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Simon Charles Dickie (NZL), *31 a world-renowned destination for won a gold medal in the four-man March 1951 in Waverley, Otago, †13 tourists looking for the perfect break event at the World Championships. December 2017 in Taupo, Waikato. that they will always remember. He The quartet followed this up the He was the ultimate coxswain: A also had extensive interests in the following year at the 1956 Winter cool head in the coxswain’s seat, farming and kiwi-fruit industries. His Olympics, where they captured someone who could talk to you crew-mates will miss him terribly. gold once again in the four-man. quietly, to steady the nerves before (RC) Alt retired from active competition the start of a big race. He had a following the Games. He worked as deep understanding of what made Fredy Schmidtke (FRG), *1 July 1961 general agent of the Nationale Suisse a boat move. He was a coach, an in Worringen, †1 December 2017 Assurances. (OM) encourager, a word-smith, a sports in Dormagen. Track cyclist Fredy psychologist, with a burning desire Schmidtke burst onto the scene Jean-Jacques Guyot (FRA), *1 De- to be the best. We believed in him in 1977, winning the West German cember 1932 in Paris, †20 December totally, and trusted him implicitly. Youth Championships, a title he 2017 in Fontainbleau, Seine-et- And he had all these attributes at retained the following year. In Marne. Guyon, sur prisingly, won the 1968 Mexico Olympics, when he 1979, Schmidtke won five national the individual three day event at was 17 years old. His previous coxing titles and also captured the youth the 1968 Mexico City Olympics with experience was at Whanganui world title in the 1 km time trial in “Pitou”. With the team he finished Collegiate, where he steered his 8 to Buenos Aires. In 1981 he won two fourth. He then became flagbearer three successive wins at the Maadi silver medals at the Senior Amateur for France at the closing ceremony. Cup, the premier event for schools World Championships in the 1 km Guyot came to the French Army rowing in New Zealand. time trial and tandem, with non- in 1951 and received, from 1954 to The coxed four won gold at Mexico, Olympian and long-time partner, 1964, his education at the military and this was the start of Simon's Dieter Giebken. The following year riding school in Saumur. He was then great run of successes in the coxswain Schmidtke won the time trial at stationed in Fontainebleau. He won seat of the New Zealand 8. the World Championships, and the national title in 1956 and claimed His 1970 crew came 3rd at the World again won the silver with Giebken. a bronze medal with the team at the Rowing Championships in Canada. In 1983, the tandem duo added a 1957 European Championships. (WR) 1971 his eight won the European bronze medal to their collection. Championships. This was a very Domestically, Schmidtke won the Cyrus J. “Cy” Young, Jr. (USA), *23 tough race between East Germany West German national time trial title July 1928 in Modesto, California, and the Kiwis. Simon had a great 1980-84, was sprint champion 1980- †6 December 2017 in Modesto, rapport with coach 'Rusty' Robertson, 82 and 1984 and, with Giebken, won California. Young is the only US and it would have been their hours the tandem title in 1980-83. athlete to have won the Olympic of analysis and planning that was Schmidtke’s greatest moment javelin title. He won the gold medal behind this victory. I believe that this came in 1984 when he captured at the 1952 Games in Helsinki with win was the corner-stone for the 1972 the time trial gold medal at the Los the Olympic record of 73.78 m. Second victory. Angeles Summer Olympics. In the place went to William Miller, also a US The 1972 Olympic eight won, and sprint event he finished eighth. thrower. won convincingly. This win has Schmidtke was a trained pipe fitter, In April 1956, Young had the best become a piece of New Zealand but after his Olympic triumph, throw of his career with 79.16 metres. sporting history, as it was the first opened a sports shop in Cologne. As Later in the season, he won his only time the national anthem of New he was not a trained businessman, AAU championship, but hampered Zealand: ‘God defend New Zealand’ his business failed and he went was played, instead of the usual ‘God bankrupt. He then worked in his save the Queen’. trained job for a couple of years to pay Simon stepped back from rowing at back his debts. In 2017, he died from a this stage, to begin his work career in heart attack. (WR) the fishing and hunting industries. In 1976 he came back to steer the New Robert Alt (SUI), *2 January 1927 in Zealand eight to 3rd at the Montreal Glion, Montreux, †4 December 2017 in Olympics. Vevey. The Swiss bobsledder had his Simon, along with his adored and greatest success in the mid-1950s. loving partner Adi Walker, built up In 1955, alongside Heinrich Angst, his adventure tourist business into Gottfried Diener, and Franz Kapus, he JOH 1 | 2018 Obituaries 73.

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