Crew of ’72: The Year of Legacy

24 June 2026Doug Levell (Ellis '72), Jeff Allester (Whittall '72), and Dwaine Van Eeuwen (Senior House '73)

From an article in the Brentwood College website archive from 2007, the question is asked, “How did a mid-sized boarding school that offers no sports scholarships end up here, on the River Thames, nearly thrashing the world?”

Well, the answer to this question is that it began with the Crew of ’72, who recorded an identical accomplishment:

– An undefeated season;

– Brentwood’s first ever attendance and a gold medal at the CSSRA’s; and,

– A first ever attendance and a “razor-thin” second place finish in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Brentwood’s rowing successes came from the 1972 rowing crew establishing Brentwood College’s position as a rowing powerhouse over the next 50+ years. That is the legacy!

Note: Besides the 2007 Crew’s Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup runner-up finish and the 1972 crew’s runner-up finish, Brentwood was also the runner-up in 1978 and actually won the event in 1996

Read Doug, Jeff, and Dwaine’s full history of the Crew of ‘72 here, exactly as they wrote it.

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Crew of ‘72, Bow Seat to Coxswain:

• John Burns Bow Seat Kelowna ’68 – ‘73

• Dwaine van Eeuwen 2 Seat Duncan ’71 – ’73 (Captain of School Rowing ’73)

• Mike Moran 3 Seat Castlegar ’69 – ‘72

• Doug Levell 4 Seat Nanaimo ’70 – ‘72

• Jim Henninger 5 Seat Penticton ’69 – ‘73

• Murray Bayles 6 Seat Victoria ’69 – ‘72

• Ron Friedli 7 Seat Seattle ’69 – ‘72

• Jeff Allester Stroke Nanaimo ’70 – ’72 (Captain of School Rowing ’72)

• Keiron Gray Coxwain Victoria ’68 – ‘73