Saint-George ASHE

Two years before making history as the first Englishman to row, and win a medal, at the Olympic Games at Paris in 1900, St. George Ashe attempted to row the English Channel, but three miles after setting off from Dover, his boat filled with water and he had to be rescued by a tug.

At the Paris Olympics, Ashe won a bronze medal in the single sculls but his greatest moment was in winning the 1904 Wingfield Sculls at Henley. This made up for his disappointment of not winning the Diamond Sculls, despite many attempts. His best finish was second to Irishman Charles Fox in 1901.

Ashe came close to winning the Wingfield on two other occasions, finishing second to Harry Blackstaffe in both 1905 and 1906. A member of the Thames Rowing Club, Ashe went to Trinity College Cambridge and was later a solicitor by profession. He committed suicide at the age of 51.