Peter M Gillon
Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC) and Mercantile Rowing Club (VIC)
11 August 1939 – 6 December 2018
Peter Gillon died in December 2018 after a long illness.
Peter started his rowing at Xavier College where he raced in their first crew in both 1955 and 1956. He continued his rowing outside school at Yarra Yarra and then Mercantile.
His time at Yarra Yarra Rowing Club commenced in the 1965/66 season and ran until the 1990/91 season.
Races won at Yarra:-
1965 - Footscray regatta, senior eight (6)
1966 - Yea Regatta, senior four (3) and Senior pair (stroke)
1966 - Sydney regatta, senior eight (6)
His career was long and distinguished and included the following representative crews:
1960 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship emergency
1960 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Four three seat – eliminated in repechage
1964 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Four stroke – eliminated in repechage
1965 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship two seat – Second
Peter as the stroke of the 1964 Olympic coxless four
Peter was also a good sailor. His son Karl notes: Dad was a life time member of the RBYC & one of the hero’s of the sailing club having won State, National & even a world title in Etchell’s Class.
Andrew Guerin
December 2018 (updated with more Yarra Yarra RC information supplied by Jim Skidmore in June 2024)