Rhubarb December 2025

An interview with john Wiggins

J ohn Wiggins started at Teddies in 1998, teaching Maths and coaching rowing, where he achieved impressive results with his crews including winning at Henley Royal Regatta. John is also an outstanding rower himself; he was the youngest rower of the modern era to win the University Boat Race and became the President of the Oxford Boat Club in 1979. He continues to row to a high standard today, recently winning a bronze medal in the single scull at the British Masters Championships. He became OSE Society Honorary Secretary in 2013 and has been instrumental in widening and maintaining contact with many OSE.

INTERVIEW

He became OSE Society Honorary Secretary in 2013 and has been instrumental in maintaining contact with many OSE. “ ” Where did your love of Celebrating a victory at Worcester Regatta.

Here he talks to David Smart, Legacy Manager and Past President of the OSE Society with whom he worked closely for many years.

rowing start? Tell us about the highs and lows and standout moments along the way. It started at Wallingford Grammar School aged 14. My chemistry teacher kept me and two others anxiously behind after our lesson but it was simply to ask if we had ever tried rowing? Two of us gave it a go, I kept going....and going. Bruce Grainger was that teacher, my junior rowing coach and a lifelong friend.

Oxford Boat Race Crew,1976. John 2nd from right.

The first major high was for Great Britain at the World Junior Championships in 1973 with a very unexpected bronze medal. By then Wallingford School had become a comprehensive and had a very young crew – I was only just 16. A win at Henley in 1974 with the same crew preceded a notable low when we failed to achieve the much-anticipated World gold medal. All three Boat Races were highs. In 1976 I became the youngest winning blue (in the modern era) in a record-breaking crew, coached by Dan Topolski. It was the first of a 10-year winning run for Oxford including 1979 when I was President of the Boat Club. Much more recently, I won a bronze medal in my single scull at the British Masters Championships. Continuing to row and race maintains the highs.

Top pic: Bronze medal presentation at the World Junior Rowing Championships 1973. Above: Press

clipping from Henley win in 1974 with Wallingford Schools.

56