LONDON AND THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Tokyo
The Club did not send any rowers to the just-completed Olympic Games in Tokyo, but two members – very well known to different generations of our rowers – were in the British Rowing coaching team: they were Robin Williams (M4-) and Paul Reedy (W1x – Vicky Thornley).
Robin Williams joined London in 1982. He twice won the Wyfolds, twice medalled in the World Championships in 1988 and 1989, and later coached at the Club, and subsequently for 11 years with CUBC. His career as an ARA and BR international coach goes back as far as 1996 but he is particularly remembered for his successful coaching of women’s coxless pair crews (Helen Glover et al). He was awarded an MBE for services to rowing in 2013.
Paul Reedy, who rowed for Australia at international level, was recruited by LRC for appointment as Chief Coach, a position he occupied from 2000 until 2012. He was the architect of the Club’s Thames Cup and Wyfolds wins in 2004 and the subsequent Thames Cup win in 2006. From 2010 he was subcontracted to BR with the national team’s lightweight women. The highlight for him of course (and the Club) has been Sophie Hosking’s (and Kat Copeland’s) Gold medal in the LW2x at Dorney Lake in 2012; this has been followed by success with other LW crews in particular at World, World Cup and European levels in 2014 and 2015. In 2017 he was appointed Vicky Thornley’s coach, and she has come away with medals too.
London’s Olympians – a short precis
In terms of rowers, scullers and coxes, the Club has sent representatives to the Olympic Games going back for 113 years to London in 1908 (rowing was at Henley). The Club has sent 36 members over these years, six of whom have rowed at two Games, so 42 seats have been filled in total to date. Altogether, London members have won 20 Olympic medals (5 Gold, 11 Silver, and 4 Bronze).
Before WWII, apart from 1908, we were represented also in 1928, 1932 and 1936. All who raced in this period won either Gold or Silver. The first, in 1908, was J R K Fenning, who was our Vice Captain at the time (see illustration). The best known perhaps was H R A (Jumbo) Edwards, who won two Gold medals in the Los Angeles Games in 1932 on the same day, in the M4- and M2-. LRC also provided the entire M4- crew in 1936 in Berlin, which won Silver, and their boat hangs in the Long Room. [There is a murky story that they found the baskets containing the doves of peace under the main stand during the opening ceremony and released the birds early to some consternation amongst the occupants of the VIP seating above.]
Post-WWII, LRC has been represented at the Games in 1956, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012 and 2016. The largest group to be sent was nine members in 1980, who included the Bronze-winning M4- of Beattie, McNuff, Townsend and Cross. 7 of the 10 representatives in the last 25 years have been in the Lightweight class. Our other recent medallist has been R J (Rob) Williams in the LM4- in 2012. A proud feature has been the first three women in the list – Charlotte Miller (cox of the W8+) in 2000 in Sydney, Sophie Hosking in 2012 and Jess Eddie who won Silver in the W8+ in 2016 in Rio.
Reverting to coaches, at present we have no honours board listing them, and perhaps there should be one. If anyone is interested in carrying out the research, they are welcome to contact Julian Ebsworth, the archivist, via the office, where a note can also be left if preferred. We even have a spare honours board ready for the names to be entered on by our signwriter!
