Olympic Countdown: men’s eight

In the men’s eight, the historic record of the United States at Olympic level is above that of any other nation. The Americans won a total of 12 Olympic gold medals between 1900 and 2004, while Great Britain and Canada, who rank second and third in the all-time Olympic medal chart, both have a total of three Olympic gold medals.

The United States last won an Olympic medal in this boat class in 2008, when they took bronze, while their latest Olympic title was claimed 12 years ago at Athens 2004. That is where they also set a World Best Time, which still stands as the current Olympic Best Time, at 05:19.9. Eight years later in 2012, Canada re-established the World Best Time during a World Rowing Cup in Lucerne. It now stands 55 hundredths of a second faster at 5:19.35.

In this Olympic cycle, the United States last won a World Championship medal in 2013 – bronze – and finished fourth at the worlds in 2014. At the 2015 World Rowing Championships, a seventh-place finish meant that they missed out on Olympic qualification. They set the record straight when they crossed the line first at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta this year in May to secure their ticket for Rio. A few days later, they crossed the line to take a bronze medal at World Rowing Cup II, ahead of the current World Champions, Great Britain.

Great Britain stands second on the all-time Olympic medal charts, with 12 medals, three of them gold. The Brits won their first Olympic title at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, while their most recent Olympic title was claimed at Sydney 2000.

In this Olympic cycle, Great Britain has won every World Championships, with reigning Olympic Champions Germany following systematically in silver. This season, however, after taking bronze at the European Rowing Championships, the British did not top the podium at any of the World Cups, finishing fourth at World Rowing Cup II and crossing the line in silver at World Rowing Cup III.

Canada, third on the historic Olympic medals table with a total of 11 medals, won its three Olympic gold medals within the space of 24 years, starting at the Los Angeles 1984 Games, followed by another gold at Barcelona 1992 and the latest Olympic gold at Beijing 2008. In 2012, the Canadian crew crossed the line in silver behind Germany. In this Olympic cycle, however, Canada has been absent from the World Rowing Championship scene and the World Best Time holders will not be represented in Rio.

One of the top nations to look out for in Rio will be Germany. As a re-unified country, Germany medalled three times at the Olympics since 1992, taking bronze in Barcelona, then silver in Atlanta and finally gold in London. They have not missed a World Championship podium leading up to Rio and during this regatta season, they have so far taken gold at the European Rowing Championships and at World Rowing Cup III. At World Rowing Cup II they crossed the line in silver. The Germans seem very much on form and will be gold medal contenders.

Also very much in the picture in Rio will be the Dutch and the New Zealanders who both medalled at the World Cup level this season.

All-time dream crew in the men’s eight

By Martin Cross

Using more than a century of modern rowing, Martin Cross looks at the sport’s legendary performers and plays selector. This is his pick.

Stroke: Roland Baar (GER)
The men’s eight contains rowers from both the strongest nations as well as the iconic crews from the history of rowing. At stroke, sits Roland Barr. That was the same position from where he led the ‘Deutschlandachter’ to five world eight’s titles between 1989 and 1995. During that era, Baar’s aggressive, front-loaded leadership was a style that so many of his contemporaries aspired to emulate.

7-seat: Drew Ginn (AUS)
In the 7-seat is the speed, length and amazing endurance of Drew Ginn. The Aussie is perhaps better known for his Olympic titles in both the ‘Oarsome Foursome’ and later the men’s pair. But his technical awareness and ‘rowing wisdom’ would be a tremendous asset for this eight.

 6-seat: James Tomkins (AUS)
The Ginn-Tomkins combination, working in tandem, would be a powerful asset in the stern of this eight.  The long, languid style of Jimmy Tomkins was in fact a key element of the Aussie eight that won the 1986 World Rowing Championships. Tomkins rowed at 6-in that boat. Eighteen years on, the 2m tall Victorian had picked up another six world titles and three Olympic Gold medals in fours and pairs.

 5-seat: Richard Wailes (USA)
In the ‘5’ seat is Richard Wailes, a very worthy representative of the American oarsman who dominated the Olympic eights competition, winning every gold medal between 1924 and 1956. Wailes rowed for Yale University and his 1956 boat set a new World Best Time of 5:53. Unusually for US rowers of that era, Wailes carried on to the 1960 Games, where he again won gold as part of the US four. That achievement was enough to put him in this crew.

4-seat: Donald Hume (USA)
The four men in the bow of the boat are led by Don Hume, best known for his amazing leadership of the University of Washington crew that took the 1936 Olympic title with a narrow win – on Grunau’s worst lane – over Italy. As described in the book ‘The Boys in the Boat’ (and soon to be movie), Hume’s qualities were so important to the crew that he raced in the final, despite being ill. His coxswain, Bobby Moch, even claimed that Hume actually passed out during the race, only to jump back to life – a claim Hume denied in later life. But the legend remains.

 3-seat: Bryan Volpenhein (USA)
In the 3-seat is another legendary American; the Ohio-born powerhouse, Bryan Volpenhein. Adept in fours, pairs and eights, the US rower stroked coach Mike Teti’s eight to a World Best Time and Olympic glory in the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The impact of that result – and Volpenhein’s leadership  – was made more dramatic by the fact it was America’s first win in the eight for 40 years.

2-seat: Guy Nickalls (GBR)
The 2-seat goes to the British rower Guy Nickalls. The pugnacious Etonian was one of the most remarkable British oarsmen. Adept in any boat from singles to eights, Nickalls had an unusually long and even by modern standards – a remarkably successful career. At the age of 40, he was tasked with leading the selection of the British eight for the 1908 Olympics. He made the 4-seat in that boat and took his Olympic title ahead of a strong Belgian crew.

Bow: Horst Meyer (GER)
At bow is Horst Meyer, a member of Karl Adam’s world-famous Ratzeburger Ruder Club eight. Their unique style and training methods first dominated, then revolutionized world rowing. Despite Meyer being only 183cm and 84kg, he not only won a seat in the prestigious eight, but also won a silver medal in the Olympic eight on Tokyo’s course. He capped that result with gold at the 1968 Olympics.

Cox: Martin Sauer
The Cox’s seat goes to Martin Sauer, who steered the undefeated German eight between 2009 and 2012. Sauer’s experience, stretching back to his junior gold medal in 2000, would be invaluable in helping to blend the diverse styles of these eight men into a race-winning unit.

Videos & statistics

London 2012 Olympic Games https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7U0B4szsNs

2015 World Rowing Championships – Aiguebelette http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/fisa/#dm9kOzE1MA

2014 World Rowing Championships – Amsterdam http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/fisa/#dm9kOzY1Nw

2013 World Rowing Championships – Chungju http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/fisa/#dm9kOzk5OQ

World Best Times – Historical Evolution (M8+)

Olympic Best Times – Historical Evolution (M8+)

Olympic Qualification