Brian Richardson

Brian John Richardson (24 July 1947 – 15 September 2024) was an Australian rower and rowing coach. He competed at the national elite level over a fifteen-year period representing both South Australia and Victoria. He was a representative at three world championships and at the 1976 Montreal and the 1980 Moscow Olympics. In a twenty-three year coaching career, he held national head coaching roles in both Canada and Australia from 1993 to 2008 and personally coached national crews to twelve world championship or Olympic medals. He was also a crew member of America's Cup winning Australia II.

Club and state rowing Born in Adelaide, Richardson rowed from the Adelaide University Boat Club from 1966 till his relocation to Victoria in 1975. In Melbourne he rowed from the Monash University Boat Club and later he coached at the Banks Rowing Club and Mercantile Rowing Club.

Richardson stroked the Adelaide University eight at the 1973 and the 1974 Intervarsity Championships. The AUBC eight won the 1974 Intervarsity Championship.

Richardson first made state selection for South Australia still aged eighteen, in the men's eight contesting the King's Cup at the 1966 Interstate Regatta. He rowed in eight successive South Australian King's Cup eights, placing second twice and stroking the 1973 and 1974 SA eights. He rowed in six consecutive Victorian King's Cup eights up to 1980, stroking those crews from 1978 and winning the King's Cup in 1979 and 1980. In 1976 and 1977 he again contested the coxed four national titles in Monash Uni/Melb Uni composite crews placing third, then second. He stroked a composite Monash Uni/Mercantile coxless four to second place in their national title attempt at the 1978 Australian Championships and in 1979 stroked a Monash/MUBC crew again to second place in that same event. In 1980 his final year of competition in Monash University colours he raced in both a coxed four (to fourth place) and a coxless pair (to third place) in national title attempts.

International representative rowing Richardson made his Australian representative debut in the six seat of the Australian men's eight at the 1975 World Rowing Championships in Nottingham. That crew placed second in its heat, won the repechage and finished in sixth place in the final. The Australian men's eight for the 1976 Montreal Olympics was mostly that year's King's Cup winning New South Wales crew excepting Richardson at bow and Malcolm Shaw in the two seat.

At the 1978 World Rowing Championships in Lake Karapiro he stroked Australia's coxless four to a ninth-place finish. He coached twelve Australian crews to seven different world championships winning one gold and one bronze medal and took crews to three Olympics. He was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.

Death Richardson died on 15 September 2024, at the age of 77.

Rowing palmares

World Championships 1975 World Rowing Championships men's eight six seat – sixth 1978 World Rowing Championships coxless four stroke – ninth 1979 World Rowing Championships men's eight stroke – fourth

Olympic Games 1976 Munich Olympics M8+ bow – fifth 1980 Moscow Olympics M8+ stroke - fifth

National Interstate Regatta

1966 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) four seat – third 1967 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) four seat – third 1968 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) stroke – fourth 1970 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) bow – second 1971 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) seven seat – second 1972 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) seven seat – fourth 1973 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) stroke - third 1974 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (SA) stroke - second

1975 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (VIC) six seat - third 1976 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (VIC) stroke - second 1977 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (VIC) five seat - third 1978 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (VIC) stroke - second 1979 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (VIC) stroke – first 1980 – Interstate Championships Men's Eight (VIC) stroke – first

Coaching palmares

Olympic Games 1992 Barcelona Olympics – Men's Eight coach – fifth 2000 Sydney Olympics – Men's Eight coach – silver 2008 Beijing Olympics - Men's Eight coach - sixth

Commonwealth Games 1986 – Commonwealth Games – Men's Coxless Four coach – Fourth 1986 – Commonwealth Games – Men's Coxless Pair coach – Fifth

World Championships 1989 World Rowing Championships – men's double scull coach - fourth 1990 World Rowing Championships – men's double scull coach – bronze 1991 World Rowing Championships – men's dingle scull coach – fourth 1991 World Rowing Championships – men's quad scull coach - twelfth 1999 World Rowing Championships – men's eight coach – seventh 2005 World Rowing Championships – men's coxed pair coach – gold 2005 World Rowing Championships – men's quad scull coach – ninth 2006 World Rowing Championships – men's eight coach – fourth 2006 World Rowing Championships – men's coxless four coach – fifteenth 2007 World Rowing Championships – men's eight coach – seventh 2007 World Rowing Championships – men's coxless four co-coach – twelfth 2007 World Rowing Championships – men's coxed pair co-coach – fourth

National Interstate Regatta 1985 – Interstate Men's Eight Championship (VIC) coach – first 1986 – Interstate Men's Eight Championship (VIC) coach - first 1987 – Interstate Men's Eight Championship (VIC) co-coach - first 1988 – Interstate Men's Eight Championship (VIC) co-coach – first 1989 – Interstate Men's Eight Challenge (VIC) coach – first 1990 – Interstate Men's Sculling Championship (VIC) coach - second 1991 – Interstate Men's Sculling Championship (VIC) coach - first 1992 – Interstate Men's Sculling Championship (VIC) coach - second 1993 – Interstate Men's Eight Championship (VIC) co-coach – first 1993 – Interstate Men's Sculling Championship (VIC) co-coach - fourth 2008 – Interstate Men's Eight Championship co-coach (NSW) – first

National head coaching roles 1993-1996 – Canada Head coach 1997-2000 – Australia Head coach 2001-2004 – Canada Head coach 2005-2008 – Australia men's and AIS Head Coach