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.
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.