Scotch College

Great results on the Barwon

For the second successive year, all 5 crews qualified for the A finals. To the enormous pleasure of the parents and the huge relief of the coaching staff, the first VIII were magnificent in 'the APS' HOR final.

After tailing Geelong Grammar to the 1000m marker, the crew took the lead and moved away from the field to win in grand fashion. The crew produced their best performance for the season to execute a mature race plan in a highly composed fashion. This fine crew stamped its authority all season, and claimed rightful possession of the Fairbairn Cup.

The 4th VIII victory was particularly sweet with two course record performances on their way to winning the final.

This Year 10 development crew displayed maturity, determination and high levels of commitment throughout the season to establish a sound base on which to build a high level of speed. This win is significant to the future of the Boat Club.

National arena

Testimony to the standard of the Scotch programme is the success of graduates from the past two years in the highly competitive national arena -

Peter Hannam, Ben Robson, Peter Moore, Mike Raisbeck and Tim Widmer made up the majority of the MUBC crew which won the Victorian Championship - Youth 8. Mike Raisbeck and Peter Moore were selected in the Victorian Youth 8, which went on to win the Australian Youth 8 and National Senior B titles.

Mike and Peter were highly competitive in Senior B small boat events at the national titles, winning a bronze medal, and were unlucky to miss national selection.

Tim Widmer, last year's Captain of Boats, won two national titles in the junior four with cox and junior four for MUBC. This crew was outstanding in both these events and gained selection to represent Australia in the Junior World Championships to be held in Austria in September.

Mr Steve Spurling, Director of Coaching

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A Head of River omen?

Darrell Darbourn Best ('20) coxed the 1919 Scotch crew to victory. Seeking his date of death for my book on the Head of the River, I met his son Geoff.

Darrell's cardinal, gold and blue megaphone was used by Geoff when he was cox of the Geelong College 2nd VIII, but eventually disintegrated. Incredibly, his beautifully-crafted wood and brass rudder, with its painted Scotch badge and crew names, survived. Following a speech by Dr Donaldson at the assembly preceding the 1998 race, Geoffrey Best presented it to Scotch. Held aloft, it attracted thunderous applause as the boys recognised its significance.

Perhaps greatest of all races was the 1919 dead heat between Scotch and Xavier on the Yarra in front of 50,000 spectators.The race was re-rowed ninety minutes later, at 5:00 pm. Scotch won by a canvas. Some said the strain would shorten the boys' life spans. The last 1919 Scotch crew member, James Mayo Buchanan, died in 1989.

Was the return to Scotch of the 1919 rudder an omen? As in 1919, Scotch, Xavier, and Geelong were in the 1998 final. 1919's 3 seat, Henry Coverley Maling ('19), is the great-grandfather of 1998's 6 seat, Matthew Fowles.

Most significantly, in 1998, as in 1919, it was 'Well rowed, Scotch !' the boys were calling!

Mr Paul Mishura.