Brian Denny
Drummoyne Rowing Club and Haberfield Rowing Club (NSW)
This is a tragic story of one of Australia’s best oarsmen being cut down in his prime. Following being selected as stroke of the Olympic coxed four in 1972, Brian was electrocuted and died. This was of course devasting for the crew and it is arguable that the crew never recovered.
The Olympic Coxed Four was named in his honour and the boat naming ceremony is recorded in the images below.
Brian’s racing record has gaps in it and we know that he spent time in Canada in 1970.
1963 - NSW Championship Men's Junior Four - First
1964 - NSW Championship Men's Junior Four - First
1964 - NSW Championship Men's Four - First
1964 – National Championships, Men’s Coxed Four, two seat – Fourth
1965 - NSW Champion Eight - First
1965 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, stroke - First
1965 - Trans Tasman Series v New Zealand, Men's Eight, stroke
1966 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, stroke - Second
1967 - NSW Championships Men's Eight - First
1967 – Interstate Championships, Men’s Eight, stroke – First
1967 - North American Championships, Men's Four, stroke - Second
1967 – European Championships – Men’s Eight, stroke - Finalist
1969 – NSW Championship Men’s Four – First
1972 - National Championship Men's Coxed Four, stroke - First
1972 - Olympic Games – Men’s Coxed Four - selected as stroke of the crew but was electrocuted and died prior to the Games.
Andrew Guerin
January 2022