1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

falling to 32. Australia put all its weight into its strokes and led by */2 lengthat the 1,000 metres mark. The time for half distance was 3 min. 2 sec.; thesefigures showing the speed at which the boats were moving. At the boat-houseAustralia led and took the inner curve a clear length ahead. At this point, however,Fleming began a terrific spurt, which resulted in his opponents’ lead being diminishedat the bridge to only half a length. The Australian eight now began to row somewhatraggedly and showed other signs of fatigue; Leander, on the contrary, beginninganother magnificent spurt which lasted until the winning post was passed. Fitzhardingewas not sufficiently supported by his men, so that the half length by whichAustralia led at the bridge was snatched out of its hands. The two boats layside by side 100 metres from the finish, but Leander stayed better, and the Englishstyle allowed of more being got out of the spurt, so that the British boat wonby about 3 metres.Those that had the pleasure of seeing this race will probably never forgetit. From beginning to end, the scene was a most imposing one; the drivingpower distinguishing the excellent English style of rowing, and the tremendousenergy shown, being qualities that must have made the deepest impression on allwith any knowledge of rowing. The two strokes, especially, deserve all praisefor the energy and coolness they exhibited, even when the struggle was hottest.The race was rowed in 6 min. 10, sec. the shortest time yet noted for this distancein tideless waters.Fleming’s spurt from the bath-house up to the bridge, at a time when the generalbelief was that Leander was quite out of the race, was probably the mostmemorable episode in this remarkable race.Semi=Finals.Friday, 19 July.Heat 1. 11.30 a. m.GREAT BRITAIN (New College) W. O.Bourne took his men over the course, without any effort, in 7.47, but the W.O. gave the spectators a good opportunity of seeing the pure English style of rowing,with its firm grip of the water and the quiet, almost stealthy recovery.Heat 2. 12 noon.GREAT BRITAIN (Leander C.) GERMANY (Berliner Ruder G..)D. L.At the very start, Leander managed to get a couple of metres’ lead, but theGerman crew soon recovered itself, and at the 500 met. mark was leadingby about half a length. As seen from the shore, the English eight seemed totake the race very quietly, rowing scarcely more than 34 to their opponents’38, and at the 1,000 metres mark the Germans were leading by nearly a length.Both crews were rowing in excellent style, both clearly after the same model.Berlin were wonderfully quick, and the crew now proved that it possessed a lot ofendurance, too. It was a very homogenous eight, with big, very muscular men whogave evidence of having been well trained. Germany has the greater honourof this crew, as all its members had only had their free afternoons or eveningsfor practice, the time at each man’s disposal depending on the business or otherwork at which he was engaged during the greater part of the day. It is evidence666