World Professional Sculling Championships
- Introduction
- Record of Racing—table summarising racing results from 1831 to 1958
- Brief History of Australians in World Professional Sculling
- 1926 Rules Governing World Professional Sculling
- 1863 Chambers (GBR)
def Green (AUS) - 1876 Trickett (AUS)
def Sadler (GBR) - 1877 Trickett (AUS)
def Rush (AUS) - 1879 Trickett (AUS)
def Laycock (AUS) - 1880 Hanlan (CAN)
def Trickett (AUS) - 1881 Hanlan (CAN)
def Laycock (AUS) - 1882 Hanlan (CAN)
def Trickett (AUS) - 1884 Hanlan (CAN)
def Laycock (AUS) - 1884 Beach (AUS)
def Hanlan (CAN) - 1885 Beach (AUS)
def Hanlan (CAN) - 1886 Beach (AUS)
def Ross (UK) - 1887 Beach retires & forfeits to Kemp (AUS)
- 1888 Kemp (AUS)
def Hanlan (CAN)—twice - 1888 Searle (AUS)
def Kemp (AUS) - 1889 Searle (AUS)
def O'Connor (CAN) - 1890 McLean (AUS)
def Kemp (AUS) - 1891 Stanbury (AUS)
def McLean (AUS) - 1896 Stanbury (AUS)
def Harding (GBR) - 1901 Towns (AUS)
def Gaudaur (CAN) - 1904 Towns (AUS)
def Tressider (AUS) - 1905 Stanbury (AUS)
def Towns (AUS) - 1906 Towns (AUS)
def Stanbury (AUS) - 1908 Arnst (NZL)
def Webb (NZL) - 1910 Arnst (NZL)
def Barry (GBR) - 1911 Arnst (NZL)
def Pearce (AUS) - 1912 Barry (GBR)
def Arnst (NZL) - 1913 Barry (GBR)
def Pearce (AUS) - 1914 Barry (GBR)
def Paddon (AUS) - 1919 Felton (AUS)
def Barry (GBR) - 1920 Barry (GBR)
def Felton (AUS) - 1921 Arnst (NZL) regains title by forfeit from Barry (GBR) who retires
- 1921 Arnst (NZL)
def Hannan (NZL) - 1922 Hadfield (NZL)
def Arnst (NZL) - 1922 Paddon (AUS)
def Hadfield (NZL) - 1923 Paddon (AUS)
def Hadfield (NZL) - 1925 Goodsell (AUS)
def McDevitt - 1925 Goodsell (AUS)
def Hannan (NZL) - 1925 Goodsell (AUS)
def Paddon (AUS) - 1926 Goodsell (AUS)
def Saul (AUS) - 1927 Goodsell (AUS)
def Barry (GBR) - 1927 Barry (GBR)
def Goodsell (AUS) - 1932 Phelps (GBR)
def Goodsell (AUS) - 1933 Pearce (AUS)
def Phelps (GBR) - 1934 Pearce (AUS)
def Miller (USA) - 1938 Pearce
def Paddon (AUS) - 1948 Paddon (AUS)
def Fisher (AUS) - 1949 Cook (AUS)
def Paddon (AUS) - 1950 Paddon (AUS)
def Cook (AUS) - 1952 Saul (AUS)
def Paddon (AUS) - 1952 Paddon (AUS)
def Saul (AUS) - 1953 Fischer (AUS)
def Paddon (AUS)
Record of Racing
It is difficult to determine which race constitutes the start of World Professional Sculling Championships so the following record includes English Championship races before the Australian Champion Dick Green challenged the British Champion Robert Chambers in 1863 in the first international professional sculling race. However this race may only have been a challenge for the Championship of England.
The other possible claim for the first World Professional Sculling Championship was the 1866 race when Harry Kelley GBR defeated a challenge from J Hammill of Pittsburg USA. (Some reports list Hammill as a Canadian.) Despite this confusion, we know that by the time Edward Trickett won the title in 1876, the race wore the title of Championship of the World.
There are gaps in this record and in many cases there are good reasons for this such as a forfeiture or another challenge being more highly regarded as being the championship.
It must be remembered for much of the history of professional sculling, there were insufficient rules and no governing body other than the terms contained in the challenge. For example, Ted Hanlan claimed to be World Champion despite the fact that Edward Trickett had won the title from Joseph Sadler. Trickett was forced to return to England and challenge Hanlan to put the issue to rest.
Trophy presented to
Edward Trickett
27 June 1876 London
| 1831 9 Sep |
C Campbell (Westminster) def J Williams (Waterloo) | Westminster to Hammersmith NTT |
| 1838 1 Nov |
C Campbell def R Coombes (Vauxhall) | Westminster to Putney in 42:00 |
| 1846 19 Aug |
R Coombes (Vauxhall) def C Campbell | Putney to Mortlake in 26:15 |
| 1847 19 Sep |
R Coombes def R Newell (Lambeth) | Putney to Mortlake in 23:46 |
| 1851 7 May |
R Coombes def T Mackinney (Richmond) | Putney to Mortlake in 27:30 |
| 1852 24 May |
T Cole (Chelsea) def R Coombes | Putney to Mortlake 25:15 |
| 1852 14 Oct |
T Cole (Chelsea) def R Coombes | Putney to Mortlake 23:35 |
| 1854 20 Nov |
J Messenger (Teddington) def T Cole | Putney to Mortlake 24:45 |
| 1857 12 May |
H Kelley (Fulham) def J Messenger | Putney to Mortlake 24: 30 |
| 1859 29 Sep |
Robert Chambers (Newcastle) def H Kelley | Putney to Mortlake 25:25 |
| 1860 18 Sep |
Robert Chambers def T White (Shadwell) | Putney to Mortlake 23:25 |
| 1863 14 Apr |
Robert Chambers def G W Everson (Greenwich) | Putney to Mortlake 25:27 |
| 1863 16 Jun |
Robert Chambers (GBR) def Richard A W Green (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 25:35 |
| 1865 8 Aug |
Harry Kelley (GBR) def Robert Chambers (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 23:23 |
| 1866 4 Jul |
Harry Kelley (GBR) def J Hammill (Pittsburg USA) | on the Tyne in 32:45 (4 1/2 miles) |
| 1866 22 Nov |
Robert Chambers (GBR) def Joseph Sadler | Putney to Mortlake in 25:04 |
| 1867 6 May |
Harry Kelley (GBR) def Robert Chambers (GBR) | on Tyne in 31:47 |
| 1868 17 Nov |
J Renforth (GBR) def Harry Kelley (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 23:15 |
| Sadler wins the 'All World Championship' in America in December 1870, a race in which Renforth dies. | ||
| 1874 16 Apr |
Joseph Sadler (GBR) def R Bagnall (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 24:15 |
| 1875 15 Nov |
Joseph Sadler (GBR) def R W Boyd (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 28:05 |
| 1876 27 Jun |
Edward Trickett (AUS) def Joseph H Sadler (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 24:35 |
| 1877 30 May |
Edward Trickett (AUS) def Michael Rush (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 23:27.5 |
| 1879 29 Aug |
Edward Trickett (AUS) def Elias Laycock (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 23:29 |
| 1880 15 Nov |
Edward Hanlan (CAN) def Edward Trickett (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 26.12 |
| 1881 14 Feb |
Edward Hanlan (CAN) def Elias Laycock (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 25:41 |
| 1882 3 Apr |
Edward Hanlan (CAN) def R W Boyd (GBR) | on Tyne in 21:25 |
| 1882 1 May |
Edward Hanlan (CAN) def Edward Trickett (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 28:00 |
| 1884 22 May |
Edward Hanlan (CAN) def Elias Laycock (AUS) | on the Nepean River in 22:45 |
| 1884 16 Aug |
Bill Beach (AUS) def Edward Hanlan (CAN) | on the Parramatta River in 20:28.5 |
| 1885 28 Feb |
Bill Beach (AUS) def T Clifford (AUS) | on the Parramatta River in 26:00 |
| 1885 28 Mar |
Bill Beach (AUS) def Edward Hanlan (CAN) | on the Parramatta River in 22:51 |
| 1885 18 Dec |
Bill Beach (AUS) def Neil Matterson (AUS) | on the Parramatta River in 24:11.5 |
| 1886 18 Sep |
Bill Beach (AUS) def Jacob Gaudaur (USA) | Putney to Mortlake in 22:29 |
| 1886 25 Sep |
Bill Beach (AUS) def Wallace Ross (CAN) | Putney to Mortlake in 23:05 |
| 1887 26 Nov |
Bill Beach (AUS) def Edward Hanlan (CAN) | on the Nepean River in 19:55 |
| 1887 | Bill Beach retires and as a formality forfeits a challenge from Peter Kemp (AUS) | |
| 1888 11 Feb |
Peter Kemp (AUS) def T Clifford (AUS) | on the Parramatta River in 23:47 |
| 1888 5 May |
Peter Kemp (AUS) def Edward Hanlan (CAN) | on Parramatta River in 21:36 £500 side bet |
| 1888 28 Sep |
Peter Kemp (AUS) def Edward Hanlan (CAN) | on the Parramatta River 21:25 £500 side bet |
| 1888 27 Oct |
Henry Ernest Searle (AUS) def Peter Kemp (AUS) | on Parramatta in 22:44.5 £1,000 purse |
| 1889 9 Sep |
Henry Ernest Searle (AUS) def William O'Connor (CAN) | on the Thames in 22:42 |
| 1889 10 Dec |
Henry Ernest Searle (AUS) dies of typhoid and title reverts to Peter Kemp (AUS) | |
| 1890 25 Apr |
Peter Kemp (AUS) def Neil Matterson (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 21.13 |
| 1890 15 May |
Peter Kemp (AUS) def John McLean (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 21.45 |
| 1890 15 Dec |
John McLean (AUS) def Peter Kemp (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 22.13 |
| 1891 28 Apr |
Jim Stanbury (AUS) def John McLean (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 22:15.5 |
| 1891 7 Jul |
Jim Stanbury (AUS) def John McLean (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 18.25 - shortened course |
| 1892 2 May |
Jim Stanbury (AUS) def Tom Sullivan (NZL) | on the Parramatta in 17:26.5 - shortened course |
| 1896 13 July |
Jim Stanbury (AUS) def C R (Wag) Harding (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 21:51 |
| 1896 7 Sep |
Jake A Gaudaur (CAN) def Jim Stanbury (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 23:01 |
| 1901 7 Sep |
George Towns (AUS) def Jake A Gaudaur (CAN) | on Lake of the Woods, Ontario in 20:30 |
| 1904 30 Jul |
George Towns (AUS) def Richard Tressider (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 21:48.8 |
| 1905 22 Jul |
Jim Stanbury (AUS) def George Towns (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 19:04.5 |
| 1906 28 Jul |
George Towns (AUS) def Jim Stanbury (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 19:53.2 |
| 1907 2 Mar |
George Towns (AUS) def Edward Durnan (CAN) | on the Nepean in 22:27 |
| 1907 | George Towns (AUS) forfeits the title to brother Charles Towns (AUS) | |
| 1907 3 Aug |
William Webb (NZL) def Charles Towns (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 20:45 |
| 1908 25 Feb |
William Webb (NZL) def Richard Tressider (AUS) | on the Wanganui in 20:28 |
| 1908 15 Dec |
Richard Arnst (NZL) def William Webb (NZL) | on the Wanganui in 19:51 |
| 1909 21 Jun |
Richard Arnst (NZL) def William Webb (NZL) | on the Wanganui in 18:14.6 |
| 1910 4 Apr |
Richard Arnst (NZL) def G Whelch (NZL) | at Akaroa Narbour NZ in 21.50.6 |
| 1910 18 Aug |
Richard Arnst (NZL) def Ernest Barry (GBR) | on the Zambezi River in 20.14.6 |
| 1911 29 Jul |
Richard Arnst (NZL) def Harry Pearce (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 19.46 |
| 1912 29 Jul |
Ernest Barry (GBR) def Richard Arnst (NZL) | Putney to Mortlake in 23.08 |
| 1912 14 Oct |
Ernest Barry (GBR) def Edward Durnan (CAN) | Putney to Mortlake in 22.31 |
| 1913 21 Jul |
Ernest Barry (GBR) def Harry Pearce (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 24.09 |
| 1914 7 Sep |
Ernest Barry (GBR) def Jim Paddon (AUS) | Putney to Mortlake in 21.28 |
| WWI | ||
|---|---|---|
| World professional sculling declines in popularity and importance between the wars but still remains a prominent sport. | ||
| 1919 27 Oct |
Alf D Felton (AUS) def Ernest Barry (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 25.40 |
| 1920 31 Aug |
Ernest Barry (GBR) def Alf Felton (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 24.32 |
| 1921 | Richard Arnst (NZL) regains title by forfeit from Ernest Barry (GBR) who retires | |
| 1921 11 Jun |
Richard Arnst (NZL) def Pat Hannan (NZL) | on the Wairau in 22:34.4 |
| 1922 5 Jan |
Darcy Hadfield (NZL) def Richard Arnst (NZL) | on the Wanganui in 19:46 |
| 1922 18 Apr |
Jim Paddon (AUS) def Darcy Hadfield (NZL) | on the Wanganui in 19:19 |
| 1923 21 Jul |
Jim Paddon (AUS) def Darcy Hadfield (NZL) | on the Richmond in 19:46 |
| 1924 12 Aug |
Jim Paddon (AUS) def Alf Felton (AUS) | on the Brisbane River in 17:55 by 6 lengths |
| 1924 20 Sep |
Jim Paddon (AUS) def Major L Goodsell (AUS) | on the Richmond in 17.07 |
| 1925 | Jim Paddon retires and forfeits the title to Bill McDevitt | |
| 1925 21 Mar |
Major L Goodsell (AUS) def Bill McDevitt (AUS) | on the Clarence in 22:20 |
| 1925 27 Jun |
Major L Goodsell (AUS) def J Pat Hannan (NZL) | on the Parramatta in 21:31 |
| 1925 7 Nov |
Major L Goodsell (AUS) def Jim Paddon (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 22:50 margin 2 lengths |
| 1926 3 May |
Major L Goodsell (AUS) def Tom Saul (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 23.11 |
| 1927 5 Sep |
Major L Goodsell (AUS) def H A (Bert) Barry (GBR) | on Burrand Inlet in Vancouver in 24:13 |
| 1927 26 Dec |
H A (Bert) Barry (GBR) def Major L Goodsell (AUS) | on Burrand Inlet in Vancouver 21:40 |
| 1930 31 May |
E A (Ted) Phelps (GBR) def H A Barry (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 22.45 |
| 1930 11 Oct |
E A (Ted) Phelps (GBR) def H A Barry (GBR) | Putney to Mortlake in 22.48 |
| 1932 5 Sep |
E A (Ted) Phelps (GBR) def Major L Goodsell (then USA) | in Long Beach California in 17:62 |
| 1933 1 Sep |
Henry (Bobby) Pearce (AUS) def Ted Phelps (GBR) | on Lake Ontario (CAN) in 19.26 |
| 1934 5 Sep |
Henry (Bobby) Pearce (then CAN) def W G (Bill) Miller (USA) | at Toronto in 19.52.2 |
| 1938 9 Sep |
Henry (Bobby) Pearce (then CAN) def Evans Paddon (AUS) | in rematch in Toronto in 20.35.5 |
| WWII | ||
| The sport of professional sculling collapses following the war with only Australian interest with even that finally failing by 1958. | ||
| 1947 | Henry (Bobby) Pearce retires on the understanding that Evans Paddon, Max Fisher and George Cook should decide his successor. | |
| 1948 20 Nov |
Evans Paddon (AUS) def Max Fisher (AUS) | on the Parramatta in 1948 in 17.20 |
| 1949 7 May |
George Cook (AUS) def Evans Paddon (AUS) | on the Evans River at Evans Head in 15:09.2 |
| 1950 22 Apr |
Evans Paddon (AUS) def George Cook (AUS) | on the Evans River at Evans Head in 21:58.6 |
| 1952 5 Apr |
Jim Saul (AUS) def Evans Paddon (AUS) | on the Richmond River in 20:33 |
| 1952 13 Sep |
Evans Paddon (AUS) def Jim Saul (AUS) | on the Richmond River in 21 50.4 |
| 1953 13 Jun |
Evans Fischer (AUS) def Evans Paddon (AUS) | on the Richmond River in 20.55 |
| 1954 7 Aug |
Evans Fischer (AUS) def Evans Paddon (AUS) | on the Clarence River in 20.57.2 |
| 1957 25 May |
Evans Fischer (AUS) def Evans Paddon (AUS) | on the Clarence River in 20.46.4 |
| 1958 | Fischer retires as the undefeated champion of the world at the age of 26 | |
| Title lapses | ||
The invincible Bobby Pearce reigned until World War II when he decided to retire. With his retirement the world professional sculling championships ceased to be the public spectacle it had been for more than half a century.
Bobby Pearce's dominance has been cited as one of the main reason for the demise of professional sculling. However the most likely reasons are the growth in team sports and the problems of unregulated betting