SPORT
SCOTCH SCORES UPSET WIN AT THE 2022 HEAD OF THE RIVER
SPONTANEOUS REACTION TO AN UNEXPECTED WIN IN THE HEAD OF THE RIVER
SCOTCH PUSHES AHEAD TO A SOMEWHAT UNEXPECTED VICTORY
Scotch won the 154th staging of the Head of the River , in an upset over pre-race favourites Melbourne Grammar School .
A number of strong crews were in contention for the Head of the River title in 2022 . The tall , athletic Wesley College crew , far heavier than the Scotch crew , had a few weeks earlier won the Victorian State Schoolboy Eight Championship , a second ahead of Melbourne Grammar . The St Kevin ’ s College crew also contained some very talented and experienced athletes , who had shown they were more than capable .
It was the physically imposing Melbourne Grammar crew , with a notably larger crew , however , who entered the final week of the season as the leader of the pack , having won the Scotch Mercantile Regatta with a comprehensive performance . With the prospect of again racing the much taller , heavier Melbourne Grammar crew in a week ’ s time , the Scotch crew altered their technical rowing stroke and also changed the race strategy , rehearsing this throughout the week .
The day of the Head of the River was sunny and warm with very little wind , allowing the crews to race unimpeded by the conditions . The Scotch crew faced a number of crews including
the accomplished St Kevin ’ s eight in their heat . Implementing the changes they had made over the course of the week , the crew was able to win its heat after being level with St Kevin ’ s at the 1000 metre , or halfway , mark .
In the final of the Head of the River , there was very little that separated the crews . At the 1000 metre mark , or halfway point of the race , the giant Melbourne Grammar crew held the lead , with the Scotch crew around one-third of a length behind in second . St Kevin ’ s was one to two metres behind in third and Wesley one-third of a length behind in fourth place . Xavier College and Geelong Grammar School were not far behind these leading four crews .
Over the third 500 metres of the race the Scotch crew was able to move back to level with Melbourne Grammar , and then eke out an advantage of a few seats . At the 1500 metre mark Scotch had taken the lead , however Wesley , St Kevin ’ s and Melbourne Grammar were all within striking distance .
Over the final 500 metres the Scotch crew continued to push away , to score a somewhat unexpected victory , crossing the line 3.7 seconds , or over a length , ahead of Melbourne Grammar , with St
52 Great Scot Issue 165 – April 2022