William (Bill) J Wooldridge
Nepean Rowing Club (NSW)
1945- 2nd March 2023
The following obituary appeared on the Rowing NSW website on 8th March 2023.
Rowing NSW is deeply saddened to advise of the passing of William (Bill) Wooldridge who passed away last Thursday, 2nd of March 2023, one week short of his 78th birthday.
Bill commenced his rowing career with Nepean Rowing Club where he was a long time member and coach.
He was very well known as a Boat Race Official, along with wife Joy, with both holding FISA Licenses and officiating at local, state, national and international levels.
Above: Joy and Bill Wooldridge at the 2008 NSWRA Presentation Dinner
An undoubted highlight of Bill's officiating career was being on the Jury at the 1998 World Junior Championships in Ottensheim, Austria. It was a regatta where his own club had no less than 8 athletes and coaches on the Australian Team. Nepean members Kelly Matthews and Tom Laurich claimed Gold and Bronze medals in the single scull events respectively.
Above: Bill Wooldridge, Michael Scarlett and Bob Singleton at the 2007 NSW State Championships
Bill officiated at the National Championships on at least 8 occasions between 1992 and 2003 and was a stalwart at NSW regattas over an even greater period before his retirement in 2008.
Extracted by Andrew Guerin
March 2023