David Ramage
Corio Bay Rowing Club(Vic) and Banks Rowing Club (Vic)
Corio Bay Rowing Club and then Banks Rowing Club
1956 –Head of the River Geelong College 1st V111 4 Seat - First
1957 – Head of the River Geelong College 1st V111 2 Seat - First
1960-61 - Corio Bay four - 20 consecutive wins including two State Championships and NSW Championship
1962 – National Championships Men’s Coxed Four - Gold
1962 – British Empire & Commonwealth Games – Men’s Coxed Four stroke – Silver
1962 – World Championships – Selected for Men’s Coxed Four but unable to travel
1963 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship six seat – First
1964 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship four seat – First
1964 – Olympic Games – Men’s Eight Four seat – Eighth
1965 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship six seat – Second
1966 – World Championships – Men’s Eight bow - Tenth
1967/68 - 2 Victorian Championships, 2 NSW Championships Men’s Pair - First
1968 – National Championships Men’s Pair - First
1968 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Pair stroke -Seventh
1969 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship bow - First
1973 to 1978 Geelong College 1st V111 Coach (1976 victory)
1975 - Australian Championships Schoolboy V111 coach - First
1975 – Interstate Men’s Youth Eight Championship coach – First
1989/91 - Head of the River First V111 Coach Geelong College (1990 victory)
2009 to 2015 - Masters rowing numerous wins including seven Gold at Ballarat FISA Worlds
1968 Olympic Pair with David in the stroke seat
Another crew which was not an Olympic or World Champion medallist but which provided the sport with fame which requires recognition is our 1968 Olympic pair. Other than for the eight, the selections for the Olympic events were conducted at the National Championships at Murray Bridge in South Australia. The outstanding performers at the regatta were Paul Guest and David Ramage in the coxless pair. They were however graded second behind the eight. The total Australian Olympic team was restricted to 180 people so rowing was well represented in view of the poor 1964 results. One coach and a rowing team manager were also permitted. This crew was left coachless.
Unbeaten in Australia, it has been described as one of the finest pair oared crews Australia has ever produced. However in the semi-final at Mexico, whilst in a commanding position and just short of the finish line, David partially collapsed suffering oxygen deprivation in the high altitude. They were relegated to the small final by 1.18 seconds in a time that would have won the other semi-final. They won the small final some 6 seconds faster than the Gold medal winners.
At the 2015 World Rowing Masters Regatta, these two Australian rowing legends, Paul Guest and David Ramage, came home four gold medals in the I8+, I2-, H8+ and G4+. Following the regatta the duo made the decision to retire from the sport after glittering careers that featured highlights over 50 years at through National Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, Olympic Games and on to the top of Masters rowing.
Andrew Guerin 2015