Home > Rowing Profiles > McLeish, Alex W

Alec W McLeish

Ballarat City Rowing Club then Albert Park Rowing Club (VIC)

1932 - Interstate Men's Eight Championship stroke - First

1933 - Interstate Men's Eight Championship stroke - Third

1962 - British Empire & Commonwealth Games - jury

1964 - Olympic Games - rowing section manager

1970-76 - Councillor for Victoria on AARC

Vice-President of the Victorian Rowing Association

Alec learned his rowing at Ballarat City before moving to Albert Park in 1927 after his Ballarat City crew was defeated in the maiden eights by Albert Park by one foot.In his 1931-32 season, he won the Victorian Champion pair, four and eight in the one season. He was the manager of a building wrecking company and the Mayor of Brighton outside his rowing interests.He died in 1984.

A newspaper report of the 1932 Victorian crew provided the following description of his rowing career to that date.

A W McLeish, stroke is aged 26, in height 6ft 1 in, weight 13.3 and commenced rowing in 1925. he rowed "five" in the winning double maiden eight at Upper Yarra and ANA Regattas in 1927. Transferring to Albert Park Club, he won his maiden pair at Nagambie in 1928, double maiden four at Upper Yarra and ANA, in 1929, junior four at Barwon in 1929, junior eight at Henley in 1929, stroked junior pair at Nagambie in 1929 and the senior pair for the Upper Yarra and ANA double in 1930. The same year he won the senior pair double at Barwon and Ballarat and senior fours at Ballarat, senior pair and four at Nagambie 1930 and 1931. His championship wins are the champion pairs and fours and second in the champion eights in 1931. This season he was second in champion four, and won the champion eights.

1932 Victorian crew with Alex in the stroke seat

Albert Park Club rowers putting one of Alec's truck to good use post WWII

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained in this work.