1909 Australian University Championships— Parramatta River Sydney NSW
The 3 mile course at Parramatta was again used and the margin was large - 5 lengths. Both the NSW and VIC crews had 2 future Olympic squad members - NSW with Ward and Waley (and Doyle as reserve), and Victoria Ross-Soden and Fraser. The race was conducted on 9th June 1909. The winning Sydney crew was regarded as a particularly brilliant crew.
Men's Eight
Time: 15 mins 50 secs
Margin: 5 lengths
1st Sydney University - Bow: Reginald Leslie Hittman, 2: Allan Tingecombe Woodriff, 3: Allan Worsley Holmes a'Court, 4: Hugh K Ward, 5: Alec B Doyle, 6: Keith B Gaden, 7: Aylmer B Gaffney, Str: Thomas S Dixson, Cox: Robert G K Waley, Emerg: Roger B Fitzhardinge, Cch: Rowan P Hickson
2nd Melbourne University - Bow: Cyril C Halkyard, 2: David Peter Greenham, 3: Ambrose Hedley Dunstan, 4: Harry Ross-Soden, 5: James Hemery Lindon, 6: Simon Fraser, 7: Charles W B Littlejohn, Str: Frank Aurley Henry Boynton, Cox: John Stanislaus Reginald Rowan, Cch: Charles Donald
3rd Adelaide University - Bow: Charles Lempriere Abbott, 2: Robert Hall Chapman, 3: Thomas Maxfield Hardy, 4: Glen Howard Burnell, 5: Ronald Melville Scott, 6: Frank Fancett Espie, 7: Arthur Lorimer Kennedy, Str: Charles Archibald Hamilton, Cox: Gilbert MacDonald Potts, Emergs: J C Mayo and A S Ferguson, Cchs: Rev Henry Girdlestone & W Gunning
It was reported that Adelaide rowed 36 strokes after Sydney crossed the line.
Of note, Robert H Chapman was the first member of an Adelaide University crew whose father had also rowed in this race. His father was Prof R W Chapman who raced in the four seat of the 1888 crew.