Edward Trickett

Who was Edward Trickett?

Edward "Ned" Trickett was an Australian rower. He was the first Australian to be recognised as a world champion in any sport, after winning the World Sculling Championship in 1876, a title he held until 1880, when he was beaten by Canadian Ned Hanlan.

Trickett was born at Greenwich, on the Lane Cove River in Sydney. His father was a former convict and a bootmaker and his mother was Irish. The young Ned learned to scull on Sydney Harbour in New South Wales, Australia.

Records show that rowing matches between crews of visiting ships had been taking place on the harbour from as early as 1805. The Sydney Gazette newspaper recorded "The first Australian Regatta" in 1827 with a rowing race for 20 Spanish dollars and both rowing and sailing were established sports by 1837 when the first Anniversary Regatta was held in Sydney.