1896 Olympics

(Athens, Greece)

Boat Race

The regatta was to take place at 10 o’clock in the morning in Phaleron Bay.

The umpires were:
Prince George,
Captain Boudhouris R. R.
Captain Duboury, commanding a man-of-war in the French Navy
M r D. Kyriakos
M r I. Ipitis acted as secretary.

They all assembled in a light boat lying at anchor near the shore. Crowds of people arrived at Phaleron by train, by the steam tram-way or by carriages.

However the wind continued blowing with such energy that no competitors for the race presented themselves. At last it was decided that a race should be held only by boats of four oars.

A steam launch transported the competitors to Old Phaleron, where the boats of the Panhellenic Club of Athens and that of the Nautical Club of Syra chose the place for starting; but unluckily the bad weather changed into a real storm, which made any attempt to a race impossible. The regatta was therefore postponed to three o’clock in the afternoon.

In the afternoon however the storm was still on the increase, some of the lighter embarkations were thrown on the shore by the violence of the waves, and the elements continued to rage with such fury that every idea of a boat race had to be given up.