Delegates who were elected as members of council could no longer represent their own national federation. Con sequently, they would no longer have the right to vote. Postal voting was allowed. A contract for the Olympic rowing regatta was approved. It would be submitted for approval by the International Olympic Committee. Subscription for 1924: 150 Swiss gold-francs. Fixed starting facilities became compulsory for Europe an championships. The following national colours were allocated: POL: pur ple, POR: mauve, YUG:pale grey . At the suggestion of the president, Frantisek Widimsky (TCH), the delegate of the country which was to host the European championships the following year, was elected vice-president of FISA, replacing Octave Bouttemy. August 2nd 1924 — Zurich 26th men’s European championships Impeccably organised from a technical point of view by the regatta committee, under the chairmanship of G. Egli, these championships took place, as in 1901, on the lake at Zurich. Start, finish, lane marking, sign-posting, signalling, public address, radio-telephone, markers, fin ish-camera, etc., were above reproach. Unfortunately, it was the lake which proved capricious, and the slightest gust of wind ruffled it immediately. On the day of the regatta, it was very choppy. By midday, it was in such a state that the organisers thought of postponing the racing to the following day. It then rained so hard that the wind dropped considerably. After some delay, racing was al lowed to start. The umpires had at their disposal two mo tor launches, each one carrying an umpire plus a starter, who would help in case of accident. Because it was the year of the Olympic Games, and also, perhaps, because these had taken place too early in the season, not all the best crews had entered. The only event to attract national champions was the new one on the programme, the 2- The races 2-: 3 entered 1. SUI 2. NED - FRA (Not rowed out) The water was made even more choppy by the wash from the passing steamers which had not been stopped in time, as well as by the wind, which continued to blow very hard. This affected the start particularly badly. The Swiss pair, Alois Reinhard and Willy Siegenthaler, start ed very fast, and were never overtaken. 4 +: 8 entered — 6 started 1. NED 2. SUI 3. BEL 4. TCH 5. FRA 6. ESP The Yugoslavians, competing for the first time in the Eu ropean championships, were unfortunately prevented from racing by illness. The Hungarians had decided not to run the risk of rowing in a borrowed boat, their own four having been badly damaged. The wind had died down. The water was calm again. The Swiss took the lead. The Spaniards, with their disconcertingly jerky movements and impetuosity, brought up the rear. Their stroke was too short to be effective. Less than 250 metres from the finish, the Dutch, with long, laboured strokes, caught up with the Swiss crew, by then exhausted and distressed, and eventually overtook them. lx: 5 entered - 4 started 1. SUI 2. FRA 3. TCH - NED (Not rowed out) Conditions had become difficult again. Josef Schneider, of Lucerne, won an uneventful race. 4-: In this boat class, which figured on the programme for the first time, Switzerland, being the only crew to have entered and being unable to boat its best crew, scratched, in order not to devalue the title. 2 + : 4 entered — 4 started 1. NED 2. SUI 3. ITA 4. FRA A head-wind and waves once more made conditions difficult. The 1924 Olympic coxswainless pair champi ons, Anton Beijnen and Wilhem Rosingh, coxed by van Lummel, won the 2 +, in the absence of the Swiss Olym pic champions, Candeveau and Felber. At 1,750 metres, led by the Swiss pair, Ed. Schaedeli and Wilh. Muller, the students from Delft, visibly made up their deficit of two lengths and soon led by several lengths. Their well- fought race earned them much applause. 2x: 4 entered — 3 started - HUN (scratched) 1. SUI 2. FRA 3. BEL The Belgian and French scullers, unused to the special conditions of a choppy lake, caught many crabs and fre- quentiy let go of their sculls. The Swiss pair, Bosshard and Thoma, had no difficulty in retaining their title. 8 +: 7 entered - 6 started - ITA (scratched) 1. NED 2. SUI 3. TCH 4. FRA 5. YUG 6. BEL A Yugoslavian crew, an eight from Split, appeared for the first time in a European championships event. After being led for more than four fifths of the race by the Swiss crew, the Dutch students drew inexorably level, then powered their way towards a well-deserved win. Holland, with its three victories, was awarded the Glan- daz Cup just ahead of the Swiss, who had held the trophy since 1920. There were not many spectators on the bank. The races were followed by a very large vessel, the “Helvetia”, car rying a thousand spectators, who were able to witness ev ery detail of the races. The final dinner, in the large hall of the Tonhalle, was at tended by about 300 people, in the presence of the Bur gomaster, H. Nageli. After a few speeches, the fist of the day’s winners was read out. Most attractive and gracious, Madame Manuel, the wife of the new secretary-treasurer of FISA, whose eminent descendants are still much ad mired in Lausanne, gave the prizes to the delighted win ners as they came up one by one to receive them, to general applause. Part 2 59
