4-: 1. ESP 2. ERG 3. GBR 4. DEN 5. ITA 6. AUS As in the single sculls, the holders of the title retained it triumphantly. 7. CAN 8. SWE 9. NOR 10. NED 11. USA 12. CBN 2x: 1. ITA 2. ERG 3. DEN 4.USA 5. SUI 6. CAN The fifth successive tide for Esposito and Verroca. 7. FRA 8. NOR 9. AUT 10. SWE 11. GBR 8 + : 1. DEN 2. ITA 3. ESP 4. IRE 5. USA 6. GBR A Danish victory, as in 1981. 7. ERG 8. CAN 9. NED 10. AUS 11. JPN Demonstration races for lightweight oarswomen were put on, anticipating their future appearance in FISA cham pionships. The prescribed distance was 2,000 metres. These experiments would allow the delegates at the next congress on the Rules to make an objective judgement based on real experience. January 10th—13th 1985 — Rome Extraordinary FISA congress Representatives from 37 federations descended in icy conditions on a snow-covered Rome. According to its charter, FISA could only modify its Sta tutes, Rules of Racing and Regulations for Champion ship Regattas during the year following the Olympic Games. For the sake of speed, an extraordinary congress was convened at the beginning of the year to carry out "this statutory four-yearly spring-clean. Sadly, Paolo dAloja, the Italian federations president for the past few years, was no longer there to greet his friends, having passed away after falling seriously ill in the autumn. The president of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, ac companied by his sports director, Walther Troger, honoured the FISA authorities by attending several of their debates. He was presented with the FISA medal of honour for his commitment to the Olympic rowing regatta. For the first time, a definition of rowing was adopted. It stipulated that, “in a rowing boat, all load-bearing parts, including the axes of moveable parts, must be firmly fixed to the body of the boat, but the rower’s seat may move along the axis of the boat.” The vice-president, Claus Hess, explained EISA’s de velopment programme. Two matters appeared to merit urgent priority: the training of coaches and the spread of equipment. The length of the regatta courses was increased from 1,000 to 2,000 metres for senior women, and from 1,000 to 1,500 metres for junior women. In future, those distances would be the same as for men. The FISA junior championships (men’s and women’s) were changed to world championships. The FISA championships for lightweights also were re named “world championships”, and would include the following women’s events: lx, 2x and 4-. In lightweight women’s rowing, the average weight of a women’s crew must not exceed 57 kg, and the weight of each individual oarswoman must not exceed 59 kg. A single sculler’s weight should not be more than 59 kg. The rules for lightweight men remained unchanged, at 70 kg and 72.5 kg. The Venezuelan federation was admitted. February, 1985: Appearance of the first number of “FISA Informa tion”. It was published by the German Agency, “Prosport Presse Service”. FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES SOCIETES D AVIRON CONGRES EXTRAORDINAIRE DE LA FISA Rome 1985 - Next to Thomas Keller is IOC President, Juan Antonio Samaranch. In the first row (from the left) Theo Korner, Wilfried Hofmann, Magdalena Sarbochova, Christopher Davidge, Jannus Boelen and (obscured) Hans Howald. In the second row Fayez Yakan, Roland Weill, Denis Oswald, Walther Troger (IOC Sports Director), J. A. Samaranch, Thomas Keller, Claus Hess and Evguenyi Kabanov. 216
