The Head of the River rowing regatta refers to two New South Wales school rowing competitions, one for boys and one for girls.
AAGPS Head of the River Regatta
The AAGPS Head of the River regatta takes place in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia every March at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC). It is the culmination of the GPS (Great Public Schools) rowing season for senior crews.
From 1893 until 1935, the Regatta was held on the Parramatta River in Port Jackson – in early years from Putney to Gladesville and in later years from the Yaralla Estate at Concord to Cabarita. From 1936 until 1996 it was raced on the Nepean River and finishing near the Nepean Bridge. Since 1996 it's been held on the Sydney Olympic course at Penrith. From 1893 until 1909 the blue-riband race was contested by four-oared boats, and since then by eight-oared boats with coxed fours contesting the minor events. By the 1930s when the eight Sydney GPS schools were competing the event on the Parramatta River, two heats of four lanes were raced and then a final was contested by the top four. Since 1996 the 1st and 2nd VIIIs race over 2000 metres. Previous events had the eights race over a mile and a half (excepting in 1946 and 1947 – a mile and a quarter) and fours racing over a mile. Up until the 1930s there was limited school participation in the regattas of the Sydney club rowing season and for many of the school squads the Head of the River was the sole and highlight race of their rowing season. In those days the race was of great public interest and the regatta drew a huge flotilla of chartered ferries and vessels which would moor off Putney, Tennyson Point and Cabarita.
As of 2021, all nine of the GPS schools, Sydney Grammar School, The King's School, Newington College, Sydney Boys High School, The Scots College, St. Joseph's College, Saint Ignatius' College, The Armidale School and Shore School, send their eights to the Head of the River. Prior to 2021, The Armidale School did not send their eight to the regatta. In 2012 The Armidale School started sending fours, and the first IV race of 2013 was historic as the first time crews from all nine GPS schools competed. One of the most successful coaches of rowing among the schools was Robert Buntine at King's and Newington from 1966 until 1996.
It is the last race of the official GPS rowing season, and usually follows the Riverview Gold Cup held on the Lane Cove River. The Head of the River is one week after other summer sports premierships – cricket and basketball – have finished. This enables over ten thousand school students and other supporters to attend.
The current (SIRC) record time (and former junior world record until 2001) for the 1st VIII is 5:42.6 set by Shore on 23 March 1996, in the first year that the race was held at SIRC. The most recent winner of the AAGPS Head of the River, and holder of the Major Rennie Trophy is St Ignatius' College winning the regatta in 2023 with a time of 5:54:50 ahead of The King's School (5:59:01) and Scots College (6:00.45).
NSW Schoolgirls Head of The River
The NSW Schoolgirls Head of the River was first raced in 1991. The inaugural Schoolgirls Head of the River Regatta took place on Middle Harbour Creek at Davidson Park, Roseville. In following years the event was held at Iron Cove.
The NSW Schoolgirls' Head of the River held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre (SIRC), in Penrith on the Sunday following the Schoolboys Head of the River. It is organised by the NSW Combined Independent Schools Sports Council (NSWCISSC) and is the culmination of the Schoolgirls' rowing season.