Roger Buick Wilson OAM

Since stroking the oars in the first ever First VIII BGS Rowing crew in the APS competition in 1961, Roger Wilson has had a passion for rowing.

In rowing circles he is known as the ‘voice of rowing’ having commentated at literally hundreds of regattas including at 45 APS Heads of River, 43 Kings Cups (the Australian State Championship for eights) and National Rowing Championships and the Olympic Games in Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) when Australia won two gold medals, and Sydney (2000).

Roger has also been an accomplished rowing correspondent for The Age, The Herald Sun and Weekly Times for over 30 years.

As well as his commentating, Roger was the General Manager of Forty Winks, the well-known bedding company, building the franchise up from a small number of stores to more than 90. Roger was Director of the national Franchise Council and State Director from 2001 to 2003 and was elected to their Hall of Fame in 2006 – one of only 23 people to date.

He was involved in the Scouting movement for 13 years as a Group Leader and District Commissioner in Mordialloc. Roger has chaired the selection committee for the OBGS and FCA Halls of Fame from 2010 and was on the selection committee for Rowing Victoria’s Hall of Fame in its first six years.

Roger is also a great lover of Australian Rules football. He played over 200 games of Australian Amateur Rules Football with the Old Brighton Grammarians. He was a committee member, coach, ‘Best and Fairest’ and Honorary Life Member.

Roger was granted the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009 for service to the sport of rowing, particularly as a media commentator to business and to the community.