BRITISH ROWING IN THE OLYMPICS Geoffrey Page: “They lost their heat to the German European Champions after being washed by the Germans, the umpire being too far behind to do anything about it.”1108 British Almanack: “The next day in the repêchage the Britons raced flat out to lead Poland, France and Australia by over a length at 1,000 metres before paddling light to the finish, well ahead of their opponents.”1109 “On finals day, the German crowd, with the Führer present, were celebrating the fifth of five consecutive Gold Medals, and the home favourites, Willy Kaidel and Joachim Pirsch, showed every sign of making it six.”1110 “Both crews jumped the start, having observed that the starter, Victor de Bisschop, was using a megaphone so large that he could see nothing once he raised it to his lips.”1111 “[The Germans] rowed neck and neck with the British double for 500 metres, then eased steadily ahead to lead by a length.”1112 “Germany were one and a half lengths ahead halfway through before the Englishmen belted every stroke as hard as they could to get level.”1113 Thames Rowing Club Double 1936 Olympic Champion, Langer See Stroke Dick Southwood, Bow Jack Beresford 1 GBR 7:20.8, 2 GER 7:26.2, 3 POL 7:36.2, 4 FRA, 5 USA, 6 AUS “At 1,500m, three-quarter distance, the British were pulling back. At 1,800m, the crews were level.”1114 “The Germans then wandered from their lane; Southwood shouted and Pirsch stopped rowing.”1115 World Rowing Magazine: “With 100m to go, Pirsch blew up and virtually stopped rowing, and Beresford and Southwood won by two lengths – ‘the sweetest race I ever rowed in,’ Beresford wrote later.”1116 Page: “The Olympic regattas in the Christopher Dodd, personal correspondence, 2011 1108 Page, p. 91 1109 Keith Osbourne, op.cit., pp. 256-7 1110 Nick Mason, op.cit. 1111 Hero of the Past: Jack Beresford, op.cit., p. 6 1112 Nick Mason, op.cit. 1113 Keith Osbourne, op.cit., pp. 256-7 1920s had still been very much club affairs, crews competing with oars painted in club colours. With the Berlin Olympics in 1936 and the fanatical nationalism preached by Hitler, the stress of nationalism in sport suddenly increased. It was to change the face of international sport.”1117 Adolph Hitler was watching the rowing finals from his reviewing stand at the finish 1114 Nick Mason, op.cit. 1115 Hero of the Past: Jack Beresford, op.cit., p. 6 1116 Nick Mason, op.cit. 1117 Page, p. 89 Rowing www.olympic.org 293
