2x: 4 started 1. FRA 2. ITA 3. SUI 4. BEL This boat class appeared on the programme for the first time. Clement Dorlia and Lucien Martinet emerged as winners, not without fierce resistance from the Italian crew, whose performance was affected by their stroke’s indisposition. The winners: Clement Dorlia, born in 1870 in Paris, height lm80, weight 85 kg. Lucien Martinet, born in 1874 in Rethel, height lm80, weight 83 kg. V lx: 3 started 1. BEL 2. ITA 3. SUI Joseph Deleplanque, from Ghent, became the first sculler to mount a successful defence of his European title. 2 +: 3 started 1. FRA 2. BEL 3. ITA Having been obstructed, the Belgians were not able to give of their best. 8 + : 3 started 1. BEL 2. ITA - FRA (Not rowed out) The Italians led for 1,000 metres, but were overtaken. The French were obstructed and stopped, but their pro test was not upheld by the jury. The prizes were presented in the main concert hall of the Exhibition. Princess Laetitia, the daughter of Prince Napoleon, a person of exquisite beauty and charm, presented the prizes to the oarsmen. The request for affiliation made by the rowing champi onship committee of Alsace-Lorraine, representing seven clubs, was accepted, with the proviso that agree ment with the German federation should be reached if and when the latter should seek affiliation to FISA. “...If the European championships can be organised at present within a budget of 6,000 French francs, it is quite likely that in the near- future a federation wishing to organize the event might have at its disposal a sum of 12,000 francs and perhaps even 15,000,” ap peared in the minutes of the 1899 congress. Food for thought a cen tury later! Federations affiliated in 1899: BEL FRA ITA SUI and AUT (Trieste rowing clubs and the Czechoslovakian federation of Prague). August 15th 1899 — Ostend 7th men’s European championships August 14th 1899 — Ostend 8th FISA congress Present: six delegates from four federations. The meet ing was held at the Town Hall in the evening. The mayor, M. Pieters, a former oarsman and president of “Sport Nautique d’Ostende”, declared the meeting open. As several delegates had not eaten, the Belgian federation sent out for dishes of cold meat, which were consumed in the course of the deliberations, washed down by champagne. Happy times! The abolition of cash prizes was ratified. Each national federation was left free to decide for itself how former cash prizes should be replaced in its own country. Julien de Dryver, the Belgian delegate, then asked whether the time had not come in the interests of FISA to enter into a dialogue with the English federation, as it seemed possible that a consensus on the definition of amateurism might be achieved that very day. Oscar Gregoire was officially given the task of bringing this matter to a successful conclusion, and of making the oarsmen of the federations affiliated to FISA adopt the English definition of an amateur. 16 On reaching Ostend on Sunday, August 13th, the Italians realised that their boats had not arrived. Telegrams were despatched all over the place! No trace of them! To their horror, it was discovered that they had been sent by slow goods service. The organisers immediately set about finding some boats. There was a double scull there al ready. The other boats were sent from Brussels, gra ciously lent by the “Royal Sport Nautique”. Unfortunate ly, the Italians were not familiar with fours from the French boatbuilders, Lein or Dossunet. They normally used a special boat made by their builder, Gallinari, with wooden riggers, and they were worried about lack of sta bility, On Monday evening, the boats were spotted at Roubaix in France. A telegram was immediately dis patched, asking for them to be sent on by fast goods service. At last, on Tuesday, August 15th, the morning of the race, the boats arrived. They had to be transported to the course, which was some distance away. It is easy, then, to imagine the state of mind and anxiety of the Italians, as they lined up for the start only a few hours later. On that day, the sun beamed down on a perfectly calm canal. There was not a breath of wind. The straight sec tion of the Ostend canal at Bruges, six kilometres long and 60 metres wide, provided a superb stretch of water for racing, especially as, with only three crews in each race, there was plenty of room to manoeuvre. A cable stretched across the course with ropes hanging from it provided a fixed start. The start was signalled by two pistol shots. A grandstand had been erected at the finish. A large and excellent band played tirelessly be side the grandstand. Mainly because of the building sites which occupied the whole length of the course in the direction of the town, there were few spectators. However, on the enclosure side, there was a constant flow of people in cars, on bicycles and on horseback, making their way to the start or keeping pace with the races. On the oppo site bank, L. Choisy, on his bicycle, made a meticulous timekeeper.
