Ted Cronk

A London-based engineer, Ted Cronk of the Richmond Canoe Club was a national junior pairs champion before racing as a senior. He finished second to the Italian Cesare Zilioli in the senior kayak singles at the Serpentine Regatta in London’s Hyde Park in 1961, having been second in the kayak pairs the previous year with Ray Blick, a 1960 Olympic team-mate.

At the Roma Olympics, Cronk was the anchor leg in the British 4 x 500 metres Kayak relay team, along with Blick, Ron Rhodes, and Bob Lowery. The British foursome reached the semi-final but were eliminated after finishing fourth and last in their heat. Cronk was one of three Richmond Club members to go to the Games, along with Lowery and Marianne Tucker.

With Roland Lawler, a fellow Richmond club member, Cronk won the inaugural British Canoe Union’s 10,000 metres K-2 championship on the river Severn at Worcestershire in 1962. The following year, Cronk and Bob Lowery won the British kayak pairs title.