The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, and commonly known as London 1908, was an international multi-sport event held in London, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908.
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.
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, nine wrestling events were contested, all for men. There were four weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and five weight classes in freestyle wrestling.
France competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England.
The men's team was one of two gymnastics events on the Gymnastics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme.
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 coxless pairs was one of four rowing events on the Rowing at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 2 boats. Four pairs from three nations competed.
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. Four boats from three nations competed.
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.
The freestyle featherweight was one of five freestyle wrestling weight classes contested on the Wrestling at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Like all other wrestling events, it was open only to men. The featherweight was the second-lightest class, allowing wrestlers of up to 60.3 kilograms (133 lb). Each nation could enter up to 12 wrestlers.
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.
Denmark competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England. No Danish athletes had competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics.
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.
John Charles Field-Richards was a British Army officer and motorboat racer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Bernard Boverton Redwood was a British motorboat racer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Isaac Thomas "Tom" Thornycroft was an English motorboat racer who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics representing Great Britain.
The Class A was one of three motorboating classes contested on the Water motorsports at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. Nations could enter up to 3 boats.
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."
Water motorsport was on the Summer Olympic Games programme in 1900. These events have generally not been classified as official, although the IOC has never decided which events were "Olympic" and which were not. As with the official croquet events, some motorboating events satisfied three of four retrospective criteria — restriction to amateurs, open to all nations, open to all competitors and without handicapping. As with croquet, there were only French players. Motorboating was also included in the 1908 Olympic Games.
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.
