Great Scot April 2019 Great Scot_156_April_2019_Online | Page 50

Sport
SCOTCH BOAT CLUB PERFORMS
(TOP PHOTO) THE 1ST VIII IN ACTION IN THE 152ND HEAD OF THE RIVER. (PAGE 49 – CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT) MARCUS EMMETT WITH THE FAIRBAIRN CUP; THE 1ST CREW WITH COACH TOM WOODRUFF
Scotch wins the Head of the River in a day
On Saturday 23 March, a day of difficult cross-wind conditions
leading to crabs and broken oars in the choppy conditions, Scotch’s 1st
VIII won the 152nd running of the Head of the River. The Scotch Boat
Club performed strongly across the board, winning all four of the senior
eight divisions, and the Year 10 division 1 category. The Year 9 crews
won six out the eight quad scull divisions – divisions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8.
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Great Scot Number 156 – April 2019
There were 10 eights and 15 quad sculls, with a total of 165 Scotch boys
competing at the event.
In the Head of the River, the Scotch 1st VIII crossed the line first,
around a length ahead of Brighton Grammar School, who were two
lengths ahead of Melbourne Grammar School The Scotch crew gained
a small advantage out of the start, before steadily moving out to gain a
length at the 600m mark of the race. In blustery cross-wind conditions,
the crew then rowed conservatively to hold this margin for the remainder
of the race. In an impressive performance earlier in the day, the Scotch
crew set a new race record in their heat, with a time of 5 minutes 47.29
seconds, bettering by 2.21 seconds the record time set by the Scotch
2017 crew of 5.49.5.
The 1st VIII consisted of Archie Gill (Coxswain), Marcus Cameron
(Stroke), James Scott (7), Sam Hobson (6), Marcus Emmett (5), Josh
Hill (4), Tom McPhail (3), Fraser Miscamble (2) and James Isles (Bow).
Captain of Boats, Marcus Emmett (Year 12), competed in the 1st VIII for a
third season, and won his third Head of the River.
Scotch Archivist Paul Mishura noted that Marcus is the only rower
in the modern (11 schools) era to be part of three winning crews at the
Head of the River. He is one of only two living rowers from any school
to win the Head of the River three times, and one of only three living
crew members (including coxes) to win the race three times. Marcus is