Rowing champions still making a splash

Volume 10 Number 12 December 8 2014 - January 11 2015

The team now (left to right): Coach Peter Philp with rowers Cam Johnston, Andrew Michelmore, Geoff Rees, and Colin Smith. Inset: The winning crew: (left to right) Cam Johnston, Andrew Michelmore, Geoff Rees, and Colin Smith.
The team now (left to right): Coach Peter Philp with rowers Cam Johnston, Andrew Michelmore, Geoff Rees, and Colin Smith. Inset: The winning crew: (left to right) Cam Johnston, Andrew Michelmore, Geoff Rees, and Colin Smith.

 

Australia’s first International Rowing Championship gold medallists – also Melbourne Boat Club rowers – recently celebrated the fortieth anniversary of their victory. By Brooke Charlton.

On 8 September 1974, the Melbourne University Boat Club lightweight four became the first Australian crew to win a gold medal at the World Rowing Championships.

Forty years on, the crew of Colin Smith, Geoff Rees, Andrew Michelmore and Cam Johnston, the University of Melbourne and the Boat Club got together to celebrate the historic win.

Reflecting on the victory, Mr Michelmore says the team – coached by Boat Club life-member Peter Philp – didn’t know if it had a shot at winning. 

“We had no idea if we were a chance of winning the race, but we were going to give it everything we had,” he says.

Mr Michelmore says support from the University community was vital in getting them over to Lucerne to compete.

“It’s interesting to go back and read the list of hundreds of people who supported us, of all ages and backgrounds. I think that’s the fantastic thing about it,” he says.

“It was the first time a lightweight, all- Melbourne University crew went over so there were a lot of friends and supporters who wanted to back us.”

Sending the crew to Europe to train and compete for several weeks required some ingenious fundraising, according to Mr Michelmore.

“We even did things like bottle and sell wine to raise money – former Boat Club president Harvey Nicholson managed the fundraising and did a fantastic job.” 

Mr Michelmore describes winning was an ‘unreal’ feeling. 

“It was a weird, euphoric feeling – we couldn’t believe we’d won but it was fantastic,” he says. 

“Then we travelled for a number of weeks together around Europe on holiday and that’s where it really sank in because we had a toast every night to celebrate. It was fantastic.”

Mr Michelmore believes sport plays an important part in the university experience.

“Crews are made up of teams of different backgrounds and personalities, and that’s what work is like, so it helps you learn how to engage with people, how to get them committed and working with each other,” he says.

“It also teaches you about management, people skills and leadership.”

All of the crew have remained close friends and are still actively involved with the University. Mr Michelmore has been the Chair of Ormond College Council for the past 12 years and is a big supporter of Believe – the Campaign for the University of Melbourne.

“It’s important to make sure students from any background can get access to University and the Boat Club and can enjoy it,” he says.

 

The Campaign – which recently passed the $350 million mark – is the University’s largest-ever fundraising initiative, aiming to raise $500 million by the end of 2017 to advance the University’s teaching and learning, research and engagement aims.