1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

y means of our rules as to “comparison-race prizes”, found a way of arrangingraces between boats constructed according to our various rules, which will mostcertainly be of advantage to the sport that is so dear to all of us — yachting.From Denmark we have the pleasure of seeing a most distinguished and celebratedyachtsman, who sailed his boat most brilliantly.Although Norway is our nearest neighbour, it is a very distant one as far asyachting is concerned, for sea-communications between Christiania and Stockholmare very long ones, for sailing yachts, that is to say. We thank you with allour hearts, gentlemen from Norway, for having come here with three such charmingboats;, and for venturing to expose them to the difficulties attendant on railwaytransport.We congratulate you most heartily on having won 2 of the 4 OlympicGold Medals, and your success is the greater that your yachts have been designedby a Norwegian and built in Norwegian dockyards. We shall be most happy tomeet you here again in noble rivalry on the blue Baltic.Last of all, we give our warmest thanks to the home Clubs that were so kindas to accept our invitation to the Regattas.Amongst our guests we have the great pleasure to see many persons who, duringthe last few years, have contributed to the development and improvement of ourClub, by means of highly appreciated work or generous gifts. We are exceedinglyglad to see so many of the honorary members of the Royal Swedish Yacht Clubamong our guests to-day, and we thank them sincerely for the interest theycontinue to take in the Club and its aims.I beg to drink the health of the guests of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club.Admiral Hägg proposed the health of the Hon. President, H. R. H.Prince Wilhelm; of the Club Committee, and of the Sub-Committeeswhich had the chief credit of the success that had attended the Regatta.Baron Pierre de Coubertin responded on behalf of the foreign guests,and thanked Prince and Princess Wilhelm, and the Royal SwedishYacht Club for their hospitable and hearty reception.Baron de Coubertin also proposed the health of the Swedes, andspoke as follows:Altesses Royales,Mesdames, Messieurs,i/heure a sonné où vont se clore ces fêtes magnifiques qui marqueront si profondéméntdans l'histoire olympique. Encore quelques instants et la célébration de la VèmeOlympiade aura pris fin.Elle nous laisse un souvenir ensoleillé, non pas seulement parce que la terre etl'eau suédoises se sont parées pour nous de tous les enchantements d'un été radieux"mais parce que l'art du spectacle et le souci de la perfection technique ont étécombinés par vous, Messieurs les membres du Comité Suédois, de la façon la plusingénieuse et la plus réussie.Pour faire une Olympiade, la puissance et l'argent sont bien loin de suffire, ilfaut de la persévérance, de la patience et de la tolérance. Il faut surtout une conceptionhaute et sereine du double rôle auquel le sport peut et doit aspirer ausein des grandes démocraties modernes- rôle d'équilibreur humain hérité de l'athlétismeantique, rôle d'éducateur social, hérité de la Chevalerie. Ce n'est pas seulement797