At the 1908 Summer Olympics, three motorboat racing events were contested. Various sources refer to the sport as "water motorsports", "motor boats", and "power boating". The 1900 and 1908 Summer Games were the only ones to feature motorised sports. The IOC has never decided which events were "Olympic" and which were not.
The men's 100 metres was the shortest of the sprint races at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The competition was held over the course of three days. The first round was held on 20 July, the semifinals on 21 July, and the final on 22 July. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes, The event was won by Reggie Walker of South Africa, the first time the gold medal went to a nation other than the United States. The Americans did stay on the podium with James Rector's silver medal. Canada won its first medal in the event, a bronze by Robert Kerr.
The men's 200 metre race was held for the third time at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The competition was held from 21 to 23 July 1908. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes. 43 sprinters from 15 nations competed. The event was won by Robert Kerr of Canada, the first win by a nation other than the United States. Americans took silver and bronze, with Cartmell becoming the first person to win multiple 200 metres medals after taking earning silver in 1904.
France competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England.
The men's 10 miles walk race was held at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. This event was held for the only time. The competition was held on Thursday, July 16, 1908, and on Friday, July 17, 1908. The competition was held in two rounds. There were two heats in the first round, with the top four in each heat advancing to the final. 25 race walkers from eight nations competed. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.
The men's team pursuit was one of seven track cycling events on the Cycling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. It was the first appearance of a pursuit-style event. Each nation could enter 1 team of 4 cyclists.
The men's single sculls was one of four rowing events on the Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 2 boats. Nine rowers from six nations competed.
The men's 400 metre freestyle was one of six swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Its distance was the median of the 3 individual freestyle event distances. It was the first time an event over 400 metres was held at the Olympics. The competition was held from Monday July 13, 1908 to Thursday July 16, 1908.
The men's 1500 metre freestyle was one of 6 swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Its distance was the longest of the 3 individual freestyle event distances. The competition was held from Tuesday July 21, 1908, to Saturday July 25, 1908.
The men's 100 metre backstroke was one of six swimming events on the swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. It was the only backstroke event on the schedule. It was the first appearance of the event, after a 100-yard event was held in 1904. The competition was held on Thursday July 16, 1908 and on Friday July 17, 1908.
The men's 200 metre breaststroke was one of 6 swimming events on the Swimming at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. It was the only breaststroke event on the schedule. 1908 was the first appearance of the 200 metre breaststroke, as 1904 had seen the introduction of the stroke to Olympic competition with the 440 yard event. Each nation could enter up to 12 swimmers.
Great Britain, represented by the British Olympic Association (BOA), competed as the host nation of the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The British Olympic Association was the National Olympic Committee responsible for organising the United Kingdom's representation. At the time British athletes competed under the team name "United Kingdom". The British team comprised 676 competitors.
The United States competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England. During the opening ceremony, American athletes did not dip their flag to the British royalty in support of the Irish boycott over Great Britain's refusal to grant Irish independence.
Lawson N. Robertson was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of and trainer for the Irish American Athletic Club, and competed for the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, at the 1906 Intercalated Games in Athens, and at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.
Sailing/Yachting is an Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad. With the exception of 1904 and the canceled 1916 Summer Olympics, sailing has always been included on the Olympic schedule. The Sailing program of 1948 consisted of a total of five sailing classes (disciplines). For each class seven races were scheduled from 3–12 August 1948 Torquay/Torbay, on England's south coast.
Ernest Blakelock Thubron, also known as Émile Thubron was an Anglo-French motorboat racer and Olympic champion.
The Class B was one of three motorboating classes contested on the Water motorsports at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 3 boats. In addition to the 60 foot limit, boats were limited to "a total piston area not exceeding that represented by four cylinders each of 155 mm. bore."
The Class C was one of three motorboating classes contested on the Water motorsports at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 3 boats. In addition to the length minimum and maximum, the boats had to weight at least 800 kilograms, have "a total piston area not exceeding that represented by four cylinders each of 106 mm. bore," and "comply with the rules of the International Sporting Club of Monaco in regard to cruisers."
Over time, several scoring systems for Sailing were used during the Summer Olympics. Many of these systems were also used by other regatta's in their times. In order to understand how the medals in the Olympics were handed out one must have a look at the scoring system of that specific olympic sailing regatta.
Sophia Hope Gorham was a British motorboat racer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. She is the only woman in Olympic history to compete in a motorboat event.
