W Ray B Todd
Wendouree Rowing Club (VIC) - died in 1982
Known as Mr Rowing as his profile will show.
1923 - Interstate Men’s Eight Championship bow – Third
1924 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship seven seat - DNF (swamped)
1925 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship seven seat – Fifth
1930 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship selector
1932 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship selector
1933 – Interstate Championships team manager & selector
1934 – Interstate Championships team selector
1938 – Interstate Championships team selector
1939 – Interstate Championships team selector
1946 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach - First
1947 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – First
1948 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship selector
1948 – Olympic Games – Sole selector, coach of Men’s Four and section manager
1949 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship selector
1950 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – Second
1954 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship team manager
1956 – Olympic Games – rowing organizing committee and section manager
1962 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship team manager
1962 – British Empire & Commonwealth Games – Team Manager
1962 – Interstate Team – manager
1976 – Life Member of the Victorian Rowing Association
Ray was an innovator as a coach, administrator and as a sports journalist. As an innovative and technical coach, he influenced a change in coaching techniques. His focus on rowing drills mirrors coaching techniques of today. He was also an innovator as an administrator, particularly as a team manager and selector. As a sports journalist, he changed the focus of the story to the individual rather than the race and the results - he was one of the first sports journalists to do so. Ray Todd was affectionately known as ‘Mr Rowing”.
His 1948 crew doing a drill known as a Toddy, a Ray Todd invented drill
Ray Todd enjoyed rowing throughout his life from joining Wendouree Rowing Club in 1918. His first race win was a maiden eight at the Colac Regatta. Best known as a pair oarsman, he was only defeated twice in 29 pair races. He and Jack Jopling won five Victorian Pair titles. In all, he was a member of 10 winning Victorian Championship crews, a member of three Interstate Eight crews (1923-25), coached the 1948 Olympic Four, coached three Victorian crews (1946-7 & 1950), managed three Victorian crews (1933, 1954 & 1962) and managed the 1948 and 1956 Olympic rowing teams.
Ray Todd enjoyed rowing throughout his life from joining Wendouree Rowing Club in 1918. His first race win was a maiden eight at the Colac Regatta. Best known as a pair oarsman, he was only defeated twice in 29 pair races. He and Jack Jopling won five Victorian Pair titles. In all, he was a member of 10 winning Victorian Championship crews, a member of three Interstate Eight crews (1923-25), coached the 1948 Olympic Four, coached three Victorian crews (1946-7 & 1950), managed three Victorian crews (1933, 1954 & 1962) and managed the 1948 and 1956 Olympic rowing teams. Image
He maintained a strong interest in the sport throughout his life as rower, coach, team manager, administrator, fund raiser and reporter. He led the Victorian Olympic Committee fundraising for the 1968 Olympic Games. He wrote rowing news for the Herald and Weekly Times newspapers for 44 years, the Weekly Times for 35 years and also wrote for the Sporting Globe. He was a founder of Victoria’s Old Oarsmen’s Association. In 1975, he received an American award from the Citizen Saving Athletic Foundation of the USA (formerly the Helms Foundation) for more than 50 years’ contribution to sport. It was presented to him live on TV on the World of Sport program. (Alex Sloan and James Tomkins have also received the award for their services to rowing.) He was also active in other sports and community based organisations. He was a life member of the Victorian Rowing Association. He died in 1982.
Andrew Guerin
May 2010