Head of the River (Victoria)
The Victorian Head of the River regatta is contested between the eleven Associated Public Schools of Victoria.
The Head of the River is the oldest continuous schoolboy rowing event in the world, dating back to 1868, and throughout its history has changed format on a number of occasions: from a duel-style race between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College on the Yarra River in Melbourne, to today, where the race is usually the last race of the official APS rowing season and is rowed on Lake Nagambie, which is a full-buoyed international standard course allowing six boat finals against the 11 APS schools.
History
A Brief HistoryThe "Head of the River" is a classic event and stands as one of the premier events in Victorian rowing.
The first Public School boat race in Victoria was rowed downstream on the Upper Yarra on 18 June 1868. The race was the outcome of negotiations between two Melbourne University Boat Club members: Mr. J. H. Thompson, on behalf of Melbourne Grammar School, and Mr. J. C. Johnstone, a member of the Scotch College staff. These gentlemen coached their respective crews. Crews had been rowing on the river for some time, but the challenge for the race issued by one of the Scotch College rowers was only made on 17 June. It was promptly accepted by Melbourne Grammar School, and even in those far-off days the contest aroused substantial interest.
The result was a victory for Scotch College by a length. The names of the crews were as follows :
Scotch College. Bow: A. C. Wilson, 2: A. Smith, 3: John C. Field, Str: J. Brady, Cox: F. G. White, Cch: J Johnstone.
Melbourne Grammar School. Bow: J. Sweeney, 2: G. T. Teague, 3: W. Barker, Str: H. Ryan, Cox: H. M. Strachan, Cch: J H Thompson.
The race for "Head-of-the-River" has been rowed every year since 1868. Wesley College wished to row the other two schools in 1871 in the annual race. However, it was decided, "as it was an old-established race, which it was a pity to disturb," that Scotch College and the Grammar School should row Wesley College in turn; the races were on 19 and 20 June 1871. Wesley College proved their mettle by beating the Scotch boys on the 20th, after being beaten in a hard race by Melbourne Grammar the previous afternoon. Wesley College boys soon took part regularly in the race with the other two, and were "Head-of-the-River" in 1874.
The races were rowed from 1868–1897 in string-test gigs with fixed seats. During the period 1898–1900, the race was competed for in best boat outrigger fours with sliding seats. In 1901, clinker outrigged eights with sliding seats were used. At various times later, cedar boats, followed by plywood boats, fiberglass, and finally composite construction boats have been used.
The race was first rowed on the Barwon in 1879 and then every fifth or sixth year until 1916. Between 1921–1943, the Barwon saw it every fourth year; and since 1948, the only use of the Yarra was in 1957 when Geelong College won. During World War 2, the Geelong Schools rowed a heat on the Barwon, while the four Melbourne Schools rowed heats on the Yarra. These races were held after school; the winners met on the Yarra to decide the title except in 1943 when restrictions on travel were in force.
Scotch College has been represented every year. Gradually, other schools have joined in, with the most recent being Haileybury College, who entered the Boys First Eight event for the first time in 1991.
The Sumner Challenge Cup was presented in 1875 by the Hon. T. J. Sumner to become the property of the school who should first win it three times. Scotch won it in 1875, 1876 and 1879 and have retained it since that date.
At a meeting of Delegates held at Scotch College on 1 April 1911, it was unanimously decided to accept the Challenge Cup which was offered by Mr. C. Fairbairn, of " Banongil," Skipton, to be held from year to year by the School which is Head of the River.
The Sumner Challenge Cup and the Fairbairn Challenge Cup are the two trophies connected with this great contest.
The Head of the River races have weathered such difficulties as flooded rivers, disputes over ages, dead heats, disqualifications, and even the inability of a school to round up enough rowers to boat a crew.
Before World War 2, only the first crew of each school took part in the Head of the River Regatta, but there was a race for second crews and sometimes third crews raced on the Saturday prior to the Head of the River race.
In the early part of the 20th century the race was held in October, but later it was moved to May and after World War 2 to April. When the race was held in October, it was possible for a boy to represent his school in football, cricket, rowing, and athletics in the one year, as the latter was held in May after the cricket season had ended.
Head of the Schoolgirls' Regatta
The first girl to row within the A.P.S. was a lone sculler from Geelong Grammar School in 1972. There were 32 girls rowing by 1975, and in 1981, girls began competing at the Senior Regatta with Geelong Grammar School, The Geelong College, Melbourne Girls Grammar School, Morongo Girls' School and Lauriston Girls' School racing in 1st and 2nd Fours over 800m. Methodist Ladies' College and Carey Baptist Grammar School joined in 1982, with Carey boating a First Four in 1983.1984 was the final year school girls from schools outside of the APS participated in the APS Head of the River, with seven girls' crews rowing in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Four events. The following year saw the regatta revert to an all APS event, with only the girls who attended the co-educational schools within the APS allowed to compete. This had only Geelong Grammar and Geelong College boating a First Four. Carey reappeared in the First Fours in 1986, the same year that Wesley College joined, and with Caulfield joining in 1987, all five co-educational schools were boating a first four over 1500m. Around this time, the Principal of the now-defunct Morongo Girls' School initiated a meeting that established the Head of School Girls' Regatta. This regatta allowed any school with girls to put forward crews. This meant that the all-girls schools had the chance to enter a competitive event, since they were now not able to compete at the APS Head of the River. The co-educational schools in the APS are still allowed to enter boats in this regatta. The Heads of the Schoolgirls regatta is a key event for the APS co-educational schools because it includes a larger range of competitors, for girls, compared to the APS Head of the River. The APS Head of the River is still a very competitive event for female rowers, but has a much smaller group of competitor. For the boys schools in Victoria, this regatta is their main one whereas due to the splitting of schools for the girls both the Head of the Schoolgirls and the APS Head of the River regattas are their main focus for state competitions. The APS girls crews are usually very dominant crews so they are able to win both of the regattas.
In 2007, the girls' field increased from five to six schools, with Hailebury embracing Parallel education and boating a girls' VIII. There is a much smaller group of girls crews in this regatta compared to the boys, meaning each school’s Girls First VIII crew is through the A Final. The event is still very highly competitive, since the schools who compete are usually from the top seeds of the crews in Victoria. Geelong Grammar School has been highly dominant in the APS Heads of the River Regatta since the introduction of female events. The fact that the APS Head of the River only has a smaller amount of schools does not make this any less of a sign of the school’s strength, since they also regularly dominate the Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta as well.