Rowing memories

I can’t be certain, however, I believe rowing started as a summer sport in 1965 although as I only arrived at the school towards the end of 1964 it would be best to check with some of the original rowers.

We were based at Kingston Harbour and stored our boats in a World War 2 military Nissen Hut, of semicircular cross-section made of corrugated iron. Originally all our boats were second hand, a couple even being clinker-built! In order to buy a new ‘four’ we raffled a brand new Morris Mini Minor and I recall door knocking in the Telopea catchment are selling tickets.

Head of the Lake winners 1966:
John Owens, Chris Slater, Lindsay Plumb,
Gaspard de Jong, Peter Bowen, Rod
Cooper, Peter Cusbert, Rick Burns, Steve Bisset

TPHS Rowing Four:
Peter Cusbert, Rod Cooper, Lindsay Plumb, Peter Bowen, John Owens

Rod Cooper at Reunion07

Training was several days a week at 6am and we were driven by our parents until we obtained our driving licences when several of us bought scooters and small motor bikes. It was freezing and frequently foggy, so much so that on occasions I could not see Kings Avenue Bridge until suddenly a pillar would loom up out of the fog and fortunately we never hit one as survival time in the lake was I’m sure a few short minutes! We also did circuit training in the Assembly Hall for extra fitness.

Although Telopea is best remembered for beating arch rivals Canberra Grammar in the inaugural Head of the Lake in 1966, we had an exceptionally successful lightweight four comprising Peter Cusbert, Pete Bowen, Lindsay Plumb, John Owens and myself. This crew competed in borrowed boats in Sydney regattas on two occasions that I can recall.

On the first occasion we were driven to Sydney by Alan Thornhill in his green Ford Zephyr. We lads slept in the Haberfield Rowing Club boat shed at Iron Cove and competed against some of the private schools. They tended to look down somewhat at we ‘slide-bashing’ country hicks — our image was probably not helped by our uniform of faded red t-shirts and cut of blue jeans! The private school lads wore tight fitting fluffy type rowing shorts and I think some noses were put out of joint when we beat a Newington College crew in one of the heats.

Micky March was in charge of the other trip. This was the 55th Annual Mosman Regatta rowed on Middle Harbour. When rowing our boat up to the course we were swamped in some rough water and had to get a tow. We won our division and were each presented with a set of glasses with gold trim on them and club logo. As a very lightweight cox I had to carry weights in Sydney to bring myself up to the minimum coxing weight of I think 7 stone 11 lbs!

And finally here’s one for you Jim — some of us, and I can’t recall exactly who, also represented the Burns Club and our rowing shirt was the Cross of St Andrew the flag of Scotland!

Rod Cooper
15 November 2007

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