John Dudderidge

John Dudderidge competed in the 1936 Olympic canoeing events, but he is primarily known for promoting canoeing as a sport in Great Britain. The British Canoe Union (BCU) was founded in 1933 and Dudderidge was named Racing and International Secretary in 1935. He became an administrator with the BCU and took a British team to 1938 World Championships. In 1946, Dudderidge was elected Vice-President of the International Canoe Federation, and was responsible for administrating the 1948 Olympic canoe events, and then the World Championships. Dudderidge was educated at Magnus Grammar School and then Trent and University College in Nottingham. He became an educator as a career, with most of it spent at Haberdasher’s Aske’s School at Hampstead and Elstree, where he was director of physical education from 1931-56, was on the science staff from 1956-69, and was housemaster from 1956-66. He was President of the BCU from 1960-77, and was then given the title of President of Honour. A long-time member of the ICF Board, he retired from that in 1980 and was presented with a Gold Medal and Honorary Life Membership. He officiated or competed at every Olympic canoeing competition from 1936-92.