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You are here: Ideas & Inspiration > Top Ideas > Top 12 Windsor Olympic Connections
In 1908 the marathon started at Windsor Castle; in 1948 the cycling took place in Windsor Great Park and in 2012 the rowing and canoe sprint events take place at Eton Dorney.
He lived at Taplow Court, Nr. Maidenhead and his sporting accomplishments include rowing in the University boat race, rowing across the English Channel, climbing the Matterhorn by three different routes, winning the national putting championships, swimming across the bottom of Niagara Falls (twice) and winning a silver medal in fencing at the 1906 unofficial Olympics. He was elected an MP at 25, married an heiress, was Mayor of Maidenhead, became a peer in 1905 and served as a Knight of the Garter. Taplow Court can be seen from the Eton Dorney venue.
At the time the actual race distance wasn’t fixed. Moving the starting point from Queen Victoria’s statue to East Terrace so that spectators wouldn’t hinder the athletes added 700 hundred yards to the total distance. A few changes at the White City finishing point meant the eventual race distance was 26 miles 385 yards and this was officially adopted as the length of the Marathon in 1924.
The Crown Prince of Sweden was due to start the race but protocol dictated he should defer to her so an elaborate plan was devised to keep all happy. The Princess of Wales pressed a button on a table which connected by electric cable to Lord Desborough’s car. He fired a pistol and the Crown Prince of Sweden shouted “Go”.
It is high up on a house next to Barnes Bridge – just past the Post Office and before the Eton College shop – and reads “25 miles to go”.
This famous meeting point is made of wrought iron and was designed by architect Woodyear in 1864. It was lit by gas and stood on a central island but was moved in 1963 on safety grounds and is no longer illuminated.
The race was held on Friday 13th August and was started in a torrential downpour on Smith’s Lawn, Windsor Great Park, by HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. The race distance was 120 miles, comprised of 17 laps which took approximately 18 minutes each to complete.
Competitors suffered punctures due to the loose gravel on the roads: Of the 91 who started – 52 suffered punctures and only 28 finished. One of the team speaking to Prince Philip afterwards said “I got a medal despite your dirty old park”. “Jolly good show” replied the Duke.
Set in 450 acres of parkland which includes an Arboretum and Nature Conservation area, up to 30,000 spectators a day enjoyed the Rowing, Canoe Sprint and Paralympic Rowing events at Dorney Lake, assisted by 3,500 staff and volunteers.
Eventually taking place only three years after the end of the War, the 1948 Games became known as the Austerity Games, due to the ongoing rationing and post-war conditions. Most countries brought their own food and athletes were housed in army barracks and transported to venues in double-decker buses.
With an oar stroke rate of up to 47 strokes per minute rowing is known for its display of stamina and strength. Physiologists say rowing 2,000m is equivalent to playing back-to-back Basketball games.
The Great Western Railway put on a special train from London’s Paddington Station to Windsor and allowed the runners to change in the waiting room at Windsor Station. In 2008 the Queen held a reception at Windsor Castle to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1908 marathon.
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