William Kinnear
Encyclopedia
William Duthie Kinnear (3 December 1880 – 5 March 1974) was a Scottish rower
who competed for Great Britain at the 1912 Summer Olympics
and won major single scull
events prior to the First World War
.
Better known to his friends as Wally, Kinnear was born in Laurencekirk
in 1880, where he became a draper's assistant. He left home in 1902 for a career with the chain store Debenhams
in London. Work colleagues introduced him to sculling and he became hooked. He first joined the Cavendish Rowing Club and in 1903 won the West End ARA sculling championship. He repeated this success in 1904 and 1905.
Kinnear then joined the Kensington Rowing Club
and won many sculling championships on the River Thames
over the next few years. In 1910 he won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
at Henley Royal Regatta
and the Wingfield Sculls when he beat Robert Bourne. In 1911 he beat Eric Powell
to win the Diamonds, regained the Wingfield Sculls and won the London Cup at the Metropolitan Regatta
to achieve sculling's "Triple Crown".
Kinnear won the gold medal in the single sculls, rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
in Stockholm
. He captured the Olympic title comfortably and later the same year bagged his third successive Wingfield Sculls. He lost the Wingfield Sculls in 1913 to Jock Wise.
During World War One Kinnear served with the Royal Naval Air Service
and afterwards became a rowing coach.
Kinnear was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
on 12 of March 2007.
Rowing (sport)
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...
who competed for Great Britain at the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
and won major single scull
Single scull
A single scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand....
events prior to the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Better known to his friends as Wally, Kinnear was born in Laurencekirk
Laurencekirk
Laurencekirk is a small town in the ancient county of Kincardineshire, modern county of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, just off the A90 Dundee to Aberdeen main road. It is the largest settlement in the Howe o' the Mearns area and houses the local secondary school; Mearns Academy, which was awarded the...
in 1880, where he became a draper's assistant. He left home in 1902 for a career with the chain store Debenhams
Debenhams
Debenhams plc is a British retailer operating under a department store format in the UK, Ireland and Denmark, and franchise stores in other countries. The Company was founded in the eighteenth century as a single store in London and has now grown to around 160 shops...
in London. Work colleagues introduced him to sculling and he became hooked. He first joined the Cavendish Rowing Club and in 1903 won the West End ARA sculling championship. He repeated this success in 1904 and 1905.
Kinnear then joined the Kensington Rowing Club
Auriol Kensington Rowing Club
Auriol Kensington Rowing Club is an amateur rowing club, based in Hammersmith in west London, England. The club was formed in 1981 by the amalgamation of two separate clubs - Auriol Rowing Club which was founded in 1896, and Kensington Rowing Club which was founded in 1872...
and won many sculling championships on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
over the next few years. In 1910 he won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at 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...
and the Wingfield Sculls when he beat Robert Bourne. In 1911 he beat Eric Powell
Eric Powell (rower)
Eric Walter Powell was an English schoolmaster, artist and rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1908 Summer Olympics....
to win the Diamonds, regained the Wingfield Sculls and won the London Cup at the Metropolitan Regatta
Metropolitan Regatta
The Metropolitan Regatta is an international rowing regatta. It takes place on Dorney Lake, Buckinghamshire near Eton next to the River Thames in southern England. It attracts crews from schools, clubs and universities from around the United Kingdom, Europe and the USA...
to achieve sculling's "Triple Crown".
Kinnear won the gold medal in the single sculls, rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics featured 4 events, for men only. All races were held in Djurgårdsbrunnsviken from Thursday, July 17 to Saturday, July 19, 1912.-Medal summary:-Bronze medals:...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. He captured the Olympic title comfortably and later the same year bagged his third successive Wingfield Sculls. He lost the Wingfield Sculls in 1913 to Jock Wise.
During World War One Kinnear served with the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
and afterwards became a rowing coach.
Kinnear was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
Scottish Sports Hall of Fame
The Scottish Sports Hall of Fame is the national sports hall of fame in Scotland, initiated on St Andrew's Day 2001. It is a joint project organised by sportscotland, the national governmental body for Scottish sport, and the National Museums of Scotland. It is also funded by BBC Scotland and...
on 12 of March 2007.