ross-Soden, J H Linden, F H Boynton, C W B Littlejohn
Front row: F L Apperley, F E Dosseter, Simon Fraser, H J Whiting, S J Campbell
In front: J Dow
Sources
Victoria's "Sport" newspaper Friday 12th June 1908 page 8