4x: 1. FRG 2. SUI 3. FRA 4. ITA 5. DEN 6. CBN Thus newly introduced event was won by Peter Uhrig, Rjorn Gehsen, Jan Fischer and Thomas Melges. 7. ESP 8. CAN 9. USA 10. AUT 11. HKG 8 + : 1. ITA 2. DEN 3. FRG 4. USA 5. NED 6. GRR Another period of tenure for the Italians. 7. SUI 8. CAN In what was to be his last article for “FISA Information", Thomas Keller, commenting on these championships, stated, “Rowing remains one of the rare sports capable of putting on a world championship comprising no fewer than 157 races without giving rise to a single instance of dissent. The feeling of comradeship amongst the compe titors communicates itself to the spectators and the offi cials. Thus, these championships have become a verita ble festival of sport; a fact of which those within FISA can be jusdy proud.” Congratulating all the organisers, the president of FISA praised especially the efforts of Bozo Benedik, “the father of championships,” as he called him, and those of Stefan Hocvar and of Belo Hvala, who all three had played a major role during the 1966, 1979 and 1989 championships. Under the chairmanship of Vlado Klemencic, they had trained their successors. It was to be noted that, like Thomas Keller, Benedik and Hocvar had taken part in the 1956 European championships; whilst Hvala had been at that time a television reporter. September 29th 1989 Heart attack! Extreme exhaustion after an uninterrupted series of journeys across several continents for months on end! Thomas Keller, the president of FISA since 1958, passed away in Monte-Carlo. The rowing world would never be the same again. “Dear Thomi, you were a giant in the field of sport and a true friend in life; an enthusiast for all that is fine and good, and a lover of a game called rowing. You have often analysed it for us, and have made our lives the richer. We will therefore play for you a last Radetzky march and fight a final firework. WE SHALL NEVER FORGET YOU”. It was above all his friend, Claus Hess, the vice-president of FISA, who found the words which expressed better than a long speech the profound sorrow of those who had loved their departed friend. October 7th 1989 The Council of FISA, meeting in Zurich, elected Denis Oswald to be president of FISA with immediate effect. February 25—27th 1990 — Henley FISA seminar on television New solutions were suggested by well-known producers for making regattas more attractive to television. A manual would set them out and give instructions and advice to achieve good television coverage of rowing events. 246 April 22nd 1990 — Oberhofen FISA now had a permanent headquarters for the secretariat. It was rented in the extremely comfortable and functional building, pleasantly sited on Lake Thun, which the International Ski Federation had had built in Oberhofen (SUI). 1990: 1st World Cup This new series of races was aimed at making rowing more popular. In the first series, there was only one boat class: the single sculls. There were five races, in San Die go (USA), on April 7th, watched by approximately 25,000 spectators, then in Mannheim (FRG) on May 13th, in Oslo (NOR) on June 3rd, in Amsterdam (HOL) on July 1st and in Lucerne (SUI), on July 15th. Each race was hotly contested, since it was important, because of the final ranking, to score the maximum possible number of points in each one. Four races out out five would count. Final ranking — women: 1. Titie Jordache (FRG), 60 points (4 victories and a second place); 2. Birgit Peter (GDR), 48 points; 3. Maria Brandin (SWE), 39 points. Final ranking — men: 1. Juri Jaanson (URS), 56 points (3 victories and 2 second places); 2. Vaclav Chalupa (TCH), 52 points; 3. Christian-Handle (FRG), 48 points. August 1st—5th 1990 — Aiguebelette 6th junior World championships A return to France, whose national federation was celebrating its centenary. For this sixth junior champion ship, a new course, beautifully situated in the French Alps, had been prepared. 31 federations were represented. Women’s races 4-: I. GDR 2. TCH 3. FRG 4. FRA 5. GBR 6. CAN 2x: 1. URS 3. GDR 3. BUL 4. TCH 5. SWE 6. FRG 2-: 1. BUL 2. GDR 3. ROM 4. URS 5. AUS 6. POL lx: 1. URS 2. BUL 3. GDR 4. ROM 5. BEL 6. POL 4x: 1. GDR 2. FRG 3. URS 4. TCH 5. NED 6. FRA 8 + : 1. URS 2. FRA 3. TCH 4. AUS 5. USA 6. GDR Men’s races 4 + : 1.R0M 2. ITA 3. GBR 4. FRG 5. TCH 6. FRA 2x: 1. ITA 2. GDR 3. URS 4. NOR 5. FRA 6. FRG
