 After picking a date for the new race the TARA dropped their plans after learning that the Tradesmen's Rowing Clubs Association had also started to organise a similar open fours race.Thus the fledgling "Head of the River 4s" was first raced in 1955.In the following years the race was known as the Tradesmen's Rowing Clubs' Association Head of the River Fours, though even at this stage ARA clubs were entering along with NARA and TRCA clubs.