Rowing at the 1928 Summer Olympics – Men's coxed pair explained

Event:Men's coxed pair
Games:1928 Summer
Venue:Sloten
Dates:3–10 August
Competitors:18
Nations:6
Longnames:yes
Win Value:7:42.6
Gold:Hans Schöchlin
Karl Schöchlin
Hans Bourquin (cox)
Goldnoc:SUI
Silver:Armand Marcelle
Édouard Marcelle
Henri Préaux (cox)
Silvernoc:FRA
Bronze:Léon Flament
François de Coninck
Georges Anthony (cox)
Bronzenoc:BEL
Prev:1924
Next:1932

The men's coxed pair event was part of the rowing programme at the 1928 Summer Olympics. It was one of seven rowing events for men and was the fourth appearance of the event.[1] It was held from 3 to 10 August near Sloten, Amsterdam. There were 6 boats (18 competitors) from 6 nations, with each nation limited to one boat in the event. The event was won by the Swiss team, the nation's second consecutive victory in the event. Brothers Hans Schöchlin and Karl Schöchlin rowed, with Hans Bourquin the coxswain. Another pair of brothers took silver: France's Armand Marcelle and Édouard Marcelle (along with cox Henri Préaux). The Belgian bronze medal team consisted of Léon Flament, François de Coninck, and Georges Anthony; it was the nation's first medal in the event.

Background

This was the fourth appearance of the event. Rowing had been on the programme in 1896 but was cancelled due to bad weather. The men's coxed pair was one of the original four events in 1900, but was not held in 1904, 1908, or 1912. It returned to the programme after World War I and was held every Games from 1924 to 1992, when it (along with the men's coxed four) was replaced with the men's lightweight double sculls and men's lightweight coxless four.[2]

None of the crew members from the 1924 coxed pair event returned. The most accomplished crew was likely the Swiss Schöchlin brothers, who had won the European championship in double sculls in 1922 and had been members of the European champion eight team in 1925.[2]

No nations made their debut in the event; the field consisted of all six nations that had competed previously. Belgium and France each made their fourth appearance, the two nations to have competed in all three prior editions.

Competition format

The coxed pair event featured three-person boats, with two rowers and a coxswain. It was a sweep rowing event, with the rowers each having one oar (and thus each rowing on one side). In a very unusual situation, the competition featured as many rounds as there were boats: six. There were four main rounds and two repechages. The course used the 2000 metres distance that became the Olympic standard in 1912.[3]

Schedule

DateTimeRound
Friday, 3 August 1928 Round 1
Saturday, 4 August 1928 First repechage
Monday, 6 August 1928 Quarterfinals
Tuesday, 7 August 1928 Second repechage
Wednesday, 8 August 1928 Semifinals
Friday, 10 August 1928 Final

Results

Source: Official results;[4] De Wael[5]

Round 1

Winners advanced to the second round. Losers competed in the first repechage.

Heat 1

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 8:41.2
2 8:41.4

Heat 2

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 8:58.4
2 data-sort-value=9:99.9

Heat 3

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 8:42.0
2 8:44.8

First repechage

Winners advanced to the second round, but were ineligible for a second repechage if they lost there. Losers were eliminated.

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 8:37.2
2 8:41.2

Quarterfinals

Winners advanced to the semifinals. Losers competed in the second repechage, if they had advanced by winning in the first round, or were eliminated if they had advanced through the first repechage.

Quarterfinal 1

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 7:41.8
2 data-sort-value=9:99.9

Quarterfinal 2

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 7:53.4
2 8:02.4

Second repechage

Italy had not finished the second round, so Belgium was the only team to qualify for the second repechage, receiving a bye to the semifinals.

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 Bye

Semifinals

Switzerland advanced uncontested to the gold medal final, and was joined by France after France won the only semifinal against Belgium. Belgium received the bronze.

Semifinal 1

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 7:48.2
7:59.4

Semifinal 2

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time Notes
1 8:02.0

Final

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Time
7:42.6
7:48.4

Results summary

Rank Rowers Coxswain Nation Round 1 First repechage Quarterfinals Second repechage Semifinals Final
8:41.2 7:41.8 8:02.0 7:42.6
8:41.4 8:37.2 7:53.4 7:48.2 7:48.4
8:58.4 8:02.4 Walkover 7:59.4
4 8:42.0 data-sort-value=9:99.9colspan=3
5 8:44.8 8:41.2 colspan=4
6 data-sort-value=9:99.9

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rowing at the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Games: Men's Coxed Pairs . https://web.archive.org/web/20200418132447/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1928/ROW/mens-coxed-pairs.html . dead . 18 April 2020 . Sports Reference . 27 July 2018.
  2. Web site: Coxed Pairs, Men . Olympedia . 6 May 2021.
  3. Web site: Why Do We Race 2000m? The History Behind the Distance . World Rowing . 1 May 2017 . 19 April 2021.
  4. Web site: 1928 Summer Olympics official report.
  5. Web site: Rowing 1928.