THE WINDS OF CHANGE Henley Royal Regatta Penn had not sent a heavyweight crew to Henley since 1901, when Ellis Ward’s crew had lost by a length to Leander in the final of the Grand,2436 but the 1951 and ‘52 Lightweights had blazed a trail. Indeed, the 1955 150s had also won the Eastern Sprints and were accompanying their heavyweight counterparts to England. In 1955, there were four notable crews entered in the Grand. In one semi-final, Penn would meet Thames Rowing Club, the top eight in Britain that year,2437 while in the other semi-final the Soviet Club Krasnoe Znamia2438 were scheduled to meet the very impressive 1954 British Empire Games Champion from the University of British Columbia and Vancouver R.C. in Canada. UBC/VRC After World War II, “the long- established Vancouver Rowing Club found itself with expertise and facilities but without athletes, while the University of British Columbia was full of prime athletes but had no rowing tradition. When Vancouver, British Columbia was chosen to host the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, conditions seemed right for the two to join forces. From this joint venture came the UBC/VRC crews, a new and unexpected force in rowing. Glen Smith: “Our UBC/VRC crew was a potpourri of individuals from small towns in British Columbia. We were smart enough to succeed at University, but the small towns of B.C. in those days had no budget for athletics. Upon registering at University and enrolling in courses, some of us from these small towns went out to try basketball, soccer or football, but never having been 2436 See Chapter 37. 2437 with Colin Porter aboard. See Chapter 78. 2438 See Chapter 79. coached in any of these sports, we migrated to rowing where everyone was a beginner. For me, that was 1951. “At age 19, I was at the 1952 Canadian Olympic Trials in St. Catharines, Ontario with others from UBC in a Pocock work boat, double-skinned for harbour protection. We lost to Toronto Argonauts and missed the trip to Finland. “By 1953, I was one of the veterans, and we collected two eights to go to the Western Sprints Rowing Championship in Newport Beach, California. We had a good time but did not do much.”2439 www.rowingcanada.org: “Local rowing supporters persuaded a hotel owner, Frank Read, to coach the new joint-venture crews. He was a gruff individual, known for refusing to mince his words or guard his comments. But he could coach and bring out the best in his athletes.”2440 UBC Archives: “In the early 1930s, Frank Read had been an accomplished oarsman with Vancouver Rowing Club. Following a back injury that ended his rowing career, he went into the hotel industry.”2441 Smith: “Frank Read, our coach, was a true amateur. He received no compensation for years of participation and leadership. In 1953/54, the year that I was captain, the University budget for rowing was $300. In order to travel, we used the VRC dance hall and put on some wild parties to raise enough money to go to regattas. We even sold beer illegally. “In 1954, we won the right to represent Canada in the 1954 British Empire Games.”2442 www.rowingcanada.org: “After they upset Thames Rowing Club for the Empire Games victory, “the Duke of Edinburgh 2439 Smith, personal correspondence, 2010 2440 www.rowingcanada.org 2441 www.library.ubc.ca/archives 2442 Smith, op. cit. 677
