Olympic Rowing

[Cloverjo]

Earlier on today,I was watching the rowing which included a British sculler named Alan Campbell, and one of the commentators said to the other "I won't ask you why he's called Alan." Does anyone know the significance of this? Why was he called Alan, and why is it worth mentioning?

[Khandro]

I don't know, but rowing and sculling are different.

[fiction-factory]

I overheard John Inverdale and someone else having a bizarre conversation about how some rowers were named after where they were conceived- maybe it was linked to that

[Cloverjo]

That might be it, fiction-factory.

I know rowing and sculling are different, but I think they come under the same name of 'rowing' in the Olympics.
John inverdale often has odd conversations. Is that why they put him on late?
Thanks, Fiction Factory and Khandro.

[ichkeria]

Alan Campbell is from my home town and went to my school. If there's an interesting story behind someone being named 'Alan' then I'll be mighty surprised but who knows. I always thought rowing commentators were slightly idiotic :-)

[ichkeria]

Maybe he was conceived in a landing craft. There's another more obscure possibility for fans of anagrams, but that really would make him a miracle :-)