Sydney University Boat Club wins 2019 Australian Boat Race
A Sydney rowing club has claimed victory over their Melbourne rivals in their fiercely contested annual race, as the captain follows in his father’s footsteps of more than 30 years before.
St George Shire Standard
Don't miss out on the headlines from St George Shire Standard. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A Cronulla rowing captain has followed in his father’s footsteps to lead Sydney University Boat Club to victory against their interstate rivals in a prestigious rowing tradition that dates back 150 years.
The fiercely contested annual Australian Boat Race between the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne dates back to an informal meeting on the Yarra River in 1860, and now sees the states battle relentlessly for bragging rights in the race from Burnley to the city’s heart.
Civil engineering student Marcus Britt, 21, captained the men’s crew for the third time this year – just like his father Rob in 1983.
“It feels special to be able to share the same responsibility he had, and ask him for advice along the way as I go through similar experiences,” Marcus said.
“It’s a unique rivalry in terms of its heritage from the early 1900s, and it taps into every proud Welshman and Sydneysider’s desire to be better than Victoria and Melbourne in every way.”
Mr Britt said he was immensely proud of his son.
“Having Marcus follow in my footsteps makes us very proud,” Mr Britt said.
“The race is a physical and mental test, being 4.6km long on the windy Yarra River – Marcus has competed in it for the last four years and his crew has won the event each time.”
Marcus said his father had attended almost every race he ever contested.
“My father introduced me to rowing when I was 11 years old and he has been supportive of me ever since,” Marcus said.
“Marcus is now a third generation of rowers in our family, and we just think it is a great sport – otherwise, who would get out of bed at 4:30 in the morning to flog yourself for hours before breakfast?” Mr Britt added.
The men’s crew has now won five races in a row, and both the men’s and women’s crews have won the last three consecutive races.
“With the strong rivalry between the two universities it is great to compete, and then enjoy a gathering with the athletes after the event to build on the friendship from previous events,” Mr Britt said.
Marcus said the Sydney University Boat Club trained 12 to 14 times a week, rowing more than 200km in boats, weights and cross-training sessions.
Many team members including Marcus have participated in the race for three or four years, though his fellow bow pair Jacob Bucknell has now competed and won with the men’s crew five years in a row.
“Since rowing is a sport of endurance and repetition it is all about getting the hours in and maintaining the diligence and commitment alongside our studies, which is almost always a very draining task,” Marcus said.
“I feel we as a team were rewarded for having a solid group applying themselves day in, day out, so that we were fit enough to hold out against Melbourne’s strong start, and move away through the middle stages of the race.”
Next year the universities will celebrate 150 years of inter-varsity sport in Australia.