Edwards, Hugh Robert Arthur
Date Born/Est
17 Nov 1906
Date Died/Ceased
21 Dec 1972
Biographical Display
JUMBO EDWARDS, Olympic champion,distinguished coach, decorated RAF pilot
Hugh Robert Arthur Edwards, universally known as 'Jumbo', is the only man to date (2004) to win three Henley medals on the same day (1931). His greatest rowing achievement, however, was at the Los Angeles Olympics where he won the coxless pairs (with Lewis Clive) before winning the coxless fours as a substitute (with Felix Badcock, Jack Beresford and Rowland George).He won the grand at Henley in 1930 after losing the boat race with Oxford. He first rowed for Oxford as a freshman in 1926 when he collapsed half way along Chiswick Eyot.
Jumbo coached Oxford 19 times between 1949 and 1972, winning five boat races. He was an outstanding teacher of rowing, much of stemming from the orthodox path of De Edmond Warre, and a technical innovator par excellence. The spade blade(Macon) originated with Edwards, and he used ergometers, interval training and various measuring techniques which brought more success to his successors than to himself.
Edwards was a distinguished RAF pilot and wartime squadron leader who was awarded the AFC and the DSO. He was also interested in sailing and navigation.
Hugh Robert Arthur Edwards, universally known as 'Jumbo', is the only man to date (2004) to win three Henley medals on the same day (1931). His greatest rowing achievement, however, was at the Los Angeles Olympics where he won the coxless pairs (with Lewis Clive) before winning the coxless fours as a substitute (with Felix Badcock, Jack Beresford and Rowland George).He won the grand at Henley in 1930 after losing the boat race with Oxford. He first rowed for Oxford as a freshman in 1926 when he collapsed half way along Chiswick Eyot.
Jumbo coached Oxford 19 times between 1949 and 1972, winning five boat races. He was an outstanding teacher of rowing, much of stemming from the orthodox path of De Edmond Warre, and a technical innovator par excellence. The spade blade(Macon) originated with Edwards, and he used ergometers, interval training and various measuring techniques which brought more success to his successors than to himself.
Edwards was a distinguished RAF pilot and wartime squadron leader who was awarded the AFC and the DSO. He was also interested in sailing and navigation.
Place Of Birth
Oxfordshire/England
Place Of Death
Southampton/England
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