Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's single sculls

The men's single sculls was a rowing event held as part of the Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fourth appearance of the event.[1] The competition was held from 17 to 19 July at Djurgårdsbrunnsviken. There were 13 competitors from 11 nations.[2] Each nation could have up to two boats. The event was won by Wally Kinnear of Great Britain, the nation's second consecutive victory in the men's single sculls. The other three medal-winning nations were new to the podium in the event. Kinnear beat Everard Butler of Canada in the semifinals, while Belgium's Polydore Veirman prevailed over Mart Kuusik of the Russian Empire; Butler and Kuusik received bronze medals. Veirman earned silver after falling to Kinnear in the final.

Men's single sculls
at the Games of the V Olympiad
A race during the competition
VenueDjurgårdsbrunnsviken
Dates17–19 July
Competitors13 from 11 nations
Winning time7:47.3
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Wally Kinnear
 Great Britain
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Polydore Veirman
 Belgium
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Everard Butler
 Canada
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Mart Kuusik
 Russian Empire
← 1908
1920 →

Background

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This was the fourth appearance of the event. Rowing had been on the programme in 1896 but was cancelled due to bad weather. The single sculls has been held every time that rowing has been contested, beginning in 1900.[2]

The two favorites in the event were likely Wally Kinnear of Great Britain (the Diamond Challenge Sculls winner in 1910 and 1911) and Polydore Veirman of Belgium, who would win the European championship later in 1912. Another strong contender was Everard Butler of Canada, the top North American sculler and winner of the National Association of Amateur Oarsmen events in 1911 and 1912.[2]

Australasia, Austria, Bohemia, Denmark, Finland, and the Russian Empire each made their debut in the event. Great Britain made its third appearance, most among nations, having missed only the 1904 Games in St. Louis.

Competition format

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As in 1908, the 1912 tournament featured four rounds of one-on-one races. Semifinal losers each received bronze medals. For the first time, the Olympic course used the now-standard distance of 2000 metres.[3]

Schedule

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Date Time Round
Wednesday, 17 July 1912 15:00 First round
Thursday, 18 July 1912 11:00
11:40
12:00
19:30
Quarterfinals 1 and 2
First round heat 1 re-run
Quarterfinals 3 and 4
Quarterfinals 1 re-run
Friday, 19 July 1912 12:30
17:00
Semifinals
Final

Results

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First round

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Heat 1

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Kuusic nearly collided with Heinrich in the first heat, leading to a protest that resulted in the heat being re-rowed the next day; Heinrich was disqualified in the second running of the heat. Three of the heats were walkovers.

Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Mart Kuusik   Russian Empire 7:45.2 Q
Alfred Heinrich   Austria DSQ

Heat 2

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Martin Stahnke   Germany 8:28.8 Q
Cecil McVilly   Australasia DSQ

Heat 3

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Everard Butler   Canada 7:55.6 Q
2 Axel Haglund   Finland 8:11.8

Heat 4

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Wally Kinnear   Great Britain 7:44.0 Q
2 Kurt Hoffmann   Germany 7:46.9

Heat 5

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Ivan Schweizer of Bohemia is listed as starting in this heat in the Official Report; however, it appears he did not actually compete.[4]

Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 József Mészáros   Hungary 8:29.0 Q
Ivan Schweizer   Bohemia DNS

Heat 6

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Mikael Simonsen   Denmark 8:14.0 Q
Jan Šourek   Bohemia DNF

Heat 7

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Károly Levitzky   Hungary 8:04.0 Q

Heat8

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Polydore Veirman   Belgium 7:59.2 Q

Quarterfinals

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Mészáros crossed in front of Veirman in the first quarterfinal, resulting in a protest and the contest being held over. The second time, Veirman got an early lead and kept it throughout. Simonsen abandoned the competition, giving Butler a walkover in the second quarterfinal. Kuusic won the final quarterfinal by three lengths, despite having been the only quarterfinalist to have already rowed during the day, in his rematch against Heinrich.

Quarterfinal 1

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Polydore Veirman   Belgium 7:52.0 Q
2 József Mészáros   Hungary 7:57.9

Quarterfinal 2

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Everard Butler   Canada 7:39.9 Q
Mikael Simonsen   Denmark DNS

Quarterfinal 3

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Wally Kinnear   Great Britain 7:49.9 Q
2 Martin Stahnke   Germany 7:58.8

Quarterfinal 4

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Mart Kuusik   Russian Empire 7:45.2 Q
2 Károly Levitzky   Hungary 7:49.1

Semifinals

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Gold medalist Wally Kinnear

Semifinal 1

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Polydore Veirman   Belgium 7:41.0 Q
  Mart Kuusik   Russian Empire 7:43.9

Semifinal 2

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Rank Rower Nation Time Notes
1 Wally Kinnear   Great Britain 7:37.0 Q
  Everard Butler   Canada 7:41.0

Final

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Rank Rower Nation Time
  Wally Kinnear   Great Britain 7:47.3
  Polydore Veirman   Belgium 7:56.0

Results summary

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Rank Rower Nation First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
  Wally Kinnear   Great Britain 7:44.0 7:49.9 7:37.0 7:47.3
  Polydore Veirman   Belgium 7:59.2 7:52.0 7:41.0 7:56.0
  Everard Butler   Canada 7:55.6 7:39.9 7:41.0 Did not advance
Mart Kuusik   Russian Empire 7:45.2 7:45.2 7:43.9
5 Károly Levitzky   Hungary 8:04.0 7:49.1 Did not advance
József Mészáros   Hungary 8:29.0 7:57.9
Martin Stahnke   Germany 8:28.8 7:58.8
8 Mikael Simonsen   Denmark 8:14.0 DNS
9 Axel Haglund   Finland 8:11.8 Did not advance
Kurt Hoffmann   Germany 7:46.9
11 Alfred Heinrich   Austria DSQ
Cecil McVilly   Australasia DSQ
Jan Šourek   Bohemia DNF
Ivan Schweizer   Bohemia DNS

References

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  1. ^ "Rowing at the 1912 Stockholm Summer Games: Men's Single Sculls". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  2. ^ a b c "Single Sculls, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Why Do We Race 2000m? The History Behind the Distance". World Rowing. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  4. ^ Mallon, Bill; Ture Widlund (2002). The 1912 Olympic Games: Results for All Competitors in All Events, with Commentary. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-1047-7.

Sources

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  • Bergvall, Erik (ed.) (1913). Adams-Ray, Edward (trans.). (ed.). The Official Report of the Olympic Games of Stockholm 1912. Stockholm: Wahlström & Widstrand. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  • Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 19 January 2007.