John St Vincent Welch
NSW Rowing published on 28th August 2018 the following:
Rowing NSW has been advised of the passing of John St Vincent Welch last week at St George Hospital after a brief illness.
John started his Rowing career at Shore School in 1959 and rowed in their First VIII in the 1962/1963 season. He went on to row for Sydney University in Intervarsity and Senior Eight crews from 1968 to 1972 when he won gold in the Junior Eight at the National Championships. John was awarded a Blue from Sydney University that year.
He had success as a Coach at Sydney University Boat Club and had a lengthy career as a Boat Race Official in NSW and as an Australian and FISA Umpire. John officiated at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.
A private funeral has been held, with his rowing friends to hold a wake in October.
As a crewmate said, “A spade was a spade to Saint and diplomacy was for wimps”