Great Scot - The Scotch Family Magazine - Issue 150 April 2017 GS150-ONLINE Version_FA | Page 66

OSCA Reunions
150th Head of the River celebrations
History repeated on the Yarra
It all began 149 years ago, when Scotch
challenged Melbourne Grammar School to a race
on the Yarra River on 18 June 1868, the challenge
issued by Scotch teacher, John Field: ‘Dear Sir, I
am requested by the Scotch College Rowing Club
to challenge you to a friendly four-oar gig race, years to the Head of the River by alumni crews from
the other APS schools.
The Scotch and Melbourne Grammar crews
were lucky to be able to row in recently-renovated
clinker hulls, kindly supplied by Peter Doyle and
Graeme Wilson of the Anglesea Sports and in the regatta and a reunion opportunity in future
years.
The 150th rowing of the Head of the River will
also be celebrated in style at a gala dinner on Friday
16 June in the Members’ Dining Room at the MCG.
It will be a wonderful opportunity to bring together
the race to be rowed on Thursday the 18th from
the Botanical Bridge to Edwards’ boat house, and Recreation Club. Their birthplace was the Edwards
& Sons boatsheds (finishing point of the original members of the Scotch and Melbourne Grammar
rowing communities to celebrate the past 150 years
subject to such conditions as the crews agree
to.’ The race, over one mile, duly took place and race), which were located between Princes Bridge
and the Richmond Rowing Club’s shed at Henley, of great competition. For more information, please
email [e-mail].
Scotch won by a boat length.
The 2017 Head of the River was the 150th now an open, grassy area.
Scotch’s crew consisted of rowing greats rowing of the event, and on Saturday 25 February
the milestone was celebrated with a historic row Graeme Boykett (‘62), Craig Cooper (’74), Rohan
Sutherland (’85), Adam Croxford (’14) and cox past during the Australian Henley Regatta on
the Yarra, conducted in coordination with the Dylan Richards (’16). And, 149 years on, Scotch
beat Melbourne Grammar again in the row past, Melbourne Amateur Rowing Association and
Rowing Victoria. which became an unofficial race!
A new competitive event category was created The row past was led off by alumni crews
from the two original Head of the River schools
— Scotch and Melbourne Grammar — followed
in chronological order of their admission over the for the regatta — alumni racing — which was open
to all schools which feature rowing in their sports
program. It is hoped that, based on the success
of this year’s race, it will be a permanent category
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Great Scot Number 150 – April 2017