1919 Australian University Championships— Parramatta River, Sydney NSW
The race was conducted for the first time after the Great War in Sydney. Adelaide was unable to send a crew and Queensland had hoped to send a crew and compete for the first time. They were however unable to get a crew together at that time of the year.
The race was over the 3 mile 167 yard championship course on 29th August 1919.
John Lang in his book The Victorian Oarsman, published in 1919, described the race as follows:
The race was rowed on about a three hour ebb tide, the weather was fine: the last 1 1/2 miles was rowed against a head wind. Melbourne led all the way from soon after the start, and keeping ahead by from a length to two lengths, led by three lenghs in the last three-quarter mile, and finished that distance ahead. ...
The winners rowed in a boat belonging to a Sydney rowing club, as owing to the shipping strike, it was not possible to get their Eight, the 'John Grice', over to Sydney. Mr Charles Donald, Vice President of the Club, coached the winners in the fifth consecutive win in this race.
Men's Eight
Time: 19 mins 34 1/2 secs
Margin: 3 lengths
1st Melbourne University - Bow: Kenneth Howard Hadley, 2: F H Gamble, 3: F R Gale, 4: Horace Stuart Thomas, 5: Keith Forbes Abernethy, 6: Carl S Wood, 7: Frank Conrad Hope Ross, Str: Allan Spowers, Cox: T Harris, Cch: Charles Donald
2nd Sydney University - Bow: Ralph Howard Ludowici, 2: Hilton William Tillock Chenhall, 3: L L McStay, 4: W P MacCallum, 5: A D Morgan, 6: H F Wilson, 7: William Alexander Standish, Str: Thomas McKay Barnett, Cox: H R R Grieve
Melbourne University