World Sculling Championship

The World Sculling Championship (1863 - 1957), evolved from the Championship of the Thames for professional scullers.

Only the sport of boxing claims an older Championship of the World. It is notable that Jack Broughton, the "Father of Boxing", trained scullers for prize contests which had their roots in wager races which had taken place from the middle of the 18th century on the Thames.

History

The first race for the Professional Championship of the Thames took place between Westminster and Hammersmith, on the River Thames in London in September 1831, when John Williams of Waterloo Bridge challenged Charles Campbell of Westminster for the Sculling Championship of the Thames. This was just over a year after the first Wingfield Sculls race for the Amateur Championship of the Thames had been held.

The race was initially dominated by oarsmen from the Thames, but a fierce rivalry soon arose between Newcastle and London after the famous Tyne sculler, Robert Chambers became the first non-Londoner to secure the title in 1859.

In 1863 the race became for the Championship of the World. when it had its first non-British entrant, Australian Richard A W Green. Green lost to Chambers but changes were afoot and as an increasing number of professional scullers from Australia; the USA and Canada started to compete, Britain lost its dominance, failing to secure a win between 1876 and 1920.

The first overseas sculler to claim the title, was Australian Edward Trickett, who won his first race in June 1876, Trickett held the title for the next two races (1877 and 1879), both of which were held on his home river, the Paramatta. Trickett eventually lost out to Candain Ned Hanlan (the first sculler to use a boat with a sliding seat), in 1880 on the Championship Course on the Thames.

Professional sculling saw a marked downturn with each of the world wars. Although a few races were held after the 2nd World War, they failed to arouse the interest of the public or attract the standard of competitor seen in the earlier years of the Championship, and as the amateur / professional split in rowing was slowly abolished, the race died out. The Title lapsed in 1958 when Evans Fischer retired undefeated.

Betting

Professional scullers tended to attract more media attention than the crews, since their individuality gave the media and public a greater chance of recognition. Betting on races was widespread and in the late 19th century, sculling or wager racing was perhaps the greatest spectator sport in London at the time. Many tens of thousands of spectators attended each race. By the turn of the century prize money had become so great that some scullers made up to nearly £5,000 a year in prizes and side bets, and £2,000 for a race.

Betting was simplified by recourse to past performances and present form would be followed by hordes of spectators at training sessions.

Results

} References Whitehead, Ian, "The Sporting Tyne", 2002, ISBN – 0-901273-42-2. Collins, Tony, "Encyclopedia of traditional British rural Sports", 2005 Wigglesworth, Neil, "A Social History of English Rowing", World rowing history - professional racing YEAR DATE CHAMPION BEAT TIME COURSE 1831 Sep 9th Charles Campbell John Williams NTT Thames (Westminster to Hammersmith) 1838 Nov 1st Charles Campbell Robert Coombes 42mins Thames (Westminster to Putney) 1846 Aug 19th Robert Coombes Charles Campbell 26mins 15secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1847 Sep 19th Robert Coombes Robert Newell 23 mins 46 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1851 May 7th Robert Coombes Thomas J MacKinney 27 mins 30 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1852 May 24th Tom Cole Robert Coombes 25 mins 15 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1852 Oct 14th Tom Cole Robert Coombes 23 mins 35 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1854 Nov 20th James Messenger Tom Cole 24 mins 45 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1857 May 12th Harry Kelley (GBR) James Messenger 24 mins 30 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1859 Sep 20th Robert Chambers (GBR) Harry Kelley (GBR) 25 mins 25 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1860 Sep Robert Chambers (GBR) Tom White (GBR) 23 mins 25 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1863 Apr 14th Robert Chambers (GBR) George W Everson (GBR) 25 mins 27 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1863 Jun 16th Robert Chambers (GBR) Richard A W Green (AUS) 25 mins 35 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1865 Aug 8th Harry Kelley (GBR) Robert Chambers (GBR) 23 mins 23 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1866 Jul 4th Harry Kelley (GBR) James Hammill (USA) 32 mins 45 secs Tyne 1866 Nov 22nd Robert Chambers (GBR) Joseph H Sadler (GBR) 25 mins 4 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1868 May 6th Harry Kelley (GBR) Robert Chambers (GBR) 31mins 47 secs Tyne 1868 Nov 17th James Renforth (GBR) Harry Kelley (GBR) 23 mins 15secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1874 Apr 16th Joseph H Sadler (GBR) Robert Bagnall (GBR) 24 mins 15 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1875 Nov 15th Joseph H Sadler (GBR) Robert W Boyd (GBR) 28 mins 5 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1876 Jun Edward Trickett (AUS) Joseph H Sadler (GBR) 24 mins 35 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1877 Jun 27th Edward Trickett (AUS) Michael Rush (AUS) 23 mins 27secs Paramatta, Sydney 1879 Aug 29th Edward Trickett (AUS) Elias C Laycock (AUS) 23 mins 29 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1880 Nov 15th Edward Hanlan (CAN) Edward Trickett (AUS) 26 mins 12 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1881 Feb 14th Edward Hanlan (CAN) Elias C Laycock (AUS) 25 mins 49 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1882 Apr 3rd Edward Hanlan(CAN) Robert W Boyd (GBR) 21 mins 25 secs Tyne 1882 May 1st Edward Hanlan(CAN) Edward Trickett (AUS) 28 mins Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1884 May 22nd Edward Hanlan(CAN) Elias C Laycock (AUS) 22 mins 46 secs Nepean, Sydney 1884 Aug 16th Bill Beach (AUS) Edward Hanlan(Can) 20 mins 28 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1885 Feb 28th Bill Beach (AUS) Thomas Clifford (AUS) 26 mins Paramatta, Sydney 1885 Mar 28th Bill Beach (AUS) Edward Hanlan(Can) 22 mins 51 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1885 Dec 18th Bill Beach (AUS) Neil Matterson (AUS) 24 mins 11 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1886 Sep 18th Bill Beach (AUS) Joseph Gaudaur (USA) 22 mins 29 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1886 Sep 25th Bill Beach (AUS) Wallace Ross (CAN) 23 min 5 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1887 Nov 26th Bill Beach (AUS) Edward Hanlan(Can) 19 mins 25 sec Nepean, Sydney 1888 Feb 11th Peter Kemp (AUS) Thomas Clifford (AUS) 23 mins 27secs Paramatta, Sydney 1888 May 5th Peter Kemp (AUS) Edward Hanlan(Can) 21 mins 36 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1888 Sep 28th Peter Kemp (AUS) Edward Hanlan(Can) 21 mins 25 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1888 Oct 27th Henry Ernest Searle (AUS) Peter Kemp (AUS) 22 mins 44 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1889 Sep 9th Henry Ernest Searle (AUS) William O'Connor (CAN) 22 mins 42 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1890 Apr 25th Peter Kemp (AUS) Neil Matterson (AUS) 21 mins 13 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1890 May 15th Peter Kemp (AUS) John McLean (AUS) 21 mins 45 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1890 Dec 15th John McLean (AUS) Peter Kemp (AUS) 22 mins 13 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1891 Apr 28th Jim Stanbury (AUS) John McLean (AUS) 22 mins 15 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1891 Jul 7th Jim Stanbury (AUS) John McLean (AUS) 18 mins 25 secs Paramatta, Sydney (short Course) 1892 May 2nd Jim Stanbury (AUS) Tom Sullivan (NZL) 17 mins 26 secs Paramatta, Sydney (short Course) 1896 Jul 13th Jim Stanbury (AUS) C R (Wag) Harding (GBR) 21 mins 51 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1896 Sep 7th Jake A Gaudaur (CAN) Jim Stanbury (AUS) 23 mins 1 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1901 Sep 7th George Towns (AUS) Jake A Gaudaur (CAN) 20 mins 30 sec Lake of the Woods, Ontario 1904 Jul 20th George Towns (AUS) Richard Tressider (AUS) 21 mins 28 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1905 Jul 22nd Jim Stanbury (AUS) George Towns (AUS) 19 mins 4 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1906 Jul 28th George Towns (AUS) Jim Stanbury (AUS) 19 mins 53 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1907 Mar 2nd George Towns (AUS) Edward Durnan (CAN) 22 mins 27 secs Nepean, Sydney 1907 Aug 3rd William Webb (NZL) Charles Towns (AUS) 20 mins 35 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1908 Feb 25th William Webb (NZL) Richard Tressider (AUS) 20 mins 28 secs Wanganui, New Zealand 1908 Dec 15th Richard Arnst (NZL) William Webb (NZL) 19 mins 51 secs Wanganui, New Zealand 1909 Jun 21st Richard Arnst (NZL) William Webb (NZL) 18 mins 15 secs Wanganui, New Zealand 1910 Apr 4th Richard Arnst (NZL) G Whelch (NZL) 21 mins 51 secs Akaroa Harbour, New Zealand 1910 Aug 18th Richard Arnst (NZL) Ernest Barry (GBR) 20 mins 14 secs Zambezi River 1911 Jul 29th Richard Arnst (NZL) Harry Pearce (AUS) 19 mins 46 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1912 Jul 29th Ernest Barry (GBR) Richard Arnst (NZL) 23 mins 8 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1912 Oct 14th Ernest Barry (GBR) Edward Durnan (CAN) 22 mins 31 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1913 Jul 21st Ernest Barry (GBR) Harry Pearce (AUS) 24 mins 9 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1914 Sep 7th Ernest Barry (GBR) Jim Paddon (AUS) 21 mins 28 sec Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1919 Oct 27th Alf D Felton (AUS) Ernest Barry (GBR) 25 mins 40 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1920 Aug 31st Ernest Barry (GBR) Alf D Felton (AUS) 24 mins 32 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1921 Jun 11th Richard Arnst (NZL) Pat Hannan (NZL) 22 mins 34 sec Wairau, New Zealand 1922 Jan 5th Darcy Hadfield (NZL) Richard Arnst (NZL) 19 mins 46 secs Wanganui, New Zealand 1922 Apr 18th Jim Paddon (AUS) Darcy Hadfield (NZL) 19 mins 19 secs Wanganui, New Zealand 1923 Jul 21st Jim Paddon (AUS) Darcy Hadfield(NZL) 19 mins 46 secs Richmond 1924 Aug 12th Jim Paddon (AUS) Alf D Felton (AUS) 17 mins 55 secs Brisbane 1924 Sep 20th Jim Paddon (AUS) Major L Goodsell (AUS) 17 mins 7 secs Richomnd 1925 Mar 21st Major L Goodsell (AUS) Bill McDevitt (AUS) 22 mins 20 secs Clarence 1925 Jun 27th Major L Goodsell (AUS) Pat Hannan (NZL) 21 mins 31 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1925 Nov 7th Major L Goodsell (AUS) Jim Paddon (AUS) 22 mins 50 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1926 May 3rd Major L Goodsell (AUS) Tom Saul (AUS) 23 mins 11 sec Paramatta, Sydney 1927 Sep 5th Major L Goodsell (AUS) Bert Barry (GBR) 24 mins 13 secs Burrand Inlet, Vancouver 1927 Dec 6th Bert Barry (GBR) Major L Goodsell (AUS) 21 mins 40 secs Burrand Inlet, Vancouver 1930 May 31st Ted Phelps (GBR) Bert Barry (GBR) 22 mins 45 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1930 Oct 11th Ted Phelps (GBR) Bert Barry (GBR) 22 mins 48 secs Thames (Putney to Mortlake) 1932 Sep 5th Ted Phelps (GBR) Major L Goodsell (USA) 17 mins 2 secs Long Beach, California 1933 Sep 1st Henry "Bobby" Pearce (CAN) Ted Phelps (GBR) 19 mins 26 secs Lake Ontario, 1934 Sep 5th Henry "Bobby" Pearce (CAN) W G Miller (USA) 19 mins 52 secs Toronto 1938 Sep 9th Henry "Bobby" Pearce (CAN) Evans Paddon (AUS) 20 mins 35 secs Tornoto 1948 Nov 20th Evans Paddon (AUS) Max Fisher (AUS) 17 mins 20 secs Paramatta, Sydney 1949 May 7th George Cook (AUS) Evans Paddon (AUS) 15mins 09 secs Evans River 1950 April 22nd Evans Paddon (AUS) George Cook (AUS) 21mins 58 secs Evans River 1952 April 5th Jim Saul (AUS) Evans Paddon (AUS) 20 min 33 secs Richmond River 1952 Sept 13th Evans Paddon (AUS) Jim Saul (AUS) 21 min 50 secs Richmond River 1953 June 13th Evans Fischer (AUS) Evans Paddon (AUS) 20 min 55 secs Richmond River 1954 Aug 7th Evans Fischer (AUS) Evans Paddon (AUS) 20min 57 secs Clarence River 1957 May 25th Evans Fischer (AUS) Evans Paddon (AUS) 20min 46 secs Clarence River