Historical three-mile race set to grace Brisbane River in quest for winning talent in podium-dry state
A race last won by Queensland rowers in 1939 has been given new life as organisers chase yesteryear’s glory days when thousands would cheer competitors along the Brisbane River.
Southeast
Don't miss out on the headlines from Southeast. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Oars are set to hit the water for a historical rowing event revitalised to capture the heyday of rowing in Brisbane and return Queensland athletes to the podium.
Brisbane Schoolgirl Rowing Association Head of the River 2020: Stuartholme School prepares
GPS First XI Football: The season’s premiers have been identified
Focus on youth at Springwood Pumas AFC 4th annual indigenous footy round
Colloquially called the Three Mile Race the Queensland King’s Cup Trial Eights Match Race was first held in 1920 and will have its 100th anniversary celebrated tomorrow when keen rowers battle it out.
Organisers have stayed loyal to the original and will race the exact same course used in the first King’s Cup last won by Queensland in 1939.
Rowers start one mile downstream of the Gateway Bridge and finish just before Brett’s Wharf.
Revived as a development event for young talent, organiser and lauded Australian rowing coxswain Michael Toon, said interest in the race has been fierce and there were big plans for its future.
“We wanted to do it this year because it is the 100th anniversary of the King’s Cup which started in 1920 when it was won by South Australia and it was also the first year that women were involved with interstate rowing,” Toon said.
“It was also an opportunity at a competitive event for the young rowers who had so much stuff cancelled because of COVID so they weren’t able to row for Queensland this year.
“And we chose the timing because we could start developing athletes so that they can compete in the national races like the Head of the Yarra in November in Melbourne and through to the Australian Rowing Championships in March.
“Ideally we would like for it to rival some of Australia’s biggest regattas like the Head of the River.
“But that has been going for 50 years and it would take a long time before we can establish that kind of popularity.”
Toon said the concept for the race came from the Oxford and Cambridge boat race where they have trial eights races before they finalise their boats for the actual Boat Race.
“The squad is split into two crews, evenly matched to see how the athletes carry themselves in the team environment and perform in the crews,” he said.
“So everyone is on the same team but racing against each other quite ruthlessly – like when the Wallabies have a trial match as a squad.”
The women’s race kicks off at 10:40am tomorrow and the men duel it out at 11am in what is touted as a fresh coming together of the state’s best rowers, with club pride set to the side.
“There is a lot of club rivalry in Brisbane, which is healthy, but we are trying to break down barriers and get Queensland men and women back on the winning podium which has been a long time coming,” Toon said.
“And the response from athletes has been really unprecedented.
“And it is a part of the river at Hamilton that we don’t get to row much but it has such a rich history.
“Rowing used to be staged there and thousands of people would turn out to watch.
“And the guys are excited to be able to train on big boats this time of year.”