After one false start, the Austrian crew’s rudder broke and they could not continue. The crew was admitted to the repechages. RI: 1. AUT 2. YUG 3. NOR - SWE (scratched) RII: 1. SUI 2. FRA 3. NED 4. BEL 1/2 FI: 1. SUI 2. DEN 3. FRA 4. YUG 1/2 Eli: 1. ESP 2. ITA 3. AUT 2-: 7 entered - 6 started - SWE (scratched) El: 1. BEL 2. SUI 3. FRA Eli: 1. DEN 2. ITA 3. YUG R: 1. SUI 2. YUG 3. FRA Finals More than 25,000 spectators lined both banks for 500 metres. 4 +: 1. ITA 2. SUI 3. ESP 4. DEN Italy led at 1,500 metres and, spurting, went even fur ther ahead. Them strokeman, Reginaldo Polonni, proved to be the outstanding athlete at Macon. v lx: 11 entered - 9 started - ITA and SAR failed to appear. El: 1. GBR 2. NED 3. FRA 4. SWE The Swedish sculler, Brunngvist, scratched from the repechage in order to save himself for the double sculls. Eli: 1. SUI 2. ESP 3. POR Fill: 1. BEL 2. DEN The Saarland sculler was not allowed to compete. RI: 1. DEN 2. NED 3. ESP ' The European champion, Larsen, qualified easily. RII: 1. FRA 2. POR 1/2 FI: 1. GBR 2. NED 3. FRA 1/2 FII: 1. DEN 2. SUI 3. BEL 2 +: 7 entered - 6 started - YUG (scratched) El: 1. SUI 2. DEN 3. BEL Eli: 1. ITA 2. SWE 3. FRA R: 1. DEN 2. FRA 3. SWE 4. BEL 4-: 9 entered EL 1. BEL 2. YUG 3. SUI Eli: 1. DEN 2. ITA 3. AUT EIII: 1. NOR 2. FRA 3. NED RI: 1. AUT 2. FRA 3. NED RII: 1. ITA 2. YUG 3. SUI 1/2 FI: 1. NOR 2. BEL 3. ITA 4. YUG The Italians, European champions in 1947, 1949 and 1950, and Olympic champions in 1948, were no longer dominant. 1/2 FII: 1. DEN 2. FRA 3. AUT 2x: 6 entered EL 1. ITA 2. SWE 3. DEN Eli: 1. FRA 2. SUI 3. BEL R: 1. SUI 2. SWE 3. DEN 4. BEL 8 +: 9 entered El: 1. ITA 2. FRA 3. POR Eli: 1. DEN 2. NED 3. YUG EIII: 1. GBR 2. SWE 3. ESP RI: 1. YUG 2. FRA 3. SWE RII: 1. POR 2. NED 3. ESP 1/2 FI: 1. GBR 2. YUG 3. ITA 4. POR 1/2 FII: 1. DEN 2. NED 3. FRA 102 2-: 1. BEL 2. DEN 3. SUI 4. YUG This was the first Belgian victory since 1921, thanks to Michel Knuysen and Robert Baetens. lx: 1. DEN 2. GBR 3. NED In spite of his defeat in the eliminator, Larsen had no trouble in retaining his European title. 2 + : 1. ITA 2. SUI 3. DEN 4. FRA The third consecutive tide for the Italians, who dominat ed the race throughout. 4-: 1. BEL 2. DEN 3. FRA 4. NOR The second Belgian win of the championships. The crew from the “Societe Royale Nautique Anversoise” was never under pressure, as the Danes and Norwegians steered badly. 2x: 1. SUI 2. ITA 3. SWE 4. FRA The Swiss double, Peter Stebler and Emile Knecht, took the lead over the last 500 metres. 8 + : 1. GBR 2. DEN 3. NED 4. YUG The incomparable Cambridge eight had a slow start, drew level at half way and attacked strongly at 1,750 metres. Over the last 200 metres, they had a hard battie with the Danes. Great Britain thus won its first European championship, and in the most prestigious event. Ac cording to Jean Rodenfuser, “The main object of interest was the English eight, which arrived at the course well before the championships, thus demonstrating a strong determination to put the finishing touches to a very thorough preparation. The classical purity of the English athletes’ rowing and the incredible cohesion of the crew will be talked of for a long time. In analysing their style, everyone will find justification for the style which he per sonally favours. Let us merely note that their bodies are held very straight, that there is a long reach forward and a long lie-back, that their catch is taken by the shoulders with straight arms, and that the recovery is very quick. This style, which was admired by even the uninitiated, could be given any name one chose”. The regatta was a great success for the Macon or ganisers, especially Maurice Goyon, the president of the Macon regatta committee, whose family had successfully organised European championships in the same town in 1894 and 1920! No detail was overlooked, no item for gotten. There was not a single flaw, nor an unfortunate incident. In the space of four days, 40,000 spectators had watched the regatta.
