ðə ɹᵻɡˈæɾə wʌz ɪnˈɔːɡjʊɹˌeɪɾᵻd ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən wɪð ᵻvˈɛnts fɔːɹ swˈiːpˈoːɹ pˈɛɹz, skˈʌlz æz ɹˈeɪsɪŋ ʃˈɛlz, pˈʌnts, kənˈuːz ænd swˈɪmɪŋ — fɚðə fˈɜːst fˈɪfti jˈɪɹz sˈʌnbɛɹi hˈoʊstᵻd ɐ pˈæɹəlˌɛl tɹˈeɪdzmɛnz ɔːɹ tˈaʊn ɹᵻɡˈæɾə fɔːɹ pɹəfˈɛʃənəl wˈɔːɾɚmˌɛn.
The regatta was inaugurated in 1877 with events for sweep-oar pairs, sculls (as racing shells), punts, canoes and swimming — for the first fifty years Sunbury hosted a parallel Tradesmen's or Town regatta for professional watermen.