THE SPORT OF ROWING in the last 250. They ap- proached the Olympics unde- feated in international compe- tition for two years. Schinias In 2004, with one in each qualifying heat advancing directly to the final, Australia won the first heat over Neth- erlands and Germany in very fast conditions. In the second heat, Cana- da drew the United States, 2003 runner-up. Four of the Americans had already con- vincingly beaten the Canadian and the British Coxless-Fours at Lucerne before returning to their eight.8305 Italy led the first 500 by FISA 2004 Video 2004 Olympic Men’s Eights Heat 2, Schinias 1 USA 5:19.85, 2 CAN 5:20.46, 3 ITA 5:30.16, 4 GBR 5:32.26 half a deck over Canada and the U.S. In the second 500, Canada’s signa- ture move put half a length on Italy . . . but America hung on, only three seats back. With 750 to go, the U.S. made a move that brought them to within half a deck by 1,500. Canada then held them for 250 me- ters before the Americans moved again. The U.S. took the lead for good with fif- teen strokes to go, both boats pushing it all the way. In the end, the margin was 0.61 seconds, two and a half seats between them. Both crews had beaten the world best time set by the Netherlands in 1999. With two to advance, Canada led their repêchage from the start and had a length over third place at 1,500. They won by 0.56 seconds over Germany and 1.86 seconds over Britain. Of course, all was not lost for Mike Spracklen’s crew. The last two Olympic Champion American Eights, 1956 and 1964, 8305 Ibid. had each lost their heat, regrouped in their repêchage and won the final. By this time, Mike had won Olympic titles in 1984, 1988 and 1992, but his athletes were all new to the unique pressure that one feels only at the Games. American stroke-seat Bryan Volpen- hein: “Even in the heat, the Canadians had been really wound up, yelling and scream- ing, pounding the boat, hitting themselves, hitting their legs, hitting their chests, real primal grunts. “The Canadians were doing it in the heat and in the final of the Olympics. We just sort of smiled. Seeing them do that, I knew that we could beat them. We’d gone through all that ourselves in 2000.”8306 There was also the pressure of high ex- pectations at home. Paul Friesen, The Winnipeg Sun: “Man- itoba Rowing Association President Andrew 8306 Volpenhein, op. cit. 2334
