Opportunity to support the King’s Cup Centenary in 2019

Offer open until 1^st February 2019

Rowing Australia is planning a significant commemoration of the centenary of the winning of the King’s Cup in 2019, both here in Australia and at 2019 Henley Royal Regatta.

The significance of the King’s Cup in Australian rowing cannot be underestimated nor can the importance of the story of how the trophy was won by a group of battle hardened soldiers at the end of WWI. The Interstate Championships continue to be the most loved regatta in Australia and the King’s Cup the most revered trophy.

The King’s Cup story is also an important part of Australian history. It highlights the bravery of our soldier rowers who saw action in some of the worst battles of WWI. It demonstrates their ready resumption back to the joy and honour of sport. It describes the successful battle with wartime officials who confiscated the Peace Cup as a ‘war trophy’ for display in a museum. But most importantly it illustrates the winning of The Peace. The unsettling adjustment back to civilian life after the atrocities of war. The rehabilitation through sport of the physical wounds of war, but more so, the role of sport in the recovery from the severe psychological scars of war.

An important part of these celebrations will be the publishing of a book describing this story written by noted sports historian Dr Bruce Coe. It will be published in 2019 in time for the 2019 Interstate Championships. An opportunity to directly participate in the publishing of this book has been made available by the 1919 Centenary Committee.

Subscriber opportunity

This is your chance to directly participate in the publishing of the story of the King’s Cup. Noted sports historian Dr Bruce Coe has written the important story of the King’s Cup. The book will be published in time for the Interstate Championships in 2019.

This is a compelling story of how a group of battle-hardened, soldier rowers emerged from the maelstrom of the Great War and, whilst awaiting demobilisation and in a matter of weeks, were formed into two crack eight-oared crews that competed at the Royal Henley Peace Regatta in July 1919. At the regatta, one of those eights took on and, in a world-class time prevailed over crews from the other allied armies and soldiers from Oxford and Cambridge universities, winning the King’s Cup. The story concludes with how that King’s Cup, presented by King George V, became the perpetual trophy for annual competition between interstate eights in Australia.

The 1919 Centenary Committee are offering supporters of the sport the opportunity to be subscribers for the book. The subscription is $100. Subscribers will be acknowledged by name in the book and will receive their own copy of it signed by the author. If you wish to be a subscriber, please click on the 'Register' link above.