Andrew Sudduth
Encyclopedia
Andrew Hancock Sudduth (November 21, 1961 – July 15, 2006), was one of the best United States rowers
of his generation. He was a fixture on the United States National team throughout the 1980s.
In 1981, Sudduth first represented the United States at the Under 23 World Championships in the men's eight (8+) which finished second. Later that year, he again represented the United States in the World Rowing Championships
, where his four man boat (4+) finished second. Sudduth would go on to represent the United States in the four (4+) at the 1982 and 1983 World Championships, where his boat finished third and seventh, respectively.
After high school, Sudduth had enrolled at Harvard. However, Sudduth was a prankster and ran into disciplinary problems resulting in his suspension from school. Although quite upset at the time, Sudduth later acknowledged that this incident helped him gain focus on both his academic and athletic life.
Following his initial World Championship medal in 1981, Sudduth returned to Harvard to row and study. Sudduth's 1983 Harvard boat, coached by Harry Parker, won the National Collegiate Rowing Championship
coming from a boat length down in the last 500 meters of the race to nip the University of Washington
at the finish line. Sudduth then took a year off from school to train for the Olympics.
At the 1984 Summer Olympics
, Sudduth was part of the United States men's eight which finished second to Canada
.
In 1985, Sudduth returned to Harvard, where he led his crew to another National Championship, and then to the Henley Royal Regatta
, where they won the Grand Challenge Cup, which is the regatta's international elite race for eights. This is the last time that the Grand Challenge Cup was won by a United States' collegiate team.
That summer, Sudduth would represent the United States in the single scull (1x) at the 1985 World Championships. Sudduth led the race by half a length (approximately one second) over the three-time Olympic champion Pertti Karppinen
with 200 meters to go. Just then, Sudduth's oar was knocked out of his hand by a small wave and in one stroke, he lost his advantage over Karppinen. Kappinen, who was famous for his finishing sprint, pushed through for a one length victory over Sudduth. Trailing well back in third place was the five-time world champion and three-time Olympic Silver medalist Peter-Michael Kolbe
.
Sudduth led the United States to a bronze medal at the 1986 World Championships in the men's eight and a gold medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games
. In 1987, he returned to the single scull, finishing seventh at the World Championships. And in 1988, Sudduth finished sixth at the Seoul Olympics
.
Sudduth was also an electrical engineer and in 1988, he was the first to notify the world that a Computer virus
was sweeping the fledgling internet
.
He died from pancreatic cancer. USRowing
posthumously bestowed the Jack Kelly Award
on Sudduth, which is given to outstanding rowers who represent the ideals that Jack Kelly exemplified including superior achievement in rowing, service to amateur athletics and success in their chose profession.
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
of his generation. He was a fixture on the United States National team throughout the 1980s.
In 1981, Sudduth first represented the United States at the Under 23 World Championships in the men's eight (8+) which finished second. Later that year, he again represented the United States in the World Rowing Championships
World Rowing Championships
The World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . It is a week long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962...
, where his four man boat (4+) finished second. Sudduth would go on to represent the United States in the four (4+) at the 1982 and 1983 World Championships, where his boat finished third and seventh, respectively.
After high school, Sudduth had enrolled at Harvard. However, Sudduth was a prankster and ran into disciplinary problems resulting in his suspension from school. Although quite upset at the time, Sudduth later acknowledged that this incident helped him gain focus on both his academic and athletic life.
Following his initial World Championship medal in 1981, Sudduth returned to Harvard to row and study. Sudduth's 1983 Harvard boat, coached by Harry Parker, won the National Collegiate Rowing Championship
National Collegiate Rowing Championship
The now defunct National Collegiate Rowing Championship was a quasi-official national championship for men's collegiate rowing, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, between 1983 and 1996. It pitted the winners of the Eastern Sprints, the Pac-10s, the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, and the Harvard-Yale...
coming from a boat length down in the last 500 meters of the race to nip the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
at the finish line. Sudduth then took a year off from school to train for the Olympics.
At the 1984 Summer Olympics
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, Sudduth was part of the United States men's eight which finished second to Canada
1984 Canadian Mens Rowing Eight
The 1984 Men's Eight Rowing Team was a Canadian rowing team that won a gold medal in the 1984 Summer Olympic Games.The members of the 1984 Men's Eight Rowing Team were Blair Horn, Dean Crawford, Michael Evans, Paul Steele, Grant Main, Mark Evans, Kevin Neufeld, Pat Turner and Brian McMahon...
.
In 1985, Sudduth returned to Harvard, where he led his crew to another National Championship, and then to the Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
, where they won the Grand Challenge Cup, which is the regatta's international elite race for eights. This is the last time that the Grand Challenge Cup was won by a United States' collegiate team.
That summer, Sudduth would represent the United States in the single scull (1x) at the 1985 World Championships. Sudduth led the race by half a length (approximately one second) over the three-time Olympic champion Pertti Karppinen
Pertti Karppinen
Pertti Johannes Karppinen is a Finnish rower who is legendary for his three consecutive Olympic Gold medals in Single Sculls in 1976, 1980, and 1984. He also won World Championships in 1979 and 1985. He once held the world record in indoor rowing. Karppinen's style was to row a steady race and...
with 200 meters to go. Just then, Sudduth's oar was knocked out of his hand by a small wave and in one stroke, he lost his advantage over Karppinen. Kappinen, who was famous for his finishing sprint, pushed through for a one length victory over Sudduth. Trailing well back in third place was the five-time world champion and three-time Olympic Silver medalist Peter-Michael Kolbe
Peter-Michael Kolbe
Peter-Michael Kolbe is a German rower and is one of the greatest single scullers ever. And, with the possible exception of Australia's Stuart Mackenzie, the greatest to have never won an Olympic Gold Medal...
.
Sudduth led the United States to a bronze medal at the 1986 World Championships in the men's eight and a gold medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games
Goodwill Games
The Goodwill Games was an international sports competition, created by Ted Turner in reaction to the political troubles surrounding the Olympic Games of the 1980s...
. In 1987, he returned to the single scull, finishing seventh at the World Championships. And in 1988, Sudduth finished sixth at the Seoul Olympics
Rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul featured 14 events in total, for men and women, held on the Han River Regatta Course.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-See also:*Rowing at the Summer Olympics*Olympic medalists in rowing...
.
Sudduth was also an electrical engineer and in 1988, he was the first to notify the world that a Computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
was sweeping the fledgling internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
He died from pancreatic cancer. USRowing
USRowing
USRowing is the national governing body for the sport of rowing in the United States. It serves to promote the sport on all levels of competition, including the selection and training of those who represent the US at international level....
posthumously bestowed the Jack Kelly Award
John B. Kelly, Sr.
John Brendan Kelly, Sr., also known as Jack Kelly, was one of the most accomplished American oarsmen in the history of the sport of rowing. He was a triple Olympic Gold Medal winner, the first to do so in the sport of rowing. He won 126 straight races in the single scull...
on Sudduth, which is given to outstanding rowers who represent the ideals that Jack Kelly exemplified including superior achievement in rowing, service to amateur athletics and success in their chose profession.
Collegiate
- United States National Collegiate Rowing ChampionshipNational Collegiate Rowing ChampionshipThe now defunct National Collegiate Rowing Championship was a quasi-official national championship for men's collegiate rowing, held in Cincinnati, Ohio, between 1983 and 1996. It pitted the winners of the Eastern Sprints, the Pac-10s, the Intercollegiate Rowing Association, and the Harvard-Yale...
, First Place, 1983, 1985
Indoor Rowing
- 1985, CRASH-B SprintsCRASH-B SprintsThe C.R.A.S.H-B Sprints is the world championship for indoor rowing raced over a distance of 2,000 m on Concept2 indoor rowers. It is held every February in Boston, Massachusetts, recently at Boston University's Agganis Arena. Previous venues have included the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center...
World Champion - 1987, CRASH-B SprintsCRASH-B SprintsThe C.R.A.S.H-B Sprints is the world championship for indoor rowing raced over a distance of 2,000 m on Concept2 indoor rowers. It is held every February in Boston, Massachusetts, recently at Boston University's Agganis Arena. Previous venues have included the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center...
World Champion - 1988, CRASH-B SprintsCRASH-B SprintsThe C.R.A.S.H-B Sprints is the world championship for indoor rowing raced over a distance of 2,000 m on Concept2 indoor rowers. It is held every February in Boston, Massachusetts, recently at Boston University's Agganis Arena. Previous venues have included the Reggie Lewis Track and Field Center...
World Champion
Goodwill Games
- 1986, First Place, Men's Eight
- 1990, Fourth Place, Men's Quadrupule Scull
- 1990, Eighth Place, Men's Double Scull
World Rowing Championships
- 1981, Second Place, Men's Four with Coxswain
- 1982, Third Place, Men's Four with Coxswain
- 1983, Seventh Place, Men's Four with Coxswain
- 1985, Second Place, Men's Single Scull
- 1986, Third Place, Men's Eight
- 1987, Seventh Place, Men's Single Scull
Olympics
- 1984 Summer Olympics1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
, Silver, Men's Eight - 1988 Summer Olympics1988 Summer OlympicsThe 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, Sixth Place, Men's Single Scull