University of Victoria Athletics

CATEGORY: Coach

An accomplished Olympic rower, Lorne Loomer arrived at the University of Victoria in 1963 and founded the Vikes' rowing program. Loomer was responsible for the development of several Vikes athletes who went on to compete at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic games.

Prior to his storied coaching career, Loomer graduated from Nelson High School in 1954 and attended the University of British Columbia. Rowing as a Thunderbird Loomer was selected to compete in the 1956 Canadian Olympic Trials. With his three teammates, Loomer stormed the world stage and captured Olympic Gold at the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne.

In the following four years, Loomer added a gold medal at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales and a silver at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.

After success under the tutelage of UBC and Vancouver Rowing Club head coach Frank Read, Loomer applied the same preparations to his athletes at UVic and within two years the Vikes had dethroned the powerhouse Thunderbirds.

Loomer has since been inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, the BC Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the UBC/VRC coxless four team, the Olympic Club Canada, the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame and the UBC Sports Hall of Fame.

Loomer's signal contribution to UVic rowing was acknowledged on September 2 at a standing room only ceremony to name the Lorne & Elisabeth Loomer Rowing Room in the new Centre for Athletics, Recreation and Special Abilities.

UVic Achievements 
-  1965 Founder of the UVic rowing program 
-  Responsible for the development of many 1984 and 1988 Olympic athletes
-  Inducted into the UVic Sports Hall of Fame in 2002 

International Achievements 
-  Selected to compete at the 1956 Canadian Olympic Trails 
-  1956 Melbourne Summer Olympic gold medalist in the men's four 
-  1958 Cardiff Commonwealth Games gold medalist 
-  1960 Rome Summer Olympics silver medalist 

Hall of Fame 
-  1957 Inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame 
-  1958 Inducted into the Canadian Olympic Sports Hall of Fame 
-  1966 Inducted into the B.C Sport Hall of Fame 
-  1993 Inducted into the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame
-  1993 Inducted into the UBC Sports Hall of Fame with the hold medal winning crew
-  2002 Inducted into the UVic Sports Hall of Fame