John Holt (Australian Ironman)

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John Robert Holt. OAM.

Born, 11th October 1951 at Sans Souci, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Surf Life Saving Ironman, Triathlete, Sports Administrator, Media Representative and Registered Surveyor. After a childhood as a champion age group swimmer, water polo player and athlete, John commenced surf life saving competition in October 1967.

Personal Life

John Holt has been a surf lifesaver for over fifty years. Firstly as a champion competitor then as an administrator and media representative. John dominated the sport of ironman in the 1970's. In a ten year Iron Man career, John competed in 123 Iron Man races, for 95 first places, 11 second places and 8 third places. (9 unplaced )

John was the first World Iron Man Champion, at Port Leo Victoria in 1972. He was the World Iron Man Champion again in South Africa in 1974 and also was the first Australian Junior Iron Man Champion, 1970.

In 1970 John was the first junior ironman to contest both the Open and Junior Ironman Finals at the same Australian Championships, winning the Junior Iron man Championship and finishing 5th in the Open Championship John was Australian Iron Man Champion in 1977 and won five more Australian Iron Man Championship medals. John won five NSW Ironman Championships ( Four Open Championships and one Junior) John represented Australia four times. In 1970 versus South Africa, 1972-New Zealand Tour, 1974- South Africa Tour and World Championships and the 1975-European Tour (No Australian Teams were selected between 1975 and 1979 during John's most successful years)

John represented New South Wales six times. Being included in every NSW team that selected an Ironman between 1970 and 1978. John was Captain of NSW in 1978. John was an outstanding competitor in all surf disciplines winning over 100 championship medals in surf, board, Iron Man and R and R competition between 1968 and 1985.

In 2004 John was inducted into the Surf Life Saving Australia Hall of Fame. The ironmen inducted along with John were, Grant Kenny, Trevor Hendy, Ken Vidler and Barry Rodgers.

John had an outstanding career in athletics, water polo, swimming and triathlon. John was a honoured with a NSW CHS Blue Award for Waterpolo, a University of NSW Blue Award for Swimming, A Centenary Medal, an Australian Sports Medal, Life Membership of Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club, Life Membership of Cronulla Triathlon Club and induction into the University of NSW Sports Hall of Fame.

In October 1977 John was selected to compete in  “The Superstars of Australian Sport”. The event included, Mike Wenden, Greg Chappell, Leigh Mathews, Geoff Hunt, Graham Eadie, Ron Clarke, Johnny Warren, Johnny Raper, David Hookes, Rick Charlesworth, Ron Barassi, and  boxer Hector Thompson. John ran the closest of seconds on a count back, to Graham Eadie . 

John was foundation President of Cronulla Triathlon Club and was a driving force in the development of safe event practices and furthering the administration of the sport of triathlon in his role as Secretary of Triathlon NSW. In 1991 John developed and conducted the Kurnell Triathlon Series which introduced thousands of people to the sport of Triathlon. This popular Kurnell Series is still running today. John in his life post competition promoted all aspects of Surf Life Saving with a career in the media on Television and Radio. John was presented with an award from Surf Life Saving Australia for his contributions in the media, and an award from Triathlon NSW for his outstanding contribution to the sport. John has been an outstanding coach of young athletes in surf life saving, rugby and water polo

In 2014 John was honoured with an Order Of Australia Medal for Service to Sport , in Surf Lifesaving , Triathlon competition, administration and media.

==== John Holt (Edited Extract from The Cronulla Story , A Century of Surf Life Saving Vigilance and Service by Gary Lester) ==== John joined Cronulla SLSC in October 1967, as a 16 year old. John was the first of many swimmers who were to come from the Ken Wiles Swim Squad based at the Sans Souci Olympic Pool. John had already established himself as a pool swimmer. As a fourteen year old he was a nationally ranked 800 metre freestyle swimmer.

The other surf clubs along the beach, particularly Wanda, had been trying to recruit John to Surf Lifesaving for some years. Both Frank Scott and Frank Falzon of Wanda, had been approaching John and his parents at every swimming carnival. However, when Kevin Neilson joined the Ken Wiles Squad at Sans Souci, it was their instant friendship that bought John to Cronulla.

John was initially reluctant to join the surf club, the “clubbie” versus “surfie” rivally was emerging, and John, like many others had been caught in the wave of the malibu board revolution of the late fifties and early sixties. John’s family lived on the water at Sans Souci and at the age of eleven he was given a surf board by his father. John had started riding in board riding contests with his school surfing friends. John was torn between the pool swimming and the board surfing. Coach Ken Wiles had been an Australian Belt Champion, and a Queensland and Australian Surf Representative, so it was the Ken Wiles influence along with John’s friendship with Kevin Neilson, that convinced John to join Cronulla. John has said on many occasions that “ it was the best thing that ever happened in his life”

John made an immediate impact in Surf Lifesaving. A bronze squad had been quickly formed. It contained, John and Kevin, It also contained two other Sans Souci Squad members, Warwick Syphers and Peter Stone. The bronze squad was rushed through and completed their bronze medallion on the Saturday of the Wanda Surf Carnival in January 1968. That afternoon John won the Junior Surf Race, but was controversially disqualified by officials because he was not entered in the individual surf race. The Cronulla Junior Surf Teams was however allowed their victory.

John won his next four junior surf race starts straight, beating the established junior champions of the time and Kevin Neilson was virtually unbeatable in Cadet ( under 15) events. John and Kevin were quickly dubbed “ The Cronulla Surfing Twins “ by Sydney surfing journalist , Jim McCauley. The name stuck for many years. The “Cronulla Surfing Twins” had a particularly successful day at the Royal Surf Carnival at Coffs Harbour in 1969, They raced in front of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip and Princess Anne. Between them they won five events.

The Junior Surf Team of John, Kevin, Warwick Syphers and Peter Stone finished third at the 1968 Cudgen Headland NSW Championships. This Junior Team went on to be undefeated for the next two years winning, two State and two Australian Championships. They along with Keith Halpin and Wayne Thompson made up a Junior R and R team. Coached by John Hollingdale, that won two silver medals at the Australian Championships. John and Kevin were still considering the pool swimming careers. Along with another club member, Barry Eager, they competed in the 1968 Olympic Team Swim Trials in Melbourne. All made the finals. Barry in the 100 metres breast stroke and Kevin and John made the finals of both the 800 metres and 1500 metres freestyle.

The Ironman Event had been imported back from America by the Australian Surf Team that had toured USA in 1965. Surf Lifesaving Australia modified the event by swapping the American dory boat with the Australian surf ski. The first Australian Ironman Championship was held in 1966 at Coolangatta. The Junior Ironman was implemented in the summer of 1969.

John had already demonstrated his ability to be successful at other sports. John was playing first and second grade rugby league for his James Cook High School team, John had won two Eastern Zone Premierships and a Champion of Sydney Trophy playing junior Rugby Union for Rockdale. At that time John was playing first grade water polo for Cronulla and had been a member of the NSW Combined High Schools first grade water polo team for three years in a row, and was Vice captain in his final year. John had also been a regional athletics champion and record holder over the mile and 1500 metres for three years. The multi disciplines and endurance of the iron man suited him perfectly.

John spent many hours over the next few seasons on the steps in front of the clubhouse, discussing the iron man event and its special requirements with legend rugby league coach and club member, Jack Gibson. Jack taught John to do a "S W A T" analysis of his iron man abilities and then suggested specific skill work for improvement. Thanks to Jack, John, as well as becoming a fair shuttle cock player, carried this analytical approach to his sport for the rest of his career.

John was already a competent board paddler and surfer. Under the guidance of Peter and Paul Day, John improved quickly on the ski. John won the NSW Junior Iron Man and ran third in the NSW Open Ironman at the Wanda in 1969. That year John won the Australian Junior Ironman Championship at Ocean Grove, by what is still recognized as the biggest winning margin ever in any Ironman Championship. John finished fifth in the Open Ironman in huge surf. John was with the leaders at the last turning bouy on the ski when Dennis Heusner of Maroubra hit John from behind and holed his ski. The ski took on water and almost sank. Miraculously, John still was able to body surf into fifth place.

There is an interesting and somewhat humorous anecdote from the Ironman final at the City Beach Perth, Australian Championships in 1970. John had been virtually unbeaten during the season. The first leg of the Iron man Final was the ski. The “Freemantle Doctor” was in full gale mode. Torquay and Australian Representive kayak paddler, Ray Brewin was drawn next to John. The gun went for the start, at the first impact with first wave, the rudder cable on Ray’s ski broke. This turned his ski on to John’s ski stopping them both. John had to get of his ski and proceeded to give Ray the most vicious and rude verbal abuse by swearing at Ray as they struggled to untangle the skis. Ray pulled out of the event and John was stone cold last by fifty metres. At the end of the ski leg John had passed one competitor to be thirteenth. At the end of the next leg, the board, John paddled up to eighth and the end of the last leg, the swim, John was beaten by inches on the run up the beach by Norm Rabjohns of Currumbin. Ray Brewin came up to John on the beach crying and upset that he had cost John the Australian Championship. Unbeknown to John at the time Ray was deaf. Had Ray heard the verbal spray that John had given him, there is no way he would have been sympathetic or upset. To this day John and Ray are great mates. Ray still embraces John on sight and asks to be forgiven for costing him the Championship.

By the season of 1971 John established himself as the top NSW Iron man. John was selected in 1971 to represent NSW in Melbourne Cup Interstate Competition and also be one of the Australian Representatives in the First World Iron Man Championship. John avenged his loss to Norm Rabjohns in Perth to win his first World Championship, by defeating Norm and the rest of the international field including USA Champions Dan Mathies and Mike Stevenson, and New Zealand Champion Ben Hutchings.

John was regarded as the pioneer in developing the cross training programs that are used by today’s iron men. Barry and John Rodgers had developed the programs that had made Barry the outstanding iron man of the time. The Rodgers brothers invited John to train with their squad at Heffron Park at Maroubra. Maroubra was the leading craft club in Australia at the time with names amongst their ranks, like Olympians Dennis Green, Barry Stewart, Dennis Heusner and Alan Coates to name a few. John developed many of his skills going in and out the break with these Maroubra champions who always treated him as one of their own. In the last eight years of competition John’s training regime was legendary. John trained all year round, once a day for two months, twice a day for five months and three times a day for five months. John was known to run to and from his home at Sans Souci to attend a patrol. Twenty two kilometers return. OnceJohn paddled from Sans Souci, out through the heads of Botany Bay to attend an afternoon patrol at Cronulla and then he ran the eleven kilometres back home after the patrol. These training programs that were developed by John and Barry Rodgers were passed to their friend, Hayden Kenny, who refined them for his young son Grant. John was totally obsessive about his commitment to prefect training.

John went on to record five wins (four open and one junior) and a further two third places in the Open NSW Iron Man Championships and a total of five medals in the Open Iron man. John won one, and led two more Australian Iron Man finals to within inches of the finish line. He won his second World Championship in South Africa in 1974 in a three round competition at Port Elizabeth and Durban. John also finished third in the World Surf Race Championship behind Olympic medallist and multiple Australian Surf Champion Graham White and South African, future 100m World Record holder Jonty Skinner. John was also a member of the Australian Surf Teams of Graham White, Peter Lacey and Alan Saxby who won the Surf Teams Championship.

John represented NSW in every NSW team that included and iron man between 1971 and 1979 and was selected in each of the four Australian Teams that were selected in that period. Circumstances in Surf Life Saving Australia meant that no Australian Representative teams were selected between 1975 and 1980. During this time John was Australia’s leading iron man. It was only on a rare occasion that he was defeated. Had an Australian Teams been selected in this five year period John would have been one of the first athletes considered. John’s iron man career spanned ten years and in that time he contested one hundred and twenty three events for ninety five wins, eleven seconds and eight third places and ailed to place on only nine occasions

John was a leader and innovator in relation to equipment. John had the first ever coolite Malibu board in NSW, handmade to his specifications. The following season Ken Morton organized sponsorship for ten similar boards for the other Malibu paddlers in the club.

In 1976 John also designed and developed the first ever purpose designed nipper racing board. In its first year the board and paddlers on it, won all the state paddling race championships in each age group. Other manufacturers quickly copied John’s design which has now evolved to standard nipper racing board.

In 1972 whilst visiting Kevin Neilson at the University of New Mexico in USA, John was given the first high performance wave ski to come to Australia, by USA lifeguard Bob Case. John spent many hours particularly in the winter off season surfing on the wave ski at the time other surfers had never seen anything like it. Over the next few seasons there was revolution in wave skis particularly the high performance type. John was the first Australian iron man to gain real media notoriety outside surf lifesaving. The iron man event was about to become the iconic event that it is today. John was at the forefront and was recognized as one of the fittest athletes in the country in any sport. In October 1977 John was selected to compete in an event called “The Superstars of Australian Sport”. It was the who’s who of Australian Sport of the seventies. It included, Mike Wenden, Greg Chappell, Leigh Mathews, Geoff Hunt, Graham Eadie, Ron Clarke, Johnny Warren, Johnny Raper, David Hookes, Rick Charlesworth, Ron Barassi, and World Boxing Champion boxer Hector Thompson. John ran the closest of seconds on a count back, behind Graham Eadie .

In March 2004 John’s outstanding record was recognized by Surf Life Saving Australia when he was one of the twenty two surf athletes, who were honoured with inaugural induction to the Surf Life Saving Australia Hall of Fame. Twenty five surf administrators were also inducted. The other iron men inducted along with John were, Barry Rodgers, Ken Vidler, Grant Kenny and Trevor Hendy. John was honoured by being included amongst the best of the best.

John retired from Iron Man competition on 20 January,1979, winning his last event at the prestigious “Johnie Walker” Surf Carnival at North Bondi. John had married and was starting both a family, and thanks to encouragement from Geoff Forshaw, John was commencing his own business as a Registered Land Surveyor. Finding the time to train perfectly became increasingly more difficult and rather than race without perfect preparation John elected to retire whilst still on top.

John came out of retirement for one season to Captain the Cronulla Club Team to the first World Lifesaving Club Team Championships in Bali 1981. John did not race in the iron man but competed in surf and team events and even swept the boat crew.

The competitive urge did not stay suppressed for very long. John had already proven himself an accomplished long distance runner by finishing third in the inaugural Sutherland to Surf and winning the St George Rugby 25 kilometre run, so, having ridden his bike to and from most training sessions at Sans Souci pool, in October 1982 Ron Pears of Elouera Surf Club was race director of the first triathlon to be conducted in Australia. John saw his potential as a triathlete. John entered the second Elouera “Trimarathon”, as it was called then, in May 1983. John who was thirty one, finished a close second behind a fifteen year old Clayton Stevenson. John, along with other club member Bob Telfer, went on to have an outstanding career as a triathlete. John won many Australian Masters Triathlon and Aquathon (run – swim) Championships, including being the fastest over 35 year old, by over two and a half minutes, at first World Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships in Perth in 1986. John’s son Dane after several seasons in iron man and surf competition for Cronulla, also made a successful transition to triathlon. Dane raced two seasons in France, as a professional, in the tough European Triathlon Grand Prix and still continues to be an outstanding masters triathlon competitor.

John served over twenty years in administration of Surf Lifesaving, fourteen years on the Cronulla SLSC Management Committee in a variety of roles from Junior Captain, through Assistant Secretary Treasurer, Delegate to the Sydney Branch, Publicity Officer and Senior Vice President, and six years with SLSA NSW and SLSA Australia. John had a term of seven years in the administration of the sport of triathlon when he was elected as the foundation President of Cronulla Triathlon Club and then went on to be Secretary of Triathlon NSW. In his role with Triathlon NSW, John was also responsible for developing the safety procedures and standards for safe triathlon racing. John was instrumental in the negotiations of appropriate insurances for race directors and NSW triathletes. Cronulla Triathlon Club has evolved to be the strongest triathlon club in Australia.

During his time as President John ensured that the administration of the Triathlon Club followed the proven management formula of the Surf Club. John then formed another company “Endurance Sports Promotions “ which successfully conducted and managed over sixty triathlon events at Kurnell in Botany Bay National Park. These triathlons were regarded as the biggest and best organized events in Australia. Upon retirement from Iron man racing John was invited by the media to report on surf lifesaving and triathlon events on Sydney radio. John submitted weekly radio reports throughout the summer season to sports shows hosted by Peter Peters, Ian Trent and Ray “Rabbits” Warren on stations 2KY and 2GB. John’s contribution on radio led to him being asked by Channel Ten Television, to be the expert commentator for the Uncle Toby’s Iron man Series. This series made household names out of Grant Kenny, Trevor Hendy and Guy Leech. The rivalry at the time between Uncle Tobys and Kellog’s Nutrigrain ensured that Dean and Darren Mercer’s fame also exploded. Iron man racing was everywhere and John was covering it on both television and radio. John was presented with an award by Surf Lifesaving in recognition of his media efforts in promoting the sport and ideals of Surf Lifesaving. John’s input to the success of the Uncle Tobys Series was well recognized.

In recent years John’s expertise in development an administration of Surf Sport has been further acknowledged. Since 2000 John has served as an advisor to Surf Lifesaving NSW in developing the NSW Premiership Series and in 2005 John was elected by Surf Life Saving Australia to the prestigious Board Of Surf Sports.(BOSS) John’s role on this board was to assist in developing a new professional iron man series for television. The Board Of Surf Sports successfully conducted the 2007 Kellog’s Nutrigrain Iron Man and Iron Women Series on Channel Nine. John and BOSS have been given great credit for this step in bringing mass exposure to surf lifesaving and iron man racing once again.

John’s passion for competition made the natural transition to coaching. John was mentor to athletes like Russell Cooper, Warren Buchan, Paul Bannister, Mal Butterfield, Neil Johnstone, John Winkworth and Craig Ellis. For several seasons John provided coaching to nippers two afternoons a week. Champions like Adam Weir, Daniel McLellan, Krystl, Tiarne and Nathan Smith all attended the afternoon surf sessions. The provision of this mid week coaching of nippers surf skills was then carried on by Warren Buchan and others to this day. In 1983 the Club formed a Competition Improvement Committee. The committee was chaired by Doug Murray. Along with Dick Bignold and Ken Morton, John was one driving forces on this committee. John coerced SLSA Australia National Coaching Director Darren Peters to join Cronulla. The pretext was that Darren would use the coaching model developed by Cronulla for other clubs throughout the SLSA of Australia. This was a great benefit to Cronulla as Darren was himself a National Beach Sprint Champion. Darren was the catalyst for immediate improvement of the Beach Section. The next decade after the formation of this committee was one of the most successful in the club’s history. John has also spent many years coaching junior rugby at Burraneer and water polo at Newington College.

John’s parents Marion and Arthur also gained many years enjoyment from the club. Arthur was elected as a Vice President for many years. During the nineteen seventies, after each Metropolitan Championships, Marion and Arthur opened their home at Sans Souci for fundraising Bar B Ques. These were always memorable and financially successful occasions. This tradition was later carried on by Geoff Forshaw at his home at Burraneer. John is still conducting his practice as a Registered Surveyor. He is an accomplished pianist and guitarist and has a band that plays regular charity functions. He is still a regular in Kevin Neislon’s Masters Swim Squad at Caringbah. The lane is still full of the same faces. Peter Tibbets, Ian Goode, Greg Allum, Graham Geldart, Peter and Andrew Kerr, John Wilken, Robert Chapman, John Vasarotti and Steve Warren to name a few.

Awards

Surf Life Saving Representative Teams

• 67/68 Sydney Branch Team, NSW Interstate Taplin Team
• 68/69 Sydney Branch Team NSW Interstate Taplin Relay Team
• 69/70 Sydney Branch Team NSW InterstateTaplin Relay Team
• 70/71 Australian Representative Team Three Test Series Vs South Africa
• 71/72 Australian Representative Team Tour New Zealand, NSW Team
• 72/73 Sydney Branch Team. NSW Interstate Taplin Relay Team
• 73/74 Sydney Branch Team, Australian Team to World Championships South Africa, NSW Team
• 74/75 Australian Representative European TourTeam, NSW Team
• 75/76 NSW Team ( No Australian Teams Selected)
• 76/77 NSW Team ( No Australian Teams Selected)
• 77/78 NSW Team Captain ( No Australian Teams Selected)

Surf Life Saving Administration Record ( Sub Committees not shown)

• 68/69 Cronulla SLSC Junior Captain
• 69/70 Cronulla SLSC Junior Captain
• 70/71 Cronulla SLSC Management Committee and delegate to Sydney Branch
• 71/72 Cronulla SLSC Management Committee
• 72/73 Cronulla SLSC Social Committee
• 73/74 Cronulla SLSC Management Committee
• 74/75 Cronulla SLSC Management Committee
• 75/76 Cronulla SLSC Publicity Officer
• 76/77 Cronulla SLSC Management Committee
• 78/80 ( Transferred from Sydney with RTA to Wollongong, )
• 80/81 Cronulla SLSC Trophy Committee
• 82/83 Cronulla SLSC Senior Vice President, Competition Improvement Committee
• 83/84 Cronulla SLSC Senior Vice President, Competition Improvement Committee, Sydney Branch Selector
• 84/85 Cronulla SLSC Senior Vice President
• 91/92 Cronulla SLSC Publicity Officer
• 92/93 Cronulla SLSC Publicity Officer
• 93/94 SLSA NSW Coaching Panel
• 2000/01 Cronulla SLSC Management Committee and NSW Board of Surf Sports ( Advisory Panel)
• 2001/02 NSW Board of Surf Sports ( Advisory Panel)
• 2005/2014 Surf Life Saving Australia Board of Surf Sports

Foundation President of Cronulla Triathlon Club, 1983 to 1990 and Secretary of Triathlon NSW

=== Record in Other Sports ===

Water Polo and Swimming

• 1968 Australian Swimming Championship/Olympic Trials -Finalist in the 800m and 1500 metres freestyle
• Three years First Grade NSW CHS ( 1967,1978, Vice Captain 1969)
• Twice NSW Metropolitan First Grade Premiers Universities Water Polo Club
• Once NSW Metropolitan First Grade Runner up Cronulla Water Polo Club
• Australian Combined Universities Water Polo Team
• James Cook High School Blue Award Swimming & Water Polo 1968 &1969
• NSW Combined High Schools Blue Award Water Polo, 1969
• University of NSW Blue Awards Swimming 1974
• 1981 3rd Waikiki Rough Water Swim (3.8k)
• 1981 3rd Lanai to Lahaina Maui Channel Swim
• 1982 3rd Lanai to Lahaina Maui Channel Swim

Athletics

• * NSW CHS School and Regional 1500 metres Champion 1967, 1968 &,1969
• * Sutherland to Surf Foot Race 3rd Place 1971
• * St George 25 kilometre run 1st Place
• * Sutherland Shire Half Marathon -Time 78m 07 secs

Triathlon

• 2nd Place Sutherland Shire Trimarathon 1983
• 1st Place Australian 0ver 30 Triathlon Championship 1986
• NSW Over 30 Aquathon Champion 1986
• NSW Over 35 Triathlon Champion 1987, 1988
• Fastest Over 35 1987 Triathlon World Championships Perth ( 22nd overall)
• Australian Over 35 triathlon Champion 1988

References

References : Annual Reports of Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club 1967 - 2015 "Cook's Log" The Annual Journals of James Cook High School , 1963 - 1969. "The Cronulla Story- A Century of Surf Life Saving Vigilance" and Service by Gary Lester "Multi-sport Dreaming- The Foundations of the Triathlon in Australia" by Jane Hunt "The History Of Cronulla Triathlon Club" -doc 0613 It's an Honour - Honours - Search Australian Honours www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/.../honours/honour_roll/index.cfm

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