Laycock proceeded to work at various jobs after his father's theatre was destroyed by fire during a point in which the building was left uninsured for several days.

Michael Rush won that competition and its prize of £200 with Edward Trickett in second place while Laycock finished third.

On 26 January 1877, Trickett won over Laycock at an annual regatta in Sydney which commemorates the anniversary of the colonisation of Australia.

Laycock won that contest on the Parramatta River after a close race, marred by confusion caused by steamers at the finish.

[1] He is described by a commentator that day as follows:- Elias Laycock is a true son of the soil, and a splendid specimen of humanity, standing over 6 feet 2 inches and lifting the beam at 12st10lbs.

[1]On 1 January 1879, Laycock was defeated in the watermen's skiff race at Newcastle, principally due to being handicapped by a very heavy boat.

This race for £200 a side had the extra dimension in that the winner was to be chosen to represent New South Wales against Ned Hanlan who was then champion of Great Britain and the United States.

At the Anniversary Regatta at Sydney on 26 January 1880, Laycock won the silver belt and gold medal which represented the title of Champion of Australia.

Soon after Laycock sailed for England, and lost no time in arranging several races over the Thames Championship Course, from Putney to Mortlake.

On 14 November 1880 a great sadness settled over Sydney when the news arrived by morse code that Edward Trickett had defeated Elia Laycock on the Thams in London.

Laycock stood 6 ft 1.5 in (1.867 m) in height and rowed at 175 lb (79 kg), a more compactly built man than Trickett.

He is careless of his looks, and is so deliberate in his movements that one on cursorily meeting him would not be inclined to credit him with the vigour and energy he undeniably possesses.

Although Laycock did not win a world championship, he was still asked to pose in a photograph of key Australian scullers at a Lord Mayoral reception in December 1902 with the likes of Jim Stanbury, Pearce, Peter Kemp, Bill Beach, Michael Rush, Edward Trickett and the Towns brothers.