Tom Sullivan (rower)

Tom Sullivan
Tom Sullivan, c.1910
Born	(1868-09-18)18 September 1868 Auckland, New Zealand
Died	1949 (aged 80–81) Vienna, Austria
Nationality	New Zealand
Other names	"Happy" Sullivan
Title	Professional Sculling Champion of England. Professional Sculling Champion of New Zealand 1891
Term	1893–1895
Predecessor	George Bubear
Successor	Charles R. Harding

Thomas "Tom" Sullivan (18 September 1868 – 1949) was a New Zealand amateur rowing and sculling champion who later turned professional and challenged for the World Sculling Championship title. He later became a rowing coach.

Sullivan was born in Auckland and won his first rowing race at age 13. He was a member of a widely known Wellington Rowing Club four-oared crew (W. Bridson, E. J. Rose, T. Sullivan, and T. McKay) that won all four championship titles under the auspices of the New Zealand Amateur Rowing Association during 1889–90. He also won the amateur sculling championship of the country in 1890.

Later he became a professional. The normal build-up races of a professional were raced with various others in Sydney. On 11 May 1891 Sullivan raced Charles Stephenson for the usual professional stake of £100 a side; they also had a side-bet of £100. The race was a title challenge for the championship of New Zealand. Stephenson started strong and was well ahead at Uhr's Point. Sullivan gradually increased his speed and was four lengths ahead at the mile mark, eventually winning easily by six lengths in a time of 23 minutes 33 seconds. See also New Zealand Sculling Championship.

Sullivan then challenged Jim Stanbury for the World Title which he had won in 1891. Sullivan was the first of the six New Zealanders who attempted to gain the World Title. On 2 May 1892 the title race took place on the Parramatta River but on a shorter than normal course, and the stake was £400 a side. A large crowd was on hand to see the race. Stanbury took an early lead. After the halfway point, Stanbury steadily increased his lead and crossed the line three lengths ahead.

Sullivan later headed to the United States and England and in 1893 he challenged George Bubear of Chelsea for the English Sculling Championship. This race was held on the Championship Course on the Thames in London. Sullivan won and later he was challenged for the title by Charles R. Harding (aka "Wag" Harding) with that race taking place on the Tyne River in February 1895. Harding won and again beat Sullivan in a return match the following September. Harding also unsuccessfully challenged Stanbury for the World Title in 1896.