Home > Rowing Profiles > Webb, Kevyn P

Kevin P Webb OAM

Haberfield Rowing Club (NSW)

Kevyn Parke Webb OAM 21st March 1923 - 1991

1946- Interstate Men's Eight Championship six seat - Second

1947- Interstate Men's Eight Championship six seat - Second

1950- British Empire Games- reserve

1958- British Empire & Commonwealth Games- Men's Coxless Pair stroke- Bronze

1958- Henley Royal

1960- Olympic Games- Men's Double Scull stroke- eliminated in repechage

1960- Olympic Games - Olympic rowing team captain

1962- British Empire & Commonwealth Games- Men's Coxless Four coach - Unplaced

1965- Interstate Men's Lightweight Four Championship coach- First

1988- Chairman of the Australian Championships Organising Committee

Kevyn on the right racing in New Zealand in 1958 on a Haberfield trip

Kevyn was one of the key instigators in the introduction of a National Championships. His report to the AARC dated 30^th November 1959, with its extensive research on how other nations ran their championships, was adopted and the regatta created. The description of how the National Championships came into being and the great work of Kevyn Webb, appears on the National Championships home page of this history.

Kevyn joined Haberfield in 1938 and over the next 22 years won 18 State Championships and over 200 open races. As a coach he his crews won 32 State Championships. At Haberfield he held every official position from Captain to President to Patron. In NSW he held numerous official positions including Vice President of the Association, selector and Interstate Championships Organising Committee Chairman. He was a tireless supporter of the sport throughout his life. He died in 1991.

The following profile was written by Kevyn in 1950 and so misses a large part of his work for the sport.

Born at Ashbury, March 21st, 1923. Educated at Haberfield Demonstration School and Fort Street Boys' High School. Played First Grade Rugby and Water Polo. Represented Fort Street at Combined High Schools, swimming and athletics, won C.H.S. backstroke 1939. First coxed at Haberfield 1935, but did not steer in any races. Joined Haberfield Club as an active member 1938.

Won Walker and Hall sculling cup 1939. Represented to the New Zealand Centennial Games 1939-40 Season. Won the Victorian 2000metres Sculling Championship 1941. Enlisted the same year, serving overseas with the 9th Australian Division, discharged 1946. Won N.S.W. Champion Eight 1945-46. Rowed six 1946 King's Cup Crew at Penrith and 1947 Crew Perth, Western Australia, both of which crews finished second to Victoria in the Australian Championships. Won N.S.W. Champion Fours 1946-47 season and Olympic Test Fours on Nepean, forced to withdraw from crew with injury to back. With Erwin Eder won Champion Pairs of Victoria at Ballarat 1948. After being runner up at Australian Henley in 1946, won Silver Sculls Henley 1948. Defeated New Zealand Champion Sculler, Joe Schneider during the New Zealand tour of Australia 1948-49 season. Won with Ron Rawlings 1949-50 N.S.W. Champion Double Sculls. Represented Australia at the 1950 British Empire Games. Won sculls at Hamilton New Zealand and Invitation 400 metre sculls at the Empire Games Regatta, Karapiro. Has won 87 races in 12 years with Haberfield Club. Coached N.S.W. Lightweight Champion Fours and Junior Champion Fours1946-47 season.

Has rowed at Pittwater, Windsor, Nepean, Sydney, Tweed, Lismore, Brisbane, Cairns, Melbourne, Lake Colac, Ballarat, Port Adelaide, Torrens, Fremantle, Perth, Hamilton, Mercer, Auckland, Wanganui, Wellington and Lake Karapiro, New Zealand.

Member of Committee from 1940, Assistant Secretary 1941, Vice-Captain 1946-47-48-50. Delegate to N.S.W.R.A., 1940, 41,45, 46, 47, 48, elected member of the N.S.W.R.A. 1949, 1950. Life Member of the Haberfield Rowing Club from 1945.

Andrew Guerin
2011 (updated July 2024 with Kevyn's self written1950 profile)

Sources:

Author's own records
Kevyn Webb's self published 25 year history of the Haberfield Rowing Club written in 1950
Images from both the Colin Bullard and Andrew Guerin collections

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
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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.