It’s been said that old habits die hard, and for Alan Salisbury, that is very true.
The 93-year-old is renowned for his persistence and stubborn refusal to give up his favourite sport, rowing.
Having participated in it since his teens, Mr Salisbury has no plans to stop anytime soon.
Born in the English town of Rugby in 1933, his parents moved the family to Perth in 1948, seeking better conditions than were available in postwar England.
Mr Salisbury would go on to pursue a trade as a boilermaker.
A remarkable story did, however, begin on a very unremarkable day.
“I remember sitting on the beach at Scarborough one day when I was 16, and one of my mates talked me into having a go at rowing. I then went on to join Swan River Rowing Club, which was then located on Riverside Drive. That’s where I discovered how much I love it,” Mr Salisbury said.
“It took off quickly. I got into a crew and that first year I won a consistency cup. I won the most races title as well.”
Having remained consistently in the sport since the 1950s, Mr Salisbury boasts a large number of achievements, including having competed internationally.
He said he believes that the secret to his continued success is consistency, having always kept up a regimen of training and focusing on his next challenge.
When asked about his greatest achievements, Mr Salisbury was reticent, believing that being humble has also been central to his values.
He was, however, first captain in 1954 and 1956, being then re-elected in 1960 and 1961. In 1964, Mr Salisbury set a course record that remained unbroken for many years.
Among his most notable overseas competitions was his 1957 trip to Canada, where he won the Pacific Northwest Championship.
More recently, he competed every year between 1986 and 2003 in the 15km Perth to Fremantle single scull race and even made a trip to Italy in 2013.
His most recent event was his involvement in the Rowing WA State Championships, where he gave a speech to the West Australian Rowing Club at Champion Lakes before they went on to claim some very pleasing results.
