Balmain Rowing Club is the fourth oldest rowing club in continuous operation on

Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a ria, natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove River, Lane ...

, Australia, and was established in July 1882 at Balmain, Sydney. It has occupied its current site at the bottom of White St, Balmain since the club's inception. BRC is a community based club with a primary focus of introducing juniors to the joys of rowing with a learn-to-row program for novice scullers as well as providing facilities for masters and social rowing .Balmain Rowing Club website
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History

Balmain Rowing Club was formed on 7 June 1882 at a meeting held at Dicks Hotel in Balmain. The meeting consisted of local citizens and the mayor and councillors of the then Balmain Municipal Council. That same year the site of Pritchard's Boatshed at the bottom of White Street was purchased and plans made to build the rowing shed at a cost of £368. The club is on the same site today.

Competition history

In the 1910/11 and the 1911/12 seasons Balmain won the New South Wales Rowing Association's premiership pennant and was runner up in the following two seasons. When the premiership recommenced in 1919/20 after

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Balmain was again successful. A second place was also achieved in 1921/22 but the club suffered a lull in the next four seasons failing to score a point (win a race) in the either the senior or junior pennant from 1923 to 1927. Success wouldn't be achieved again until the last two years of the 1930s when 2nd places were again attained.

Members

Olympic and Paralympic representative members include: * Cecil Pearce rowed in the single scull at Berlin 1936. * Gary Pearce competed at

Tokyo 1964 The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseque ...

Mexico City 1968 The 1968 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Mexico 1968 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 October 1968, in Mexico City, Mexico. These were the first Ol ...

and at

Munich 1972 The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...

winning a silver medal in Mexico City in the VIII. He had joined

Sydney Rowing Club Sydney Rowing Club is the oldest rowing club in New South Wales, Australia formed in 1870. It has occupied its current site on Port Jackson's Parramatta River at Abbotsford, New South Wales, Abbotsford Point since 1874. The club has a focus on it ...

by 1968 but was a Balmain member when he first represented in a double scull. *

Jeremy McGrath Jeremy McGrath (born November 19, 1971) is an American former professional motocross and AMA Supercross Championship, supercross racer. Considered one of the most popular and influential riders in the history of motorcycle racing, McGrath won se ...

rowed as a member of the Australian LTA Mixed Coxed Four that finished first in the LTAMix4+ B Final at the

Rio Paralympics The 2016 Summer Paralympics (), the 15th Summer Paralympic Games, were a major international multi-sport event for disabled sports, athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, f ...

. World champions include: * Three-time world champion sculler William Beach rowed in Balmain colours after being given a black-and-gold singlet when he stopped by the club to empty his scull on his way to an 1885 world title race on the Parramatta River. He maintained a life-long association with the club.Balmain at the Rowing NSW
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References

Footnotes

{{reflist

Bibliography

* May, Alan (1970) ''Sydney Rows'', A History of Sydney Rowing Club (reproduced o
Guerin-Foster

External links

Balmain Rowing Club
Rowing clubs in Australia Sports clubs and teams established in 1882 1882 establishments in Australia Sports clubs and teams in Sydney Balmain, New South Wales