Ned Hanlan

On his death Canadian sculler, Edward ‘Ned’ Hanlan (1855–1908), was called ‘the most famous oarsman of not only his own time, but undoubtedly of the nineteenth century’.1 In 1879, Hanlan stunned the British when he handily defeated William Elliott, the champion of England, and did 80 in the fastest time ever clocked over the Tyne racecourse. The following year, the 5′8′′ Hanlan met 6′4′′ Australian great, Edward Trickett, over the Thames W mid Championship course. Excitement ran high and 80 did the stakes; it was estimated that ‘probably in excess of forty thousand dollars was wagered by the citizens of Toronto’.2

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