Water motorsports at the 1908 Summer Olympics facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Water motorsportsat the Games of the IV Olympiad
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| Venues | Southampton Water |
| Dates | August 28–29 |
| Competitors | 17 from 2 nations |
Imagine boats zooming across the water! At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, there were three exciting motorboat racing events. People called this sport "water motorsports," "motor boats," or "power boating." These games were special because they were one of only two times that motorized sports were part of the Olympics. The other time was in 1900, with motor racing. The people in charge of the Olympics never quite decided which of these events were officially "Olympic."
All three boat races covered the same distance. Boats had to complete five laps around a course that was 8 nautical miles long. This made the total race distance about 74 kilometers (40 nautical miles). In each race, many boats started, but usually only one finished. This was mostly because of a very strong wind, like a small storm, that blew during the competition. The races happened on August 28 and August 29, 1908.
Contents
Who Won the Medals?
| Games | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A — Open |
 Emile Thubron (FRA)Camille |
none | none |
| Class B — Under 60 feet |
 Great Britain (GBR)John Field-Richards Bernard Boverton Redwood Isaac Thomas Thornycroft Gyrinus |
none | none |
| Class C — 6.5–8 metres |
Great Britain (GBR) John Field-Richards Bernard Boverton Redwood Isaac Thomas Thornycroft Gyrinus |
none | none |
Why Water Motorsports Left the Olympics
The water motorsports event was quickly removed from the Olympics after these games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided that the Olympics should not include competitions that use motors. They wanted the focus to be on human strength and skill.
Countries That Competed
A total of 17 boaters from two different countries took part in the races.
- France (4) (France had 4 competitors)
- Great Britain (13) (Great Britain had 13 competitors)
Medal Count by Country
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Britain (GBR) |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2 | France (FRA) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Totals (2 entries) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
Race Details: Class A — Open
The open class race was supposed to happen on the first day, August 28. Two boats, Wolseley-Siddely and Dylan, started the race. Dylan had to stop early in the first lap. Wolseley-Siddely finished the first lap, but the weather became too bad to continue.
They tried the race again the next day, after the other two races were finished. Wolseley-Siddely started again, this time against Camille. Camille was the only French boat in the competition. Wolseley-Siddely got stuck on a muddy bank. This left Camille to finish the race alone and win the gold medal. The crew of Camille was Emile Thubron.
Race Details: Class B — Under 60 feet
The Class B race happened on August 28, after the first try at the open class race. Again, only two boats showed up to start: Quicksilver and Gyrinus. Quicksilver started taking on too much water and had to stop racing.
Gyrinus was a smaller boat. It had an extra crew member whose job was to scoop water out of the boat! This helped Gyrinus finish the race. Its crew became the very first Olympic champions in motorsports. The crew of Gyrinus included John Field-Richards, Bernard Boverton Redwood, and Isaac Thomas Thornycroft.
Gyrinus was a special boat. It was designed by Sir John Isaac Thornycroft, a famous engineer. He had also designed the world's first torpedo boats. The design of Gyrinus was unique because it combined speed with being good in rough seas. This helped it win in the stormy 1908 Olympics.
Race Details: Class C — 6.5–8 metres
The first race on August 29 was for the smaller boats. Gyrinus, the same boat that won the Class B race the day before, raced again. This time, its competitor was Sea Dog. But once again, Gyrinus was the only boat to finish. Sea Dog had engine problems and had to be pulled off the course. So, Gyrinus won another gold medal! The crew was the same as for Class B: John Field-Richards, Bernard Boverton Redwood, and Isaac Thomas Thornycroft.
Images for kids
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The Wolseley-Siddely boat in rough weather during the competition.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Bote motorizado en los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres 1908 para niños
