Legacy on the Harbour: Sydney University Seals Another Victory in Australian Boat Race

Over the past weekend, the longest-standing tradition between Australia's two oldest Universities, Sydney and Melbourne, occurred on the iconic Sydney Harbour. A rivalry since 1860, this race has seen the best men and women student-athlete rowers battle it out.

It was a beautiful spring day, with the sun shining and brewing for high-class rowing. The Sydney University women's team showcased their dominance with their sixth consecutive win of the Australian Boat Race, narrowing the current standings down to only two wins off Melbourne. A tight contest at the beginning began to show Sydney Uni's strength, with Sydney Uni taking a solid lead halfway through; from there, they were too strong for their Melbourne counterparts, winning convincingly.

Speaking after Sydney's captain, Emily Sheppard said: "It is always fun racing out in the harbour. It was pretty chaotic with ferry washing and from the maritime as well. It's so different from racing on the harbour to what it is down at the Yarra River."

Both men's rowers got off to an excellent start in the ABR event. Melbourne University won the coin toss on Friday, allowing them a slight advantage and indicating the line at the beginning of the race. The race was close, and both teams were closely poised in the bumpy conditions of the more open waters of Sydney Harbour. Sydney University was able to use the conditions better, which helped them pull away in the middle stages of the race.

This saw Sydney take a demanding lead, as they never looked back being their 9th consecutive win. Captain Jackson Kench spoke after the event: "It's always good to get out on Sydney Harbour, and alternating between Melbourne and Sydney, Sydney gets the home advantage, which we love".

Furthermore, Kench said, "A few boys have participated in the Australian Boat Race several times. It's always good for a New South Welshman to beat the Victorians. The conditions are always challenging, but with a big boat like this, it is still a great place to row, especially given the excellent turnout from the crowd."

The competition in the men's is only the beginning, as Melbourne's younger crew will only learn from these experiences, with a lot of good takeaways from Sydney, which they will compile back in the Yarra River in 2025.

Earlier in the day, the Women's and Men's College teams fought it out in what was a spectacle to watch. In the women's, Ormond College from Melbourne University showed their class by defeating St Paul's women's. With the college races being part of the program since 2015, Ormond College has never been defeated, making this their seventh consecutive women's college title.

In the men's college race, Trinity College from Melbourne University took the trophy back down South with them. They put on an excellent display against the men's team from St Pauls, taking the eastern side; it proved pivotal, as both College teams from Melbourne were able to take advantage.

This year's Australian Boat Race was a testament not only to the athletic excellence of each university but also to the enduring sportsmanship and passion that makes this rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne so memorable and compelling, with both teams already setting their sights on next year back on the Yarra River, this storied rivalry looking brighter than ever.

Sydney Dominant at Australian Boat Race 2023

After four years the Australian Boat Race returned to the Yarra River over the weekend, hosting the best student-athlete rowers from the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney. Hundreds of spectators lined the river for the races which saw the Sydney crews taking victories in both main races.

The event opened with the College races, with Trinity and Ormond College representing Melbourne in the Men’s and Women’s events respectively. Both crews put on an impressive display, with Ormond facing off against St. Paul’s College and Trinity taking on Wesley College. The Melbourne Colleges completed a double sweep, taking out both races convincingly.

The much-anticipated Australian Boat Race events lived up to the excitement, providing the scores of spectators two exhilarating races.

The Women's race started with both crews battling head-to-head for ascension on the river. The Sydney crew emerged from the first bend in the course in the lead, and held onto their position over the 4.1km race, crossing the line around 15 seconds infront of Melbourne.

Captain Eliza Gaffney remarked on her crew’s youth and potential, expressing confidence in Melbourne’s ability to retake the Bella Guerin Trophy in the coming years;

“We’re a slightly younger crew who are still developing; we’re looking forward to the future”.

The Men’s race started in windy conditions and some controversy, with the 2 boats almost colliding while vying for pole position around first turn of the course which led to the race being restarted by race officials. In the second race, The Sydney crew got off to an early lead and powered to a dominant victory over the Melbourne crew.

Despite the result, the ABR represents the tail-end of an otherwise extremely successful year for MUBC and the University’s rowing athletes, with Gaffney sharing what it means to herself to represent the University and MUBC following her national title winning season with MUBC;

“It’s such a privilege. We’re very lucky to be students of the University and row at MUBC, we’ve got fantastic resources and we’re very grateful for the support we have from the University”.

The Edmond Barton and Bella Guerin Trophy tallies now sit at 2-11 and 8-5 for Melbourne and Sydney respectively, with much anticipation already building around MUBC and the University’s redemption campaign in 2024.

The Australian Boat Race Returns to the Yarra River

Get ready, Melbournians! The Australian Boat Race is set to return to the city after four years.

The University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney will take on each other on Saturday 14 October in an annual contest that dates back over 160 years.

It is not just a rivalry between the rowing clubs of the two universities. It is Melbourne vs Sydney. A truly iconic rivalry indeed. The two oldest Australian universities competed unofficially for the first time in 1860 in the waters of the Yarra River. Melbourne also hosted the race in 2009, when the universities decided to revive the competition. Since then, Melbourne has won the women’s trophy in 8 out of the 12 years, while Sydney leads the men’s tally 10-2. Melbourne’s Yarra River and Sydney’s Darling Harbour take turns every alternate year to provide a glorious setting for each contest.

The men’s trophy is named after Edmund Barton, the first Prime Minister of Australia, who also represented the University of Sydney in the first official intervarsity race in 1870. The women’s trophy, on the other hand, takes its name from Bella Guerin, the first woman graduate of the University of Melbourne.

The race returned in 2022 from a two-year COVID-induced hiatus, with Sydney playing the host and also claiming both men’s and women’s titles. Melbourne did not return empty handed though, as Trinity and Ormond won the two College races.

Back at home for the first time since 2019, the Melbourne teams would be hoping to ride on the home support this year and win back the two trophies. The Saturday afternoon starts with the Women's College Race between Ormond College (Melbourne) and Wesley College (Sydney) at 12:15 pm, followed by the Men's College Race, where Trinity College (Melbourne) will face St. Paul’s College (Sydney) at 12:30 pm.

The Women’s Australian Boat Race is scheduled for 1:00 pm with the Men’s Australian Boat Race to follow at 1:45 pm.

Information on supporter packs and tickets to the post-race function will be available soon.

Sydney University Take Trophies for Men’s and Women’s Eight

Sydney University Men’s Eight

It was a record turnout this Sunday at Darling Harbour when the long-awaited Australian Boat Race took to the waters once more. The University of Sydney won the Australian Women’s and Men’s Eight in a clear decider. The University of Melbourne got amongst the winner’s circle claiming Gold for the Men’s and Women’s College Races, with Trinity and Ormond championing First Place, respectively.

Setting out a strong start, the Sydney Women’s Eight took the lead early on, keeping a strong pace and stretching it out as they crossed along the Harbour out of Woolwich. Many of the Women’s Eight were seasoned athletes of the Australian Boat Race.

The Women’s crews rowing across to Darling Harbour

In the boat was first-time captain Jaime Ford as stroke, followed by teammates Ella Mentzines, Tara Rigney (OLY), Eleanor Price, Emily Sheppard, Zoe McKellar, Nikki Greenland and Lucy Coleman at the bow. In cox was Talia Barnet-Hepples, and reserves were Sophia Wightman and Ella Cassin.

Sydney University Women’s Eight

Melbourne University won the coin toss challenge for the Women’s Eight, with captain Eliza Gaffney opting for the South Lane. In their boat was captain and stroke Eliza Gaffney, followed by Sara de Uray, Zara Lavery, Stephanie Gordon, Brooke Doolan, Romy Cantwell, Katerina Bitzios, Louisa Bongrain in bow and cox. Hayley Verbunt. Their reserve was Evelyn Dow.

Melbourne University’s Women’s Eight

Sydney University’s Men’s Eight won with a strong lead, rowing with a seasoned crew with an average age of 27, compared to the average age in the Melbourne Men’s Eight, which was 21. In the Men’s Eight for Sydney was captain and stroke Jackson Kench, followed by Will O’Shannessy, Nick Mirow, David Bartholot, Ryan Gibson, Kieran Riach, Marcus Britt and Henry Ryan at the bow. The cox was Lizzie Bolster, and in reserves were Hamish Danks and Tom Anderson.

Sydney University holding the Edward Barton Trophy

Melbourne University won the coin toss challenge for the race, with captain Fraser Miscamble selecting the South Lane for their starting point. Melbourne’s Men’s crew were captain Fraser Miscamble with stroke Felix Oliver, followed by Tom McPhail, Alexander Colley, Thomas Caine, Joe Bryant, Hamish Nicol, and Damian Schroder at the bow. In the cox were Ellie Buchanan and Alex Coleman in reserve.

Melbourne University’s Men’s Eight

For the Women’s College Race, it was Wesley v. Ormond, with Ormond securing first place in a 23-second lead. It was a close one in the Men’s College Race, with Trinity college securing gold with only 0.26 seconds ahead of St Paul’s College of Sydney University.

Trinity College Men’s Eight

Ormond College Women’s Eight

Jackson Kench, captain of the Sydney University Men’s Eight, said, “This event’s pretty special…To be back racing here, it’s really special. You get to pull on a club Zootie and race for the university and your boat club as well…having the college crews involved is really special.”

The Australian Boat Race dedicates itself to a long-held tradition and friendly rivalry between Australia’s two oldest universities. Sydney University and Melbourne University have produced some of the World’s best rowers, offering leading elite athlete programs while fostering academic pursuits.

Sydney University Rows away with Golds at UniSports Nationals

Sydney University Rowing Teams 2022

In a massive three days of races, Sydney University takes the overall Final Point Score for Rowing, with 238 points for Men’s and 212 for Women’s-totally 450 points overall for the UniSports Nationals Rowing Regatta. It was neck and neck between the Students and The University of Technology (UTS), with the third day of races calling the outcome. UTS came second with 414 points.

The Students came away with 5 Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze in the Regatta.

The last day of races in the A-Finals saw Gold for Sydney University in the Men’s Coxed Eight with at the Bow, Benjamin Boman, then Tom Anderson, Hamish Danks, Nick Mirow, Kieran Riach, Torben Ungemach, Ryan Gibson, Stroke: Henry Ryan and Cox: Emily Jowett-Blinman with a time of 6:05:05. UTS came in second with a time of 6:06:18.

The Women’s Coxed Eight secured Gold with a lead of 12 seconds at 7:24:25, with UTS coming in second. At the Bow was Ella Cassin, then Nicola Greenland, Stephanie Prellar, Sophia Wightman, Zoe McKellar, Emily Sheppard, Ella Mentzines, Stroke: Jaime Ford and Cox: Elizabeth Bolster.

The Men’s Coxed Four took Gold with at the Bow: Tom Anderson, followed by Hamish Danks, Torben Ungemach, Stroke: Kieran Riach and Cox: Elizabeth Bolster.

The Men’s Coxless Pair were Henry Ryan at Bow and Ryan Gibson at Stroke making the time 7:45.43 with Curtin University’s Alex Cecchele and Hayden Coote coming in a close second with 7:46.74.

The Women’s Coxless Pair secured Gold in a strong lead by 7 seconds, with Ella Mentzines at the Bow and Jaime Ford for Stroke. Australian National University secured Silver.

The Students gained Silver in the Women’s Single Scull with Nicola Greenland the Women’s Coxed Four with at the Bow: Tiffany Botha, followed by Lily Gavan, Sophia Wightman, Stroke: Stefanie Preller and Cox: Elizabeth Bolster. Nick Mirow secured the Bronze in the Men’s Single Scull.

For many universities, this event is considered the Olympics for students around Australia. After its two-year covid hiatus, the Nationals were back, and Sydney University Boat Club came ready for the challenge.

Men’s Coxed Eight

Medals at World Rowing Championships

In a stunning performance on the world stage, several rowers selected in the Initial Squad for the University of Sydney at the Australian Boat Race competed over the weekend at the World Rowing Championships. 

Olympian Tara Rigney claimed Bronze in the A-Final of the Women’s Single, making her debut at the World Championships.

In a stellar performance, Tara pushed in with confidence ahead of the New Zealand Olympic

Champion at 500m, in second. The Kiwi pushed through to chase the leading Dutch woman in a tight field. Tara was then also getting pressed by China, who looked like she would threaten a podium finish, but Tara held onto the Bronze.  

“It was a tough race, I have to give it to the Chinese sculler, she pushed me to the limit. This race was exactly the nature of the World Championships, with hard, intense racing. This season has been a bit of a surprise, I didn’t know what to expect so obviously it’s a huge achievement,” Tara said.

Another Bronze for the Australian Team came from the Men’s Eight, Jackson Kench and Will

O’Shannessy from the ABR Initial Squad raced alongside crew members, Sam Hardy, Angus

Widdocmbe, Benjamin Canham, Henry Youl, Nick Lavery, Rohan Lavery and cox Kendall Brodie. They had a fantastic row in the A-Final setting an early rhythm and starting the race as they meant to continue, going through the halfway mark in third, behind the British and the Dutch. They held off pushes from the rest of the field to hold onto Bronze. 

Stroke man, Jackson Kench said: “It was a crazy race, the Men’s Eight is always a spectacle. We had to double-check where we finished. There was such a high-quality field, anyone could have finished with a medal.” 

In the Women’s Eight rowed ABR Initial Squad members Eleanor Price and cox Talia Barnett-Hepples alongside teammates Emma Fessey, Georgie Rowe, Giorgia Patten, Ella Branwell, Jacqui Swick, Jean Mitchell. The crew had a strong technical row in the A-Final. They crossed the line in fifth, ahead of China, matching the result from last year’s Olympics. 

In the Women’s Lightweight Double, Lucy Coleman alongside her partner Anneka Reardon, placed 4th in the B-Final, coming in 10th overall.

It was a strong round of medals for the Initial Squad athletes, putting them in fine form for the

Australian Boat Race against the Melburnians on October 16 in Darling Harbour next month.