Born in Milton, Otago in 1940, George Paterson took up competitive rowing in 1959 with his school friend Winston Stephens. The two of them won the New Zealand junior pair title the following year before combining with Hugh Smedley and Keith Heselwood to form a four. The crew of Paterson, Stephens, Smedley, Heselwood, and coxswain Douglas Pulman then won gold in the coxed fours at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Australia. After their return home to a heroes’ welcome the crew continued to race for another year before work and other commitments got in the way. Paterson, however, persevered with the sport for another year, making the eight crew for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The New Zealand team were well beaten at the Games, however, finishing fifth in the B Final to place 11th overall.
New Zealand