Sydney-Melbourne rivalry takes to the Harbour 19 October 2010
One hundred and fifty years of intervarsity rivalry will come to a head this month at the inaugural Australian Boat Race, a historic clash of oars between the University of Sydney and University of Melbourne.
Inspired by the famous competition between Oxford and Cambridge, the race to be held on Sydney Harbour on October 31, marks 150 years since Australia’s two oldest universities and boat clubs met for the first time on Melbourne’s Yarra River.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Australia’s two leading universities to stage a world-class event and build on their historical rivalry,” says Chris Noel, Convenor of the Australian Boat Race.
The race, which will include both Men’s and Women’s Eights, will run a challenging 7.3 kilometre course across Sydney’s inner harbour from Iron Cove to Riverview Wharf on the Lane Cove River.
Organisers are hoping the event will become a fixture on the Australian rowing calendar, emulating the international and local pre-eminence of the original Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.
“The original Boat Race has shown the potential for rowing to attract a real following, something we’d love to work towards at our event,” Noel adds.
Now considered a major sporting event and a national institution in England, the original Boat Race saw Oxford and Cambridge take to the Thames for the first time in 1829.
The Boat Race now attracts a crowd of around 250,000 each year, with more than 120 million viewers in 180 countries watching the televised event.
The crews from the Sydney University Boat Club (SUBC) and the Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC) will meet at St Andrews College at the University of Sydney on the Friday before the race for a press briefing and official weigh-in.
University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor Dr Michael Spence and University of Melbourne Professor Glyn Davis will follow the rowers in a VIP boat and present medals to the winning crews.
At least half of each crew must be made up of current students, giving young rowers the opportunity to join their more experienced counterparts in a world-class event.
“The University of Sydney and University of Melbourne are currently Australia’s highest performing rowing clubs, so the Australian Boat Race will be a fantastic opportunity to see some of the best rowers in the country,” Noel said.
Event Details
What: The inaugural Australian Boat Race When: Sunday 31 October – Women’s Eights at 8.13am, Men’s Eights at 8:51am Where: Sydney Harbour, 7.2km from Iron Cove to Riverview Wharf
Media enquiries: Katie Szittner, 9351 2261, katie.szittner@sydney.edu.au
Sarah Stock, 9114 0748, 0419 278 715, sarah.stock@sydney.edu.au KATIE SZITTNER | Assistant Media Adviser Media and Communications | Marketing and Communications Division
THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY Level 2, G12 Services Building| NSW | 2006 T +61 2 9351 2261 | F +61 2 9351 3737 E katie.szittner@sydney.edu.au| W http://www.sydney.edu.au
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