The regattas feature competing independent schools, and the winner of the 1st division boys or girls race is crowned the "Head of the River".
The Head of the River takes place in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia, at the end of the first term (normally in March) at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC).
[1] The inaugural Schoolgirl Head of the River Regatta took place in October 1991 on Middle Harbour Creek at Davidson Park, Roseville.
[2] The NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River is organised by the Combined Independent Schools Sports Council.
[4] In 2018, Pymble Ladies' College won the 1st VIII Race and then went on to win the Australian National Championships.
The South Australian Head of the River is a collegiate rowing race held between the colleges and schools of Adelaide, Australia.
Races are generally hard-fought, close encounters that showcase the very best of junior rowing talent, with the winning 1st VIII crew each year being crowned with the title of 'Head of the River'.
These title races come with immense pressure, with wins considered significant successes for the victorious schools and their rowing programs.
The event draws huge crowds of up to 15,000 (2010) from across the state, generally consisting of school students, parent supporters, and old scholars.
The South Australian Head of the River is held on the second-to-last Saturday of the first school term of each year.
However St. Peters and their traditional rivals Prince Alfred have been racing for the prestigious Blackmore Shield which is to be contested only between the two schools since 1892 as part of their Intercollegiate program.
[5] Walford Anglican School for Girls has won the Florence Eaton Cup awarded to the winning Schoolgirl 1st VIII crew a record 19 times.
James and his brother William Hay Gosse (1875–1918 killed in action an WWI) both rowed at St Peter’s College.
Sir James Hay Gosse was knighted in 1947 with acknowledgement to his commerce and philanthropy commitment in South Australia Scotch (5)
While at Oxford University, Collier rowed in a particularly fast Magdalen College four which represented Britain in the 1908 London Olympics.
St Luke's Anglican recently broke Shalom's twenty year winning streak over the other schools for the travel world overall points trophy with a score of 123, to 65.
[citation needed] The Perth race held in late summer/early autumn is contested between the 7 Public Schools Association members.
This was able to cater for the main races with Hutchins taking out the boys' Head of the River trophy and St Michael's Collegiate School the girls.
In 2007 Scotch Oakburn won their first Head of the River in a decade in a tight race with just a second between themselves, Launceston Church Grammar and The Hutchins School.
In 2008, The Hutchins School regained the title from Scotch Oakburn in a close race, with St Patricks college in third.
The following year, The Hutchins School won after being challenged all season by a strong St Patricks College crew.
In 2013, The underdog crew from Scotch Oakburn took out the Head of the River by a margin of 2 lengths to The Hutchins School, who had a dominant season and went into the race as favourites.