Coxed Fours, Men

Eight crews came to the line, from five nations, with two French crews and three Greek. The race was contested over 2,000 metres and rowed as a final only. The Italian squad from Bucintoro Venezia won the gold medal over two French squads, the Société Nautique de la Basse Seine winning silver, and the Société Nautique de Bayonne winning bronze. Three of the Bucintoro Venezia crew members – Enrico Bruna, Emilio Fontanella, Giorgio Cesana – won two other gold medals in the two coxed pairs events in 1906.

An American newspaper, the Chicago Daily Tribune, noted, “The Italian oarsmen won the four oared gig … in slashing style … The spectacle as the whalers came down the course was fine. The Italian crew rowed its peculiar native stroke, the men rising in their seats and throwing the full weight of their bodies into the stroke, the coxswain standing in the stern and swinging forward with one arm over his head, giving the time to the crew.”