Churchie First VIII rowing reunion at Graham Fowles boat shed

Churchie First VIII rowing reunion 60 years after the school’s historic Head of the River victory in 1963.

Churchie 1963 First VIII Reunion.

There were handshakes aplenty and smiles all around when the historic 1963 Churchie First VIII crew held a joyful reunion at the Graham Fowles Boathouse earlier this week.

Captain of Rowing Peter Fry, a driving force in the reunion, joined Peter Burton, Peter Richards, Wally Noble, Peter Nevile and Peter Watson in attendance.

Absent were four seat and two-time Olympian Peter Shakespear and three seat Bruce Schmidt, but Shakespear was represented by his daughter Susan and Schmidt by his son, Simon, and two grandsons, Stirling and Baxter.

“I am so delighted that those who could not be here today have family representatives here who are closely connected with rowing and with Churchie rowing,’’ Fry said.

“I realise how much pleasure I have in re-engaging with our time with the school and meeting up again with these guys.

An image of the 1963 Head of the River winners from Churchie.

“It means so much to them and that gives me great pleasure. They are a fabulous team.’’

Indeed they are a “fabulous team’’ who claimed Churchie’s seventh Head of the River title, but the first in VIIIs.

Coached by Kiwi legend and Churchie parent Jock Thodey, the team was: Peter Burton, Peter Richards, Bruce Schmidt, Peter Shakespear, Peter Fry, Peter Nevile, Wally Noble, Graham Early.

The autograph of the champion Peter Shakespear in the Graham Fowles boat shed.

They broke a 22 year drought, winning by “two foot’’.

The win added to Churchie’s sporting success that year which also included winning the track and field, swimming, football, cricket and, of course, rowing.

Schmidt, a 1961 and 1962 Head of the River representative and also the track and field captain and school captain, was switched from stroke to bow by coach Thodey.

Shakespear was selected as the youngest member of the crew while Early provided a cool head in the regattas.

It turned out to be the perfect blend of young men who would etch their names in Churchie folklore.

“Thodey’s impact as a role model on all he coached was lasting,’’ Fry said.

As an offshoot to the crew’s success, Fry said 1963 Churchie school vice-captain Ian Goddard also came up with the idea of compiling a book - 1963 - A Vintage Year - capturing the memories of so many students from that year.

The 1963 Churchie captain of rowing Peter Fry with the book - 1963 A Vintage Year.

“It was launched to capture the events and stories of their school days along with a personal account of their respective reflections on their days at Churchie and life thereafter,’’ Fry said.

He said almost 100 old boys contributed to the book which had “attracted a growing interest from other years and schools’’.

The 1963 crew which is recorded within the Graham Fowles boat shed.