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The University of Sydney and University of Melbourne battled it out oar-to-oar on Sydney鈥檚 iconic Darling Harbour last Sunday, in the annual Australian Boat Race competition where tradition meets the tide.

The University of Sydney claimed victory in the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 rowing events this year, adding another win to the tally for the 160-year-old rivalry with the University of Melbourne. Alternating between the Yarra River and Sydney鈥檚 harbour, this year the crews battled it out here in Sydney.

Starting at Woolwich Point and spanning a course of more than 4.5 kilometres to Darling Harbour, the race saw the best student-athlete rowers from the two universities competing for the Edmund Barton Trophy (men鈥檚 eight) and Bella Guerin Trophy (women鈥檚 eight).

Chris Noel, co-convenor of the Australian Boat Race in 2024 said the event proudly continues to see tradition meet with the tide.

"Our two universities were represented by a contingent of high achievers in both sport and their academic pursuits,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he 72 rowers in the Boat Races and the University College races represent a cross section of degrees and faculties at our universities.

鈥淣aturally I鈥檓 proud to see Sydney University dominate both races this year. Melbourne crews were victorious in both the University College races with Ormond and Trinity, defeating St Paul鈥檚 College in both men and women鈥檚 races.鈥�

Sydney鈥檚 women鈥檚 eights, coached by Alfie Young, was represented by rowers Emily Sheppard, Eleanor Price (stroke), Elizabeth Bolster (cox), Jaime Ford (bow), Sophia Wightman, Stefanie Preller, Tiffany Botha, Zoe McKella, and reserves Molly McCausland and Alexandra O鈥橞rien.

The Sydney men鈥檚 eights, coached by Don McLachlan, was represented by rowers Jackson Kench (stroke), Tom Shaw (cox), William Gregory (bow), Will O鈥橲hannessy, Tom Anderson, Hamish Danks, Oscar Beregi, Remy Cameron, Alex Page, and reserves Sam Brislow and William Wulff.

The History of the Australian Boat Race

The University of Sydney and Melbourne rowing clubs were founded in 1859 and 1860 respectively, and the two rowing clubs began a fierce competition which evolved into the annual intervarsity competition held today.

Almost 150 years after the first regatta, the first Australian Boat Race was contested as a time trial as part of the 2009 Head of the Yarra. Following this, the Vice-Chancellors of the University of Sydney and University of Melbourne agreed to an annual 鈥榤atch race鈥� between the men鈥檚 eights and women鈥檚 eights from each university.聽

The trophy for the women鈥檚 race, designed and produced by Jennifer Mann, is named after the first woman graduate of the University of Melbourne, Bella Guerin, who earned her arts degree in 1883 and master鈥檚 degree in 1885 before she took up teaching. Guerin became active in women鈥檚 causes and was appointed vice-president of the Australian Labor Party鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Central Organising Committee in 1918.聽聽