THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT substantial improvement each year to become the superb athlete and stroke of the [Canadian] Olympic Champion Eight that he was in Beijing.6093”6094 1976 Olympics The 1976 Olympics in Montréal brought the British Double and British rowing an incremental step forward. The Oarsman: “The surprising West Germans got off to a blazing start and led at 500 meters, where the Hansens6095 were third and Hart/Baillieu fifth (the standard position for these come-from-behinders). By 1,000, the Russians had taken over, looking as if they might be capable of taking their characteristic Gold Medal in this event, with the Hansens now second, the British still fifth and the West Germans now down to fourth. The East Germans now held third. “By 1,500, the Hansens had taken over, much to the delight of many flag-waving partisans, with the Easties now second, the Russians third, and the British beginning to sneak up by moving into fourth. “Then the British came flying as usual, going quickly through the Russians and then the East Germans and holding the Silver Medal position comfortably to the line. But there was no catching the Hansens for the Gold, and the Easties hung on for Bronze over the Russians, who were therefore shut out in this event for the first time in many an Olympiad.”6096 The British Double had trailed the leader by 2.85, 3.48 and 2.56 seconds at the three 500 meter splits. They finished second to Norway by 2.06 seconds and were 2.19 seconds ahead of third-place GDR. 6093 See Chapter 159. 6094 Spracklen, op. cit. 6095 from Norway. See Chapter 121. 6096Peter Lippett, Montreal 76, Men’s Rowing, The Oarsman, July/August 1976, p. 29 Technique Baillieu and Hart did not row the overlapping-sequential Modern Orthodox Technique that Mike Spracklen believed in and subsequently wrote and lectured about. They rowed Classical Technique, concurrent Schubschlag with Janoušek’s Ratzeburg- inspired substantial leg compression at the entry6097 and delayed arm break. Their bodies showed full commitment at mid- stroke to strong acceleration through the finish. For Alan Roaf and Peter Klavora, Baillieu and Hart exemplified what he called the Long Slide Technique or Ratzeburg Style, as he considered Karl Adam “the most influential in the gradual evolution of this style throughout the ‘60s and early ‘70s by ever increasing the overall length of the slide, thereby putting more and more emphasis on the leg drive of the oarsman over longer distances, which demanded a gradual reduction of body swing at the catch.”6098 Roaf and Klavora cited Peter Michael Kolbe6099 and the British Eight under Head Coach Bob Janoušek6100 as other followers of the Long Slide Technique during the 1970s, and it was Janoušek who had direct influence on Spracklen’s adopted scullers. Baillieu and Hart diverged from both Kolbe and the British Eight, however, in that they employed a great deal more layback. They further diverged from Janoušek, who coached very high ratings, by rowing at least the initial portions of their races at 34 or below. 6097 See Chapter 117. 6098 Roaf & Klavora, Rowing 3, p, 13 6099 See Chapter 125. 6100 See Chapter 117. 1705
