III Olympic Gold - The Frank Read Years Continue
Shortly after the return of the VRC/UBC ‘Cinderella' crew from Henley, it was announced that half the crew had rowed their last race. Hearing this the Canadian Olympic Association dropped its plans to send an Eight to the 1956 Olympic Games the following year.

A new eight was formed combining the veterans Phil Kueber, Doug McDonald, Laurie West, Bob Wilson and Carl Ogawa (cox) with their fellow junior clubsmen, David Helliwell, Dick McClure, Bill McKerlich and Wayne Pretty. In March 1956 this crew defeated a Washington Huskies crew by eight lengths in Coal Harbour causing the Canadian Olympic Assoc. to reverse their earlier decision and agree to hold trials to send an eight to Melbourne.

For the next three months (excluding April for exams) the eight trained twice daily at 6:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. living together in a house rented at 1888 West Georgia. Training alongside them was a new coxless four stroked by one-year veteran Don Arnold, and three new rowers, Walter d'Hondt, Lorne Loomer, and Archie MacKinnon coached by John Warren. Early in May they caught the eye of Frank Read, who remarked "They don't look like much, but they sure move the boat!"

By the time of the Trials in St. Catherines on July 24th, the crews had rowed 1,250 miles and were in top condition. The Four won both their races by run-away margins and in record times. The Eight won by four lengths in 5:49:6. Initially the Four were not included in the Olympic Assoc.'s plans for Melbourne. However under much pressure, including Lieut. Governor Frank Ross' offer to underwrite their trip, the C.O.A. relented, making it an all VRC/UBC Canadian Olympic Rowing Team.

In Melbourne the Four astounded the world, winning their first heat by six lengths and their semi-final by a whopping 10 lengths. In the final they defeated the U.S. crew by five lengths, with Italy and France following. Canada's first ever Olympic Gold Medal in rowing!

The Eight narrowly missed capturing another gold, losing by a ¼ length to an U.S. Yale crew; three of whom collapsed at the finish line with two requiring medical attention. The VRC/UBC crew brought home Olympic Silver, Canada's only Silver in the Games.

Once again there was a grand parade through the city streets to a reception at the clubhouse with presentations from the City and the Lieut. Governor Frank Ross.

In 1957, after seven years of voluntary coaching, Frank Read retired and John Warren (his former student) took over preparing crews for the 1958 British Empire Games to be held in Wales. Three VRC/UBC crews were chosen to represent Canada at the B.E.Games: an Eight, a Four, and a Coxed Four with the crews composed primarily of the '56 Olympians with D. Arnold, W. d'Hondt and coxen S. Biln doing double duty in the Eight and Coxed Four. Canada retained its Empire Games Championship, with the Eight winning the Gold. Both Fours took Silver Medals, losing to English crews.

In 1959, David Helliwell (of the '56 Eight), took over coaching duties and led an Eight and a Coxed Four to the PanAm Games in Chicago, where the Eight took a Silver and the Four a Bronze.

Throughout the Fifties, club rowing steadily picked up with the club rowers regularly competing with rowers from clubs in Washington, Kelowna, Penticton and Shawnigan Lake. Unfortunately, in 1955 after 17 years, the High School Rowing Scholarship Program came to an end, as the club could no longer maintain its equipment due to the heavy demands from the University and the Club crews. Cricket was also gaining strength, winning the Fyfe Smith Shield (BC Mainland 1st Division Championship) in 1956 and 1957 and in 1959 fielded three teams for the first time.

Strengthened by recruits from Commonwealth countries, for the first time since 1932 the Rugby team won the Miller Cup in 1955. The Rugby boys of the early 60's also showed a flair for seven a sides, winning the Bob Spray Cup (1st Division) in 1959, '60 and '63 and being finalists in 1961, '64, '65 and '66. 2nd Division players captured the Nelles Stacey Cup in 1960 & '62, and were finalists in 1957, '63 and '64.

The run up to the 1960 Olympics in Rome saw the return of Frank Read. The eight of G. Mervyn, W. d'Hont, W. McKerlich, N. Kuhn, D. Arnold, A. MacKinnon, D. Anderson, J. Lecky, and S. Biln as cox. In a close race against a favoured, veteran German crew the two boats were neck and neck until, with 200 meters to go, the Germans pulled ahead to win by 4 seconds with a time of 5:57:18 the second fastest time in Olympic history. Eric Whitehead, reporting for The Province wrote:

"...The finish had 20,000 fans on their feet roaring for Canada to hold on. Among them, calling ‘Canada! Canada!' was Queen Juliana of the Netherlands... after the race, U.S. rowing boss Tip Goes said ‘For a crew that only started training in May, this was fantastic. This was the most marvellous performance I have ever seen... This German crew is the pick of 40,000 oarsman from 800 rowing clubs and have been training together two years.'"

Once again the Silver medal crew returned to civic celebrations as Canada's only medallists at the Rome Olympics. Frank Read retired after these Olympics and this Silver Medal finish marked the end of the Frank Read Era although his legacy would continue for years to come. He had placed himself among the top rowing coaches in the world and crews he had coached - and those coming out his legacy - had obtained an impressive International record by 1960: three Gold Medals, five Silver Medals, one Bronze Medal and finalists in the Grand Challenge at Henley.

The club's International rowing record continued with Laurie West (of the original ‘Cinderella' crew) taking over the coaching of the VRC/UBC crews. After setting a World Record (5:30:7) at the B.E.G. Trials in St. Catherines in 1962 the VRC/UBC Eight faced disappointing finishes at both the 1st World Rowing Championships and the Commonwealth Games. The club's Four (E. Worobieff, T. Gray, T. Stokes, and R. McIntosh) took Bronze at the Commonwealth Games. This was followed by a Gold Medal victory for our Eight at the PanAm Games in 1963 (P.Browne, M.Lemieux, E.Worobieff, T.Gray, M.Wieczorek, D.Dewar, D.Sturdy, B.Stubbs, and D.Overton, cox.)

The 1964 Olympic Games were held in Tokyo and once again two VRC/UBC crews represented Canada: an eight who had a disappointing ninth place finish; and two spares for the eight who made up a pair, George Hungerford and Roger Jackson who won the gold! Their victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact they had only rowed together for a little over two weeks and had only raced together twice – the first race being their Olympic heat, which they won; the second race the Olympic final!

The Gold Medal at Tokyo was the last Olympic Medals to be won by a "Club" team. At the 1968 Olympics all Canadian entries were eliminated including VRC/UBC rowers R. Jackson, single sculls; and J. Ulinder & L. Gatley, pair. In 1972 Canada adopted a National Rowing Team with composite crews formed from club rowers across Canada. VRC/UBC continued to be well represented on the national teams and occasionally entire crews would be formed from the members of a single club, but it was effectively the end of International club rowing (with notable exceptions). The Vancouver Rowing Club's Olympic record of 2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze tops all other rowing clubs in Canada, accounting for 6 of the 13 Olympic medals won from 1904 to 1964 and all of the country's Gold Medal victories up to that date.

IV Into the Modern Era