Medal Citations: O - T
Robert Page
Legacy Medal 73
Bob Page was a legendary coxswain in his day. He first represented New Zealand in 1961 in the eight-oar crew for the Australian test series and followed this with selection in the 1962 Commonwealth Games eight at Perth winning the silver medal. As a coxswain he was in demand and joined the Auckland Rowing club coxed four in 1963 winning the Prince Philip cup at Royal Henley regatta. This was followed by selection for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo in the same coxed four. He returned to the New Zealand eight in 1966 for the World Championships in Bled and followed this with the eight-oar crew at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Bob died several years ago, and his medal will be received by his wife, Juliet.
George Paterson
Legacy Medal 74
George was in the bow seat of the famed Oamaru coxed four, who at the 1962 Perth Empire Games, won the gold medal in defeating Australia by one foot. George went onto the Olympic Games in Tokyo being in the seven seat of the eight oar crew and was also reserve rower for the 1968 Olympic rowing crews at Mexico. In 1997 George was coach of the Under 23 coxless four/pair at the Australasian test regatta in Sydney.
Noel Pope
Legacy medal number 19
Noel was a member at Hamilton Rowing Club and was selected in the coxed four which went to the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles where they finished in fourth position in a field of seven starters.
Anthony (Tony) Popplewell
Legacy Medal 90
Tony was first selected in the 1963-64 New Zealand Rowing eight squad that was later selected to race at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. In the 2007 New Year Honours, he was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for "services to rowing and sports administration”. He is also an Olympic Order holder in NZ for services to the Olympic movement, having been deputy team manager and deputy Chef de Mission for five Commonwealth and Five Olympic Games 1990-2008.
Tony has made a huge contribution to NZ Rowing having served on the Council from 1975-1995, the newly constituted Board from 1996-2006, along with being a NZ Rowing Foundation Trustee since 2007. He is a Life Member of NZ Rowing, the Auckland RA, Auckland Rowing Club and is currently President of NZ Rowing.
Kayla Pratt
Legacy medal number 379
Kayla had her first selection in the 2013 World Championships in Chung Ju, South Korea, rowing in the coxless pair and finishing in third position for the bronze medal. Prior to that event and in the same boat she finished second at both World Cup 2 in Eton, England, and World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland. The following year at the 2014 World Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Kayla was in the winning coxless four for the gold medal.
In 2015, Kayla was in the eight which finished fifth at World Cup 2 in Varese, Italy, and second in World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, before finishing second for the silver medal at the World Championships in Aiguebelette, France. Following this in 2016, Kayla was again in the eight which finished third at World Cup 2 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and first at World Cup 3 in Poznan, Poland. The culmination of this year’s efforts was at the Olympic Games in Rio De Janiero, Brazil, where the eight finished in fourth position.
Douglas Pulman
Legacy Medal 78
Doug was just out of school when he was elected as coxswain for the Oamaru four moving from Hamilton to Oamaru for the months prior in the final stages of training for the 1962 Perth Empire Games. Being successful with this crew, Doug was then selected for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games eight. He retired after these games with increasing weight making it difficult for him to continue as a coxswain. Doug passed away in December 2011.
Gary Reid
Legacy Medal 186
Gary, being number 186 on the New Zealand representatives list is exactly 100 after his father Tom. Gary was in the single sculls at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and finished in 7th place from 16 starters. He was also selected in the quad sculls for the 1985 World Championships and Hazelwinkel but had to withdraw in the final race with illness.
Tom Reid
Legacy Medal 86
Tom first represented New Zealand at the 1964 FISA European Championships at Amsterdam in the double sculls finishing in 11th position. This was an attempt to impress the Olympic Games selectors for selection to the Olympic Games in Tokyo which was not successful. Tom also competed in the double sculls in the test races against Australia in 1965 winning the first Test. After this Tom turned to coaching and coached New Zealand crews from 1974 to 1984, through to the World Championships and Olympic Games. He coached son, Gary, in the single sculls at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 1984.
Glenda Rodger
Legacy medal number 166
Glenda's two occasions in the New Zealand singlet were at the 1978 World Championships at Lake Karapiro in both the eight and the coxed four finishing in seventh position in both events.
Alexander Ross
Legacy Medal 11
Alexander Ross was a rower from the Auckland Rowing Club, and he was selected in the coxless four for the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, where they finished in third position gaining the bronze medal. Following his active rowing career, he was a rowing selector for several years and the New Zealand team manager for the 1954 Commonwealth Games at Vancouver, Canada. He was subsequently knighted for his services to business and sport to become Sir Alexander Ross. Following his transfer to London for his business career he became chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation, a position he held from 1968 to 1982.
Donald Rowlands
Legacy Medal 35
No words can truly document and record what this man did for rowing. From 3 seat in the 1950 Empire Games eight he went on to win the gold medal in the single sculls at the Empire Games in Vancouver in 1954 and was reserve for the rowing crews at the Melbourne Olympic Games in 1956. His administrative, engineering and leadership skills saw him contribute as selector and manager of New Zealand crews after his competitive days were over, and he was chairman and prime mover in having the 1978 World Rowing Championships at Karapiro. He was the leader of the development of fair courses for rowers, firstly in New Zealand, and while a member of the FISA Council was called on for advice at several rowing venues around the world. In his twilight years he was advisor of the course preparations for the second World Rowing championships at Karapiro in 2010. Don was knighted for his services to sport and business in January 2015 and died shortly after in March 2015. His medal will be received by his wife, Lady Coralie.
Charlie Saunders
Legacy Medal 3
Charlie rowed for both the Wairau and Blenheim clubs winning a red coat in the coxless pair in 1927 for Wairau. He served on the Marlborough Rowing Association and held a number of offices for the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association (now RNZ) over a 40-year period, comprising Vice President, President, Vice Patron (second for the sport), a selector from 1952-56 encompassing the 1952 and 56 Olympics in Helsinki and Melbourne and was manager for Rowing at the Rome Olympics 1960. He was licenced umpire No.1 in 1967 and became convenor of examiners. Charlie was one of the prime instigators of the Lake Ruataniwha rowing course, regularly travelling huge distances in those early days with Tris Hegglun to liaise with Max Smith. He is a Life Member of South Island Rowing.
Charlie rowed in the four and eight at the 1930 Hamilton (Canada) Empire Games winning a silver medal in the eight and a bronze in the four. He also competed at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics in the four and eight, finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
Graham Shaw
Legacy Medal 96
Graham was first selected in the two seat of the eight-oar crew for the 1967 FISA North American Championships at St Catherine’s, Canada, where they won the gold medal.
This crew continued to the United States National Championships in Philadelphia where they were placed first.
Later that same year Graham was in the eight in a series of races against Australia in New Zealand where they won all four test races.
Caleb Shepherd
Legacy Medal 404
Caleb was first named in the elite New Zealand Rowing team in 2014 when he was named as the coxswain for the men’s coxed pair. Caleb, with Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, went on to win a World Championship gold and claim a new world best time at the 2014 World Rowing Champs in Aiguebelette, France. In 2015 Caleb was named as coxswain of the men’s eight, a position he still holds. He has competed with the eight at the 2015 and 2017 World Rowing Championships, as well as the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Hugh (Bill) Smedley
Legacy medal 75
Bill was in the two seat of the Oamaru four that won the New Zealand title two years in a row in 1961 and 62’ earning them a trial race against the NZ squad. After winning the trial race soundly, the crew was selected to race at the British and Commonwealth Empire games in Perth where they won the gold medal.
Bob Smith
Legacy Medal 32
Bob Smith was rowing for the Auckland Rowing Club both before and after the second World War where he distinguished himself in the NZ Expeditionary Force. Bob won two bronze medals in the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, Australia, in the singles and double sculls and then in 1946 was stroke of the Auckland Club eight to win the New Zealand championship title.
Edwin Smith
Legacy Medal 33
Edwin, who was well known as Ted, was bow in the eight-oar crew in the 1950 Empire Games at Karapiro. This was his only national representation, but he was a great contributor as a regatta official at local regattas for many years. Ted has deceased and his medal will be received by Club Patron, Max Weston.
John Solomon
Legacy medal 13
John was a member of the Port Chalmers Rowing Club and first represented New Zealand at the 1932 Olympic games in Los Angeles, rowing in the bow seat of the coxed four. Not only did he compete and place 4th in the coxed four event, John doubled up and was also in bow seat of the Men’s eight crew that were ranked 5th. John passed away in 1981, he was New Zealand Olympian number 42.
Lucy Spoors
Legacy Medal 367
Lucy has been part of the Rowing New Zealand Elite team since 2014, but first represented New Zealand at the Junior World Rowing Championships in 2007 in the women's quad. In 2008 she again went to the Junior World Championship in the four winning gold.
In 2009 she made the transition to the U23 team where she raced in the women’s quad, and was selected as a member of this crew in 2010. In 2010 she also raced at the elite World Rowing Championships at Lake Karapiro in the women's four, finishing 4th.
In 2011 Lucy returned to the quad at the under-23 level, and in 2012 had success winning bronze in the quad.
In 2014 Lucy gained selection in the elite women's quadruple scull crew who went onto win bronze at the second and third World Cups held in Aiguebelette, France and Lucerne, Switzerland.
In 2016 she competed in the women's quad at the Final Qualification regatta in Lucerne. The crew finished third, and missed out on qualifying for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by just three seconds. In 2015 Lucy raced the quad at the World Championships finishing 6th with the same crew make up as in 2014 where they finished 5th.
In 2017 Lucy won bronze in Saratsota with the women’s eight, and she was again selected for the crew in 2018.
Phoebe Spoors
Legacy medal 435
After studying at the University of Washing, Phoebe was selected in the 2018 women’s four after her return to New Zealand and joining the 2017/18 Summer Squad crew.
Phoebe competed in the 2018 World Cup II, III and World Rowing Championships, coached by Mark Stallard.
Phoebe is currently training with the Rowing NZ Summer Squad and is aiming for selection into the 2019 Elite team.
Winston Stephens
Legacy medal 77
Win was stroke of the Oamaru four winning the gold medal at the 1962 Perth Empire Games winning by one foot over Australia. This crew was the launching pad to the successful coaching of Rusty Robertson, who went onto obtain significant results with New Zealand crews in the sixties and seventies.
Dudley Storey
Legacy Medal 93
A dual Olympic medallist and representing New Zealand at three Olympic Games. In Tokyo in 1964 in the coxed four, and then in the coxed four at Mexico in 1968 winning gold and following this with another Olympic medal in Munich in 1972 with silver in the coxless fours. In addition Dudley was in the first New Zealand eight to reach an A final at a World Championships in 1966 at Bled, in the eight at the World Championships in St Catherine’s in 1970 claiming the bronze medal and the coxed four in the 1971 FISA European Championships in Copenhagen. He was involved with tests against Australia in 1965 and manager of New Zealand rowing teams from 1982 to 1986.
Norman Suckling
Legacy Medal 64
Norman was selected in the double Scull to accompany Jim Hill at the 1958 British Empire games in Cardiff winning the bronze medal. This was his only international selection.
Ivan Sutherland
Legacy Medal 132
Ivan has had a lifetime involvement with the sport and continues to this day as the chairman of the New Zealand Rowing Foundation.
His initial selection was in the coxless four at the 1974 World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland which finished fourth just narrowly beaten out of a medal place. This was followed by being selected in the eight for the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, where they finished in 3rd place for the bronze medal.
In 1977 at the World Championships in Amsterdam he was again in the coxless four where they won the silver medal. This was followed in 1978 at the World Championships at Karapiro, this time in the eight and a bronze medal to his credit. His last international selection was in the eight for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, which was boycotted by the majority of the sports in the New Zealand Olympic team.
Peter Taylor
Legacy Medal 330
Peter had an outstanding rowing career over ten years in the lightweight class at international level making the double sculls his own specialty as a New Zealand representative boat over most of this time.
Beginning in 2007 Peter finished sixth at World Cup 2 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, second in the B final at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and then fifth in the C final at the World Championships in Munich, Germany.
In 2008 Peter was first in the C final at World Cup 1 in Munich, Germany, then second at World Cup 2 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and followed this with first place in the B final at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
2009 saw the perfect year on the international scene with victories in all the major events attended. This included World Cup 2 in Munich, Germany, World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and the 2009 World Championships in Poznan, Poland to earn the gold medal.
In 2010 the lightweight double scull boat was second at World Cup 2 in Munich, Germany, first at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and third at the 2010 World Championships at Karapiro, New Zealand.
Continuing in the lightweight double sculls, Peter was first in both World Cups 2 (Hamburg, Germany) and 3 (Lucerne, Switzerland) and second at the 2011 World Championships in Bled, Slovenia, winning the silver medal.
With the Olympic Games in London in 2012, Peter was again selected in the lightweight double sculls and was second at World Cup 2 in Lucerne, Switzerland, first at World Cup 3 in Munich Germany, and third at the Olympic Games in Eton, England where he gained the bronze medal.
In 2013 Peter competed in all three World Cup events before going to the World Championships in Chung Ju, South Korea. Selected now in the lightweight coxless four, he was first in all three World Cup events with World Cup 1 in Sydney, Australia, World Cup 2 in Eton, England and World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland. This was followed by second placing at the 2013 World Championships winning the silver medal.
Continuing another international season in the coxless four, Peter was first in both World Cup 2 at Aiguebelette, France, and World Cup 3 at Lucerne, Switzerland, before finishing second at the 2014 World Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
In 2015 it was a return to the lightweight double sculls, and this resulted in a first placing in the B final at World Cup 2 in Varese, Italy, followed by third in the B final at World Cup 3 at Lucerne, Switzerland. Then at the 2015 World Championships in Aiguebelette, France, the boat was placed first in the C final.
With re-selections taking place in 2016 Peter was selected into the lightweight coxless fours for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio De Janiero, Brazil, finishing in fifth place.
William Tinnock
Legacy Medal 38
Well known in local rowing circles for many years, Bill Tinnock, was a humorous and enthusiastic member of the 1950 Empire Games eight in 6 seat. He was also in the 2 seat of the coxed four at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki and in 2 seat in the coxed four at 1954 Empire Games in Vancouver winning a second silver medal. Bill died in April 2017 and his medal will be received by his wife, Judy, who was herself a very accomplished tennis player.
Richard Tuffin
Legacy Medal 63
Richard commenced his rowing in Wanganui enjoying considerable success with the Union Boat club, highlighted by winning the Champion four in 1958 and the Champion eight in 1959. He was coxswain of the selected Union Boat club four which rowed at the British Empire Games in Cardiff in 1958.
The crew finished fourth, with Richard turning 14 years of age while at the Games and was credited as being the youngest competitor to have represented New Zealand at that time.
Nathan Twaddle
Legacy Medal 303
Nathan Twaddle etched an outstanding rowing career over eight seasons starting from 2002 at World Cup 3 in Munich, Germany, where he finished third in the B final of the coxless four. 2003 was the breakout year for Nathan in the coxless pair, an event he maintained his New Zealand representation over the next six years. At the 2003 World Championships in Milan, Italy, he finished first in the B final, after finishing third at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland.
In 2004 in the coxless pair he finished first in the B final at World Cup 3 at Lucerne, Switzerland, and then followed a fourth placing at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
2005 was a significant year in which the coxless pair Nathan was in, won all three international starts – at World Cup 2 in Munich, Germany, World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and then followed the gold medal for finishing first at the World Championships in Gifu, Japan.
In 2006 after placing fifth at World Cup 2 in Poznan, Poland, and first at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, Nathan was second at the World Championships in Eton, England, thus winning the silver medal.
The year 2007 saw the coxless pair finish first at World Cup 2 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, second at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland and second at the 2007 World Championships in Munich, Germany.
With 2008 being Olympic Year, the coxless pair boat was second at World Cup 2 in Lucerne, Switzerland, first at World Cup 3 in Poznan, Poland and third at the Olympic Games in Beijing, China, winning the bronze medal.
Following a year off in 2009, Nathan returned in 2010 for the World Championships in New Zealand. He was selected in the quadruple sculls and finished third in the B final at World Cup 2 in Munich, Germany, fifth in the B final at World Cup 3 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and then first in the B final at the World Championships in Karapiro, New Zealand.
A consistent and outstanding performer at the highest level, Nathan has continued his input and assistance with high performing athletes and currently heads the Athletes Commission of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.
New Zealand Rowing Foundation
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