THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT The following day, the Americans got some valuable additional precious race experience winning their repêchage by a length over West Germany, Poland and Great Britain in the fastest time of the day. In the final, the U.S. boat nearly missed the race! When Pierson saw the other five boats already being polled, she instructed Silliman to immediately turn around and steer up the course in the lanes, blocking the other boats and preventing the officials from starting the race without them. After arriving late at the start floats, they were assessed a false start. Then on the first attempt, the Soviets were called back for a false start of their own. On the second start, GDR took a slight lead, and at the 250 it was GDR, USA, ROM, FRG, URS, HUN. Surprisingly, the Soviets would never be a factor in the race. By the 500, only GDR, the U.S. and Romania remained in contention. The Americans took firm control of second place by 750, but the German Democratic Republic Eight continued to inch away and crossed the line 1.4 seconds ahead. The Oarsman: “We had earned our first World Championship medal by taking second place to the domineering East Germans, and we put on an impressive show for the international rowing community.5913 Coming Home The Harvard Gazette: “Anne Warner and Chris Ernst, Yale students who helped stroke the [1975] American boat to its Silver Medal finish, found that when they returned to school, the athletic department still treated them like second-class citizens. The Yale boathouse was a 40-minute drive from campus, and, while male rowers were given 5913 Kim Bloomfield, Women’s Worlds, The Oarsman, September/October 1975, p. 15 facilities to shower after practice, the women had to drive back in their sweaty workout gear. “To make their point, Ernst and Warner staged a [demonstration] reported by The New York Times and the Associated Press. Standing in the athletic director’s office and flanked by a small army of supporters, the two women calmly removed their sweatsuits to reveal the words ‘Title IX’ written in Magic Marker across their naked chests and backs. Following an outcry from Yale alumni, the University complied with the women’s demands.”5914 1976 Boyne: “[The 1970s] were a very important decade where the attitude towards woman athletes started at rock bottom and ended with great promise.”5915 The success of the 1975 Eight and the instant credibility of having the great Harry Parker as returning coach meant that competition to make the Olympic Eight in 1976 was very high. Only four members of the 1975 Eight retained their places. Wiki Royden fell while running and tore ligaments in her right ankle just weeks before the 1976 Camp, so she had to abandon her Olympic aspirations. Dr. Leigh Royden has been Professor of Geology and Geophysics at MIT since 1984. After Holme Pierrepont, Claudia Schneider returned to Long Beach and resumed training at Long Beach Rowing 5914 Ken Gewertz, Water power: Once American women rowers trailed the field. In 1975, that all changed, The Harvard Gazette, October 19, 2000 5915 Daniel Boyne, qtd. by Melissa S. Bray, Changing the shape of rowing – The Red Rose Crew, World Rowing magazine, July 2009, p. 9 1657
