Remembering Olympic rowing in Tokyo 1964 – Two defining moments

From night racing to an unbeaten record, World Rowing travels back in time to revisit two memorable moments from 1964, the year Tokyo first hosted the Olympic Games.

Night racing
As a city famed for its glittering towers and bright lights, it is hard to imagine anywhere around Tokyo getting very dark, even at night.

Yet one of the most striking anecdotes from the 1964 Olympic regatta was the men’s eight final, which was raced in conditions so dark that rowers could barely see their competition. It was, however, an opportunity for the organisers to demonstrate the brilliant flare – literally in this case – that made Japan’s first Games such a dazzling success. Vehicle headlamps on land and flares slowly parachuting down from above lit up the course.

“The last event of a wind-delayed show was held half an hour after sundown,” reported the New York Times on 15 October, 1964 – the day of the final. “And with darkness settling over the Toda rowing course, parachute flares were exploded high over the water to provide aerial floodlighting.”

Spectators were ready for a close race between the United States and a crew of West Germans racing under the flag of a unified German team.

American crews had won the event at ten of the preceding 13 Games, but that unrivalled string of victories had ended in a fifth-place finish at Rome 1960. The Germans had won that race and were the undefeated, unquestionable favourites for Olympic gold in Tokyo.

After a bow-to-bow battle of a race in the first heat, the Germans bested the USA by a slim 0.6 second margin, advancing directly to the final. The United States easily moved through their repechage to meet the Germans again in the final.

As sunset’s last glow faded into night, the two rivals locked into the starting area with the other four finalists, ready for the starters’ command. The contest was tight through the body of the race. As the line drew near, the Americans surged into the lead to cross with open water. Germany took silver and Czechoslovakia bronze.

It would be 40 years before the United States won the men’s eights at another Olympics (Athens 2004). Despite their loss in 1964, German crews would win the event at five of the Games since: two for West Germany (Mexico City 1968, Seoul 1988), two for East Germany (Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980), and as a unified Germany (London 2012).

Find the original New York Times article quoted above here.

A race to remember
Another memorable story from Tokyo 1964 is single sculler Vyacheslav Ivanov’s third Olympic victory in a row.

With a golden track record including two Olympic victories (Melbourne 1956 and Rome 1960), Ivanov seemed destined for gold in Tokyo. But instead of an easy win, what transpired was an epic contest only decided by Ivanov’s skill as a sprinter in the final 500 m.

Besides Ivanov, East Germany’s Achim Hill was the only single sculler returning from the 1960 Olympic final. Hill had finished with silver behind Ivanov in that contest, but his record of success was spotty.

A more immediate threat came from a relative newcomer. American sculler Don Spero had won silver in the double sculls at the 1963 European Championships and had moved into the single.

Spero surprised the world on the first day, defeating Ivanov in the heats, forcing the defending Olympic champion into a repechage. The American press made much of the upset, but noted Ivanov’s uncanny ability to win when it counted:

“Students of rowing hail Ivanov for his ability as an opponent cracker,” reported the New York Times following the first day of racing. “He is noted for his fierce final drive, and it has helped him to win two Olympic titles, eight Soviet titles, the 1962 world championship and the […] European Championships.”

Meanwhile, Hill had advanced directly to the final with an effortless win in his heat, posting the fastest singles time of the day. With Ivanov’s easy win in his repechage, the scene was set for a spectacular final.

As the starter’s flag dropped to begin the Olympic final, the water boiled into life beneath the rapid strokes of 12 blades in the hands of the world’s six best scullers.

Hill surged to an early lead in the opening strokes, but Ivanov skilfully overtook him to sit a boat length ahead of the East German 250 m into the race. By the 500 m mark, Ivanov was still ahead, but Hill refused to fall back. Spero, despite his success in the heats, proved no match for the defending gold and silver medallists.

As Ivanov found his rhythm in lane 2, four scullers trailed in his wake. But Hill was at work in lane 6, advancing steadily, almost unnoticed. With 500 m to go, Hill was two lengths ahead. Whatever Hill’s strategy, Ivanov responded. Ivanov’s sprint proved unstoppable once again. He caught Hill and kept going, crossing the line with open water.

Ivanov had once again made history, becoming the first rower to win Olympic gold at three consecutive Games. While this feat has been surpassed in other events – most notably by the legendary Romanian rower Elisabeta Lipa.  – Ivanov’s accomplishment in the single has been matched once, by Finland’s Pertti Karppinen, but it has never been beaten.

Find the original New York Times article here.
Find video footage of the Tokyo 1964 Olympic single sculls final here