Since 1922…
100 Years and Still Rowing Strong…
The 2022 South Australian Schools’ Head of the River rowing regatta event marks one hundred years since that first race on Lake Torrens in 1922.
Across ten decades, there are so many stories, memories and moments, including this gallery of favorites kindly shared by our family of participating schools.
Which moment on our photo wall is your favourite? Can you spot anyone you know?
1957 St Peter's College with the Gosse Shield and the Wallman Trophy. (Image courtesy Neil Sarah (DAC 1957).)
1957 St Peter's College. (Image courtesy St Peter’s College Archives.)
1932 “Head of the River,” First PAC VIII to win the Blackmore and Gosse Shields. HE Freburg (Cox), JC Williams (Stroke), CE Runge (7), JB Craven (6), RHT Cox (5), RB Ward (4), JSTT Hill (3), DO Crompton (2), PS Henstridge (bow). (Image courtesy Prince Alfred College Archives.)
1942 PAC “Head of the River” VIII, 1942. Gosse Shield: First Heat – Defeated SC by 1/3 length, Final Heat – Defeated AHS by a canvas Blackmore Shield: Defeated SPSC by 1 length BB Martin (Cox), TJ Howard (Stroke), HJ Lewis (7), W Dickson (6), WS Morrow (5), KE LePage (4), PR Mead (3), HG Oliphant (2), KS Ricketts (Bow). (Image courtesy Prince Alfred College Archives.)
1942 Prince Alfred College First VIII with oars on the banks of the Torrens River BB Martin (Cox), TJ Howard (Stroke), HJ Lewis (7), W Dickson (6), WS Morrow (5), KE LePage (4), PR Mead (3), HG Oliphant (2), KS Ricketts (Bow). (Image courtesy Prince Alfred College Archives.)
1982 First VIII, left to right: JP Grayling (Cox), DR Uhrig (Stroke), JC Brown (6), MJ Reeves (40, AL Chapman (2), SM Mattingley (Bow), Mr GD Coldwell (Coach), AR Gregurke (3), V Sukacz (5), GP Waters (7). Published by PAC 2008, Anabel Blanch 'From Tubs to Carbon Fibre'. (Image courtesy Prince Alfred College Archives.)
1963 King’s College First VIII HOR Winning crew & 1963 National School Boy VIII champions. (Image courtesy of Pembroke School Archives.)
1983 Pembroke Boys First VIII HOR winning crew. (Image courtesy of Pembroke School Archives.)
1984 Pembroke Girls Open IV HOR winning crew, three State Championships and two Australian titles. (Image courtesy of Pembroke School Archives.)
1984 Pembroke Boys Open IV HOR winning crew. (Image courtesy of Pembroke School Archives.)
2005 Pembroke Girls First VIII HOR winning crew. (Image courtesy of Pembroke School Archives.)
1961 Spectators at the Head of the River on Lake Torrens. (Image courtesy Pulteney Grammar School.)
1961 Pulteney Grammar School First VIII. (Image courtesy Pulteney Grammar School.)
1983 Pulteney Grammar School U15 Boys IV. (Image courtesy Pulteney Grammar School.)
1959 Pulteney rowing. (Image courtesy Pulteney Grammar School.)
1961 Pulteney spectators at the Head of the River. (Image courtesy Pulteney Grammar School.)
1983 Pulteney Grammar School U15 Boys IV. (Image courtesy Pulteney Grammar School.)
Scotch College First VIII breaking the Head of the River record on Lake Torrens. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1927 Scotch College winning crews First IV, Second IV and U15 Boys IV. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1927 Scotch College First IV. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1928 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1933 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1937 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1939 Scotch College First VIII wins Head of the River for the first time. Newspaper clipping. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1939 Scotch College First VIII with Gosse Shield. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1939 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1943 Scotch College First VIII with Gosse Shield. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1944 Scotch College First VIII with Gosse Shield. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1944 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1946 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1954 Scotch College First VIII with Gosse Shield. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1967 Scotch College Head of the River crews. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1973 Scotch College. First Girl Rowers at Scotch. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1990 Scotch College VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1995 Scotch College Boys VIII winning Head of the River. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1999 Scotch College Boys First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1999 Scotch College Girls First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2000 Scotch College Girls First VIII with Florence Eaton Cup. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2001 Scotch College Girls First VIII with Florence Eaton Cup. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2006 Scotch College Boys First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2010 Scotch College Girls First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2019 Scotch College Girls First VIII with Florence Eaton Cup. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1934 Scotch College First VIII. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1942 Scotch College First VIII racing the Head of the River on Lake Torrens. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1959 Scotch College Head of the River crews. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2015 Scotch College Boys First VIII in action and with the Gosse Shield. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
2015 Scotch College Girls First VIII in action and with the Florence Eaton Cup. (Image courtesy Scotch College.)
1990 Walford U16 IV first Head of the River win (photo by Hebfotos). (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1991 Walford First VIII win at their first Head of the River appearance. First VIII Winners: State Championship 1991, Head of the River Regatta 1991 “Walford School won the Schoolgirls Head of the River rowing Eights in fine style at West Lakes. Walford making its debut in the women’s First Eight gave one of the best displays of the day in front of the 8,000-strong crowd to easily win the Florence Eaton Cup.” The Advertiser, Monday, March 25, 1991. (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1994 Walford Lightweight IVs win Head of the River. (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1993 Walford ‘WORMs’ (Walford Old Rowing Mothers) and their daughters (photo by The Advertiser). (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1992 Walford rowing at West Lakes. (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1997 Walford First VIII Head of the River Winning Crew. (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1993 Walford First VIII. The power of the First VIII continues with third consecutive Head of the River win. First VIII with Florence Eaton Cup (photo by Hebfotos). (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
1991 Walford First VIII win at their first Head of the River appearance. First VIII Winners: State Championship 1991, Head of the River Regatta 1991 “Walford School won the Schoolgirls Head of the River rowing Eights in fine style at West Lakes. Walford making its debut in the women’s First Eight gave one of the best displays of the day in front of the 8,000-strong crowd to easily win the Florence Eaton Cup.” The Advertiser, Monday, March 25, 1991. (Image courtesy Walford Anglican School for Girls.)
Olympia Aldersey (right) in action at the World Championships in Austria (with Lucy Stephan, Sarah Hawe & Katrina Werry). The Olympia Aldersey Cup was presented by St Peter’s Girls’ School in 2017 in honor of Olympia Aldersey, who first represented Australia in rowing in 2010. (Image courtesy of Rowing Australia.)
Wilderness A Rowing Crew 1988: 1988 Wilderness First IV. Back row (L-R): J Thompson, E Baldwin (Captain) Front row (L-R): M Young, G McGregor-Reid, J Lahey (Vice-Captain). (Image courtesy of Wilderness School Archives.)
1989 Wilderness A Rowing Crew 1989. (Image courtesy of Wilderness School Archives.)
1958 Adelaide Boys High School Gosse Shield Winners First VIII Crew: G Edmonds (bow), D Sincock (2), A Dainis (3), J Dunstan (4), R Branson (5), D Henderson (6), L Mead (7), G Dyer (stroke), I Barclay (cox). Coaches: R Lewis and P Read. (Image courtesy Adelaide High School Archives.)
1930 Adelaide High School First VIII Back Row: M West, E Mercer, W Thompson, J Bull Front Row: W Hudson (stroke), E Haddow, Mr P Read (Rowing Master), L Mounton, A Oliver (bow) Seated: R Barter (cox) (Image courtesy Adelaide High School Archives.)
1922 Adelaide High School First VIII Winning crew of the first Head of the River when St Peter’s College challenged Adelaide High School to a race over the Henley course. First VIII Crew: NJ Dowdy (bow), J Ashton (2), D Dowd (3), M Ryan (4), R Burnard (5), K Polkinghorne (6), RC McKinnon (7), AJ Jarvis (stroke), F Collins (cox). (Image courtesy Adelaide High School Archives.)
1939 Adelaide High School First VIII J Hill (bow), T Scattergood (2), V Horvat (3), J Young (4), M McLean (5), B Oliver (6), K Kermode (7), R Blake (stroke), R Wellington (cox). (Image courtesy Adelaide High School Archives.)
1931 Adelaide High School Crew H Murrie (cox), L Moulton (stroke), M West (7), C Charlton (6), E Haddow (5), W Thompson (4), E Mercer (3), I Miller (2), J Jones (bow). (Image courtesy Adelaide High School Archives.)