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This cache is named after the famous Toronto rower and is placed on the part of the Toronto Islands which bear his name.
Some history about Ned Hanlan.
Edward Ned Hanlan - 1855-1908
Canada's First International Sports Hero
(from http://collections.ic.gc.ca/heirloom_series/volume4/82-83.htm)
Edward “Ned” Hanlan, often described as the best sculler of all time, began his sculling career in 1874. In 1880, in London, England, he became the world’s professional rowing champion. Hanlan was born in Toronto, Ontario. When his parents moved to Toronto Island, where his father was a hotel keeper, he had to cross Toronto Harbour to attend George Street Public School on the mainland. The only way to reach the mainland was by boat. This daily crossing in all kinds of weather in his first boat, a scooped out wooden plank, gave the young Hanlan great confidence on the water
By the time he was 16, Hanlan was competing in local regattas on Toronto Bay. When he was 18, he rowed his first shell and won the Toronto amateur sculling championship. At age 21, in 1876, Hanlan won in the Philadelphia Centennial Regatta, on the Schuylkill River, against 15 professionals and established a new world’s record over a three-mile course for single sculls competition.
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Artist Fredric Marlett Bell-Smith painted the skyline in the background of this 1880 view depicting the new world champion sculler Ned Hanlan in the Toronto harbour as photographed by Thomas Hunter [C.J. Humber Collection]
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Hanlan developed his own particular rowing style even though he never weighed more than 155 pounds during his racing career and was only 5’8” tall. Much lighter and shorter than many of his competitors, Hanlan became a most finished sculler with an exceptionally long slide, a smooth sweeping stroke, and a sharp clean “catch.”
His every stroke seemed almost to lift his racing shell which nevertheless always travelled gracefully on an even keel. During races Hanlan would occasionally stop, wave impishly to spectators, wash his face, even bend over to sponge water from his shell until competitors caught up to him. Then he would put on a sprint and win easily.
In 1878 Hanlan won the U.S. title on the Allegheny River, defeating all the best challengers. The following year he triumphed over the English champion, William Elliott, on the Tyne River in England, winning by an astonishing eleven lengths.
By this time sculling events were popular worldwide and drew huge crowds. Results were given to the crowds of people along the course through loud speakers. The ever-present press were quick to publish their stories. Although the English media lectured Hanlan on his flamboyancy, they appreciated his graceful rowing style.
On November 15, 1880, Hanlan defeated the world professional champion, E.A. Trickett of Australia, on England’s Thames River course and became the world’s champion sculler. Over the next several years Hanlan successfully defended his title six times __ in Canada, the United States, and England. After giving demonstrations in Honolulu, he went to Australia in 1884. For two months he was feted with receptions and banquets and sculled only in warm-up races. On the Paramatta River in Sydney he finally lost his crown to the Australian sculler, William Beach.
Hanlan continued to row well into the 1880s winning more than 300 races. He died in January 1908 at the age of 52. Later, on the grounds of Toronto’s Canadian National Exhibition, a monument was erected honouring Hanlan as “the most renowned oarsman of any age,” an athlete with the “spirit of true sportsmanship.” A north western section of one of the Toronto Islands is named “Hanlan’s Point.”
