Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's eight

Starting list

The following boats and/or rowing clubs participated:

Quarterfinals

All heats were held on Wednesday, July 29.

Quarterfinal 1: 1 p.m. Both started at 39 with a good following wind which blew slightly off the bushes at the start. Canada led at once and kept a fast stroke going for longer than Norway, which resulted in their getting nearly two lengths by halfway; Norway made tremendous efforts from this point, but their strength and courage did not produce an equivalent in pace, and the Argonauts won by two and three quarter lengths.

Quarterfinal 2: 3.20 p.m. The English crew started at 41 to their visitors' 40 and led after the first ten strokes, but on reaching Remenham they were able to drop to 34 and still be two lengths ahead at halfway. Hungary never relaxed their efforts, but went after the leaders with the greatest determination. The gap, however, was never reduced, and Leander, rowing beautifully together with a reserve of power and pace that was most exhilarating to observe, won by about two lengths without extending themselves.

Semifinals

Both semifinals were held on Thursday, July 30.

Semifinal 1: 1.15 p.m. The Canadians started at 43 to Leander 's 40, but were beaten for speed by the top of the island and were one and a quarter lengths behind at halfway. The home team were never allowed to take it too easily, though they were usually able to stall off all the plucky efforts made by the Argonauts, who kept on rushing at them, their stroke's spurts being splendidly backed up by his crew who worked like Trojans to the finish, and that last spurt on the Berkshire shore will not easily be forgotten as an example of indomitable courage against a much superior crew, as Leander won by a length.

Semifinal 2: 3.45 p.m. Any advantage which the Belgians may have had from the slight bend in their favour in the first part of the course was counterbalanced by the wind off the bushes. They started at 43, but Cambridge were faster at 40, and both boats went dead level all up the island. They still fought for the lead the whole way to Remenham, where the Belgian canvas was a few inches in front. Here the English faltered a trifle, but Douglas Stuart and John Burn pulled them together again, and Cambridge were soon going great guns and racing splendidly. But the Belgian crew was the more perfectly together, and therefore managed to get a lead of about 20 feet at halfway and to increase it afterwards, for they were not so exhaused by their previous efforts as the Cambridge crew, who showed unmistakable signs of staleness, and in a short time began to go to pieces. There was clear water between the boats after a mile and a quarter had been rowed, and here Stuart's spurt took the last ounce out of his men, who worked with great determination, but were no longer rowing together. The result was that when the strain came the crew disintegrated, but they never stopped shoving till the flag fell. The Belgians won by a length and a third. This race was the only rowing heat in which a British boat was defeated by a visiting nation. In each of the other three events, the two British boats won both semifinals.

Final

The final was held on Friday, July 31.

Final: 3.15 p.m. The Belgians started at their full pace and perfectly together, rowing 12, 23, and 43. Leander, showing beautiful precision and great power, went off at 11, 22, and 42. Only, however, by about six inches did the English crew keep ahead until they had passed the island, up which both eights went at a tremendous pace and nearly dead level. But Leander were gaining about an inch at every stroke, and by the first signal they had half a length in hand. The Belgians spurted suddenly at about half a mile from the start, but Leander answered them at once in no uncertain fashion, and Henry Bucknall's timely qicken brought his men three-quarters of a length ahead at halfway, which the leaders passed in 3:34. Once more the Belgian stroke made a great effort, and his men responded gamely, but it took too much out of them. They had faltered once before, and recovered themselves with the greatest courage. This time they rolled badly, and for a moment seemed to go to pieces. Like a flash the English crew went away from them, and, with a quarter of a length clear water between the boats. The Belgians spurted again and again as they neared the grand stand, but human nature could do no more. Leander pulled away again, eventually winning by two lengths in a time of 7 min. 52 sec.