Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's coxless four

The men's coxless four was one of four rowing events on the Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 2 boats (total of 8 rowers).[1] Four boats from three nations competed.[2]

Men's coxless fours at the Games of the IV Olympiad
Venue	River Thames
Dates	July 28 (semifinals) July 31 (final)
Competitors	16 from 3 nations
Medalists
Great Britain Collier Cudmore, James Angus Gillan, Duncan Mackinnon, John Somers-Smith  Great Britain Harold Barker, John Fenning, Philip Filleul, Gordon Thomson  Canada Gordon Balfour, Becher Gale, Charles Riddy, Geoffrey Taylor  Netherlands Hermannus Höfte, Albertus Wielsma, Johan Burk, Bernardus Croon

Competition format

The 1908 tournament featured two rounds of one-on-one races; with 4 boats in the competition, the semifinals were the first round. Semifinal losers each received bronze medals, so that all competitors earned a medal. The course was 1.5 miles in length, with two slight bends near the start and about halfway.[3]

Standings

Place	Bow	Rowers	Stroke	Nation
1	Collier Cudmore	James Angus Gillan Duncan Mackinnon	John Somers-Smith	Great Britain
2	Philip Filleul	Harold Barker John Fenning	Gordon Thomson	Great Britain
3	Gordon Balfour	Becher Gale Charles Riddy	Geoffrey Taylor	Canada
	Hermannus Höfte	Albertus Wielsma Johan Burk	Bernardus Croon	Netherlands

Results

Semifinal 1

The British four won by 2¼ lengths.

Place	Bow	Rowers	Stroke	Nation	Time
1	Collier Cudmore	James Angus Gillan Duncan Mackinnon	John Somers-Smith	Great Britain	8:34.0
2	Gordon Balfour	Becher Gale Charles Riddy	Geoffrey Taylor	Canada	(8:40.5)

Semifinal 2

Place	Bow	Rowers	Stroke	Nation	Time
1	Philip Filleul	Harold Barker John Fenning	Gordon Thomson	Great Britain	9:04.0
2	Hermannus Höfte	Albertus Wielsma Johan Burk	Bernardus Croon	Netherlands	Unknown

Final

Place	Bow	Rowers	Stroke	Nation	Time
1	Collier Cudmore	James Angus Gillan Duncan Mackinnon	John Somers-Smith	Great Britain	8:34.0
2	Philip Filleul	Harold Barker John Fenning	Gordon Thomson	Great Britain	Unknown

References

1. Official Report, p. 37.
2. "Rowing at the 1908 London Summer Games: Men's Coxless Fours". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
3. Official Report, pp. 237–38.

Sources

• Cook, Theodore Andrea (1908). The Fourth Olympiad, Being the Official Report. London: British Olympic Association.
• De Wael, Herman (2001). "Rowing 1908". Herman's Full Olympians. Retrieved 6 May 2006.