Rowing at the 1896 Summer Olympics

Rowing was on the 1896 Olympic program and represented the sport that came the closest to being held at the 1st Olympics, without that actually occurring. Seven (7) rowing events were scheduled, all to be conducted on 13 April (1 April). The weather that day was horrid, with high wind, almost freezing rain, and very rough seas. Because of the weather and the dangerous seas, the rowing events were re-scheduled from 1000 to 1500. As the weather was no better in the afternoon, and the rowing events were the last scheduled events of the 1896 Olympics, they were cancelled. The rules for the rowing were to be those of the Rowing Club Italiano. The start was to be at the Palaio Phaleron and finish at the Neo Phaleron.

The Official Report noted, “The wind, however, continually strengthens and the contestants are hesitant in coming forward. In spite of this it is decided that only the four-oar boats contest should take place, and they are transported to Old Phaleron drawn by steam launches, to the starting point which is marked by the boats of the Syra Rowing Club and that of the Panhellenic Club of Athens. The bad weather, however, turns into rough seas making their rowing impossible. Owing to this the contest is postponed until 3 PM. Yet as the bad weather continued up to then, indeed with greater violence, and the boats and barges were swept ashore, the contest both of rowing and of the naval boats were definitely cancelled.”

However, other contemporary descriptions note that the German double sculls team of Berthold Küttner and Alfred Jäger did likely row over the course and were given a bronze participation medal for their efforts.