INTERNATIONAL ROWING TURNS PROFESSIONAL “And then he would say, ‘Oh, I’m brushing the German today at noon. Watch me if you can.’ “His future opponent would be left crushed, deflated and doubtful, all hope gone. Mackenzie was there. “He was so sincere, so who could doubt him? following summer in the final of the 1957 Diamond Sculls, and Mackenzie was out for revenge. Ivanov came off the line at a strong, confident 38, but after seven strokes he looked over in astonishment to see Mackenzie at 50, already with half a length lead. British Pathé Newsreel, 1495-11, Henley 1957 Diamond Sculls Final After seven strokes, Ivanov (foreground) looked over. “Stuart Mackenzie was the origin of the Crocodile Dundee personality. In the Australian Outback, Mackenzie had been a sheep herder and more recently a [Henley-based3756] chicken- sexer. He would contract with vast farms to separate newly hatched chicks into future hens and roosters. “Few, if any, can tell the gender of a chick for months, but magicians and chicken- sexers get rich plying their skills, and having found a magical livelihood, Mackenzie made a fortune doing very little, and daily without fail, he amused everyone with stories of his conquests in competition.”3757 After Lake Wendouree in 1956, Mackenzie and Ivanov next met the 3756 Dodd, Oxford & Cambridge, p. 170 3757 Nash, op. cit. of his boat and swam over to congratulate Mackenzie, but rattled by the defeat, Ivanov rowed poorly for the next two years, constantly changing his pace.”3758 Later that summer at the 1957 European Championships, Mackenzie won again, with Ivanov third. 3758 Halberstam, p. 95 George Bushell & Son 1957 Diamond Sculls Final Approaching the finish, Mackenzie waking Ivanov. Mackenzie opened a two-length lead and moved over to force his opponent to row in his wake, but with 200 meters to go, Ivanov sprinted, reaching 41 by the finish. Mackenzie refused to let history repeat itself, raising his own rating to 34, and crossed the line four feet ahead. See the photo at the beginning of this chapter. Halberstam: “He won by .02 second. Ivanov jumped out 1029
