James Stanbury (25 February 1868 – 11 December 1945) was a

world champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...

sculler. Stanbury was born on Mullet Island on the

Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River (Dharug language, Dharug: Dyarubbin) is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

and was the successor of

John McLean John McLean (March 11, 1785 – April 4, 1861) was an American jurist and politician who served in the United States Congress, as U.S. Postmaster General, and as a justice of the Ohio and United States Supreme Courts. He was often discu ...

in the rowing championship of the world. In 1887, he won the first prize in the Lake Bathurst handicap, but was later beaten the same year by Christian Neilson in a race over the Parramatta championship course. The next year he defeated Julius Wulf, but was himself defeated by Searle in a very toughly fought contest. In 1890 Stanbury defeated O'Connor, the American champion, twice. O'Connor had been beaten by Searle on the Thames in the previous year, in each case over the Parramatta course. On 28 April 1891 he defeated

, another New South Wales sculler, over the same course for the Championship of the World. The time was 22m.15s. These two had a return Title match on 7 July with Stanbury the victor in a time of 18m.25s. The course was the Shorter Parramatta course. On 2 May 1892 he had another win for the World Title when he beat Tom Sullivan, the New Zealand sculler, over the Parramatta course. Again this was on the short course and the time was 17m.26s. Stanbury had another Title win on 13 July 1896 when he beat Charles R Harding on the Thames in a time of 21m 51s. On 7 Sept 1896, he lost the Title to

Jacob Gaudaur Jacob Gill Gaudaur, Sr. (April 3, 1858 – October 11, 1937) was one of two Canadians to win the Professional World Sculling Championship. Gaudaur was born in Orillia, Ontario. His first race was when he was aged 17 years and over his career he ...

(known as 'Jake') on the Thames course in the time of 23m.1s. Gaudaur had a couple of Title Races and eventually lost to another Australian George Towns. On 22 July 1905, Stanbury regained the World Championship. by beating Towns on the Parramatta Course in a time of 19m.4s. In a return match a year later (26 July 1906) Stanbury failed to retain the Title with Towns securing it for the second time. Thus Stanbury raced in seven title races and won five of them.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanbury, Jim 1868 births 1945 deaths Australian male rowers Sportsmen from New South Wales Professional rowers Colony of New South Wales people