The Q.L. Deloitte Trophy is one of the most cherished prizes in Australian rowing. The 100+ year-old trophy has seen some close-fought battles over its history, but has been traded exclusively between Sydney University Boat Club and Sydney Rowing Club for the past decade. Unfortunately, that rivalry will not continue this year, as SUBC have not been able to put an eight together to defend the title they’ve held since 2021. In 2025, we see last year’s second, third, and fifth-placed crews back to fight it out, and a brutal fight it’s set to be.
Sydney Rowing Club
The custodians of the Q.L. Deloitte trophy, the grand silver cup, reminds every Sydney Rowing Club athlete of how badly they want to win this event every time they enter their restaurant. Despite the trophy bearing the name of their founder, it has been some time since SRC won this event. Their last gold in the elite eight came in 2019, the first time they rowed their boat of the same name. This year’s combination is very similar to that which finished third in last year’s running. In 2024, they were dropped in the first kilometre, leaving themselves too much work to do in the closing stages of the race, despite posting the quickest final 500m time. This year’s combination sees only two changes, with University of Wisconsin Badger Galen Quinn and 2024 U23 representative Miles Harrold coming in to replace Paris Olympians Spencer Turrin and Josh Hicks. The only two returners from the 2019 crew, the last SRC combo to win this event, are bow seat and club stalwart Torun Olsson, as well as Paris Olympic Coxswain Kendall Brodie in her first race since the games in August. Like their women’s crew, this lineup will be chomping at the bit to get to the start line on Sunday. It must be hard to know if you lose, you’ll need to walk past that trophy for the next year. It’s been a long time between drinks for Sydney Rowing Club – expect an aggressive race to try and claim back the Q.L. Deloitte.
Melbourne University Boat Club
Having been at the pointy end of domestic eights racing in Australia for some time, it’s hard to believe that Melbourne University Boat Club have never won the Q.L. Deloitte Trophy. Finding themselves on the podium twice in the past four years, you can guarantee that this crew will have designs on victory come Sunday. Whilst Olympian Simon Keenan is not returning to better last year’s silver medal, the crew is certainly not lacking in firepower. Australia A representative Hamish Wynn-Pope is back, and will be eager to get one up over his pair partner Alex Nichol in the SRC crew. So too is stroke seat and Olympic Reserve Rohan Lavery. Notably too is the addition of Tokyo women’s eight cox James Rook to the strings, the man whose last race at the Sydney International Regatta Centre was at the helm of a dominant Victorian crew to claim the 2024 King’s Cup. MUBC are certainly one of the most successful clubs in men’s eights racing in recent years, many of this crew were a part of the dominant squad that held the U23 Eight National Championship from 2019-2023. I don’t expect this crew to let this race slip without a fight right down to the line.
UTS Haberfield Rowing Club
The winners of the most recent eights race in NSW at December’s Reindeer Regatta, UTS Haberfield Rowing Club have certainly been buoyed by success over the past year. Ever since a remarkable win at the 2024 Gold Cup, the boys in teal have gone on to take out the U23 Eights National Championship, a silver in the club eight, and the aforementioned victory at last year’s Reindeer Regatta. In last year’s race, UTS stunned the field (and the commentators) by taking the holeshot in the early stages, leading by nearly a second at the first timing point. Unfortunately, it was not to be. A furious battle for the minor placings encroached on their early lead to leave them in fifth, less than a length out of the medals. This year’s crew sees the return of 2024 Olympian Paddy Holt, as well as U23 duo Josh Wilson and Joe Lynch. UTS are adding some firepower too with the addition of West Australian Myles McQuillan and the young sculler Oscar Beregi. This crew, whilst lacking the firepower of SRC and MUBC, should turn a few heads with an aggressive start. They’ll have to look out however, as the passion on the line in this race could see them fighting for the minor medals.
Sydney Rowing Club ‘B’
Aiding in their challenge to take home the Deloitte this year is Sydney’s second eight, who will undoubtedly be a marked step up from the performance of last year’s equivalent. Last year’s second crew were a step or two behind the competition, scraping into the final and occupying the rear of the field right the way down the course. With a renewed focus on big-boats this year for the Abbotsford shed, their second eight will be one to watch out for. 2016 Australian Junior representative Pasha Bevan is paired up in the middle of the boat by St Joseph’s College alumni Nick Mirow, a duo who are sure to add some horsepower to this crew. With highly-fancied U23’s Nick Whalan and Charlie Hine in the stern pair, don’t be surprised to see this crew giving the leaders a good nudge in this contest.
Prediction
With SUBC, champions since 2021, unable to field a crew this year, the quest for the Q.L. Deloitte trophy is well and truly on. All three clubs present will smell the opportunity they have in front of them which should treat us on the banks to an absolute humdinger of a race.
After a COVID-exacerbated drought that will feel all too long, Sydney Rowing Club should take the win here, but it will take a big effort to fend off Melbourne University Boat Club. The battle for bronze will be interesting. We can assume that UTS Haberfield will get off to a flying start, but given the experience in the Sydney ‘B’, I predict they’ll just sneak on to the last step of the podium.
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