The University of Sydney and University of Melbourne battled it out oar-to-oar on Sydney's iconic Darling Harbour last Sunday, in the annual Australian Boat Race competition where tradition meets the tide.
The University of Sydney claimed victory in the men's and women's rowing events this year, adding another win to the tally for the 160-year-old rivalry with the University of Melbourne. Alternating between the Yarra River and Sydney's harbour, this year the crews battled it out here in Sydney.
Starting at Woolwich Point and spanning a course of more than 4.5 kilometres to Darling Harbour, the race saw the best student-athlete rowers from the two universities competing for the Edmund Barton Trophy (men's eight) and Bella Guerin Trophy (women's eight).
Photography by Bradley Redfern.
Chris Noel, co-convenor of the Australian Boat Race in 2024 said the event proudly continues to see tradition meet with the tide.
"Our two universities were represented by a contingent of high achievers in both sport and their academic pursuits," he said. "The 72 rowers in the Boat Races and the University College races represent a cross section of degrees and faculties at our universities.
"Naturally I'm proud to see Sydney University dominate both races this year. Melbourne crews were victorious in both the University College races with Ormond and Trinity, defeating St Paul's College in both men and women's races."
Photography by Bradley Redfern.
Sydney's women's eights, coached by Alfie Young, was represented by rowers Emily Sheppard, Eleanor Price (stroke), Elizabeth Bolster (cox), Jaime Ford (bow), Sophia Wightman, Stefanie Preller, Tiffany Botha, Zoe McKella, and reserves Molly McCausland and Alexandra O'Brien.
The Sydney men's eights, coached by Don McLachlan, was represented by rowers Jackson Kench (stroke), Tom Shaw (cox), William Gregory (bow), Will O'Shannessy, Tom Anderson, Hamish Danks, Oscar Beregi, Remy Cameron, Alex Page, and reserves Sam Brislow and William Wulff.
The History of the Australian Boat Race
The University of Sydney and Melbourne rowing clubs were founded in 1859 and 1860 respectively, and the two rowing clubs began a fierce competition which evolved into the annual intervarsity competition held today.
Almost 150 years after the first regatta, the first Australian Boat Race was contested as a time trial as part of the 2009 Head of the Yarra. Following this, the Vice-Chancellors of the University of Sydney and University of Melbourne agreed to an annual 'match race' between the men's eights and women's eights from each university.
The trophy for the women's race, designed and produced by Jennifer Mann, is named after the first woman graduate of the University of Melbourne, Bella Guerin, who earned her arts degree in 1883 and master's degree in 1885 before she took up teaching. Guerin became active in women's causes and was appointed vice-president of the Australian Labor Party's Women's Central Organising Committee in 1918.
