John E Jenkinson
Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC)
John is a giant of Yarra Yarra Rowing Club being their only Olympian and life long supporter of his club. His contribution to Yarra is significant.
John went on to become a regular rower and staunch supporter of Yarra Yarra Rowing Club until family responsibilities and overseas work intervened. When he returned, he became a regular rower again.
John is a life long active member of the sport supporting other organizations and regattas in Victoria.
His organisational abilities came to the fore in 2012 when he arranged a very successful tour to the London Olympic Games for those in or associated with the 1956 rowing team. He planned another trip to Tokyo in 2021 but the pandemic prevented that from occurring. He is one of the sports great gentlemen who remains so very engaged with the sport even though the years are advancing.
1956 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxed Four cox – Fourth
Bob Duncan in his book Small boat rowers of the fifties described John as follows: John was a Yarra Yarra Rowing Club 15 year old, fortunate to be in the right club at the right time. His club was "Parks" long time host [Yarra Yarra Rowing Club], whenever short term river racking was required. Mick was arranging for some river training, before deciding on the cox. His enquiry at Yarra Yarra resulted in an old friend, Jack Donald recommending young Johnny who he said was an excellent cox. Jack also lent Mick a motor boat to assist with coaching, which helped enormously with the crew's training on the lower Yarra. This turned out to be a great outcome for all concerned.
1956 Olympic Coxed Four with John in the front
Jim Skidmore has provided the following materials on John.
Joined 1953/54 as a coxswain
Committee - 1963/64
Wins included:-
1953 - Warrnambool regatta, lightweight four (cox)
1954 - Upper Yarra regatta, lightweight pair (cox)
1954 - V R A regatta, lightweight pair (cox)
1954 - Nagambie regatta, junior four (cox)
1955 - Colac regatta, junior four (cox)
1955 - Camperdown regatta, junior four (cox)
1955 - Bairnsdale regatta, junior four (cox)
1955 - Sale regatta, junior four (cox)
1955 - Upper Yarra regatta, lightweight four (cox)
1955 - Nagambie regatta, lightweight pair (cox)
1956 - Olympic selection trial, senior four (cox)
1956 - Preston regatta, beginners pair (cox) and Beginners four (cox)
1956 - Victorian championships, lightweight four (cox) and Senior four (cox)
1957 - Ballarat regatta, maiden eight (cox0
1958 - Colac regatta, lightweight four (cox)
1959 - Nagambie regatta, lightweight four (stroke)
1959 - Yarrawonga regatta, lightweight four (stroke)
1960 - Albert Park regatta, lightweight four (stroke) and Lightweight pair (stroke)
1960 - Ballarat regatta, maiden eight (6)
1962 - Rutherglen regatta, junior four (bow)
1963 - Ballarat regatta, lightweight eight (4)
1963 - Henley regatta, lightweight eight (4)
1963 - Barwon regatta, lightweight eight (4)
1963 - Yarrawonga regatta, junior pair (bow)
Holder of a McVilly- Pearce pin no 089 after representing Australia at the 1956 Olympics.as a coxswain.
At Yarra john coxed many crews from 1953/54 to 1958/59, then won a number of regatta events mostly as a lightweight oarsman. John also spent time as a committee member.
John’s work took him away from Melbourne for a while he re-joined in 2008/09 to row with the Wednesday evening social crews.
From the 1956/57 Yarra Yarra Roping Club annual report:-
The rowing events of the XVIth Olympiad held at Ballarat, proved to be an outstanding success, Australia was represented in every rowing event for the first time and acquitted themselves most satisfactorily. WE obtained one second, two third, and a forth placings in the finals and eliminated in the semi-finals in the other events. Your congratulations are extended to all members of the crews, in particular John Jenkinson from your club who had the honour of steering the Australian coxed four.
1956 Victorian champion lightweight four John in coxswains seat
1960 Ballarat regatta maiden eight John in bow seat Yarra crew in the far lane?
1960 Ballarat regatta maiden eight John in front row on left
We are fortunate that in 2020, John penned the following recollections of his Olympic experience in 1956. It is now a historically important document for rowing given it's first hand account of this important event and regatta. Asx usual, John is humble in his comments despite the great achievements of both him and his crew.
May 2020 (updated June 2024)