The 2026 GPS Gold Challenge battle took place across the Friday and Saturday of the October long weekend, and it lived up to the hype. The View cohorts of 1993 & 1994 did battle with their GPS brethren across ten sports, renewing old rivalries and settling 30 year old scores.

The weekend kicked off with Riverview hosting the rowing regatta on Lane Cove River with Newington looking to redeem themselves from a Head of the River near miss back in '94. They were tuned up and proved different gravy, doing the double on a beautiful day for rowing. Big thanks to Master of Rowing Dan Noonan for helping the event run smoothly. For the record, View '94 won the B final finishing 5th on the day.

The other two events on Friday were golf at Strathfield and shooting at Kings. View '94 lit up the course winning both the individual event (Kris Mason) and pairs events (Adrian Tesoriero & Ben Dobbin) to give the View '94 crew some momentum heading into Saturday. Kings dominated the shooting on their home range, taking out both the '93 & '94 events - plenty of schools with a hope after day 1.

Saturday dawned with the threat of rain, but the weather gods were kind allowing tennis, cricket and basketball to proceed largely unimpeded across the morning. Despite fielding a team featuring some 4ths battlers & non-cricketers from 1994, the View team showed great poise and tactical nous to take the trophy - that's two '94 wins for those keeping score. The basketballers and tennis players showed great grit and determination to manage top half finishes and keep the momentum going.

Then it was time for the football codes. The View '94 soccer squad was a mixed bunch, many of whom hadn't played at school and certainly hadn't laced a boot for a decade or two. Every game was a tense battle with View scraping into the final on corners countback after a 0-0 draw (goals were like hen's teeth); again tactical genius shone through. We did manage a goal in the final to win it, with Michael Pezzutti nearly breaking the net with a thunderbolt strike. That's three wins for View '94.

The touch footy comp was serious business, and the big dogs from '94 (Joeys, High) looked very strong. The View boys managed to win their semi to face Joeys in the final. The big grudge match was on again! Unfortunately the Joeys team proved too strong (as was often the case in our day), taking their first event of the day - worth noting here, Joeys remain the only school not to have won a Gold Challenge to date!

Athletics was next, and the physios got a work out with hammies and calves pinging all over the shop. Joeys won the 60m dash and the cross country, but View '94 showed tactical superiority again to beat them in the relay - Joeys 1st, View 2nd in the athletics. The final event of the day was in the pool as thunder clouds loomed. View's 'fish', Toby Matthews took out two of the three events before lightning brought a premature end to proceedings - another win for View '94.

Onto the debate and the dinner. Ben Dobbin did us proud in the debate against a very strong group of fellow media stars. Then it was time for the big announcement. We thought we were a big chance but realised that Joeys had picked up a few events and High had finished 2nd or 3rd in most sports...the tension was palpable. The winner is...RIVERVIEW! High finished 2nd, Joeys 3rd (still no GC wins!).

The win aside, a great night was had by all that attended. Old rivalries were renewed and new friends were made. The Gold Challenge is a truly unique concept and one that will be remembered fondly by all who attended. Huge thanks to Riverview Old Boys Ronnie Ross (Convener, OR1976) and David McKay (OR1989), both truly men for others.

Link to video: 2026_GPS_Gold_Challenge_Class_of_1994_video.mp4