The “Boys in the Boat” aka the University of Washington Varsity Eight practicing for the Olympic Trials in Poughkeepsie NY after winning the national collegiate championship regatta. This is some of the best footage of pre-WW2 rowing in existence. Beautiful, precise technique and unbelievably sharp synchronicity show why this crew was so fast. Thanks to the Ulbrickson Family for sharing this amazing film!
The “Boys in the Boat” Spring 1936 University of Washington Crew Practice, Portage Bay & the Montlake Cut, Seattle, Washington State. Copyright 2023 Rowing Archives and the Ulbrickson Family All Rights Reserved. Reproduction by permission only.
This is the box containing second short film with “The Boys in the Boat,” this time in the final lineup with Joe Rantz in the 7-seat, practicing in Poughkeepsie, New York after winning the national collegiate championship race there. They are prepping for the Olympic Trials just a few days away and are the overwhelming favorites for that race, which they won in high style to punch their ticket to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. We will post this amazing film in just a few days…
From Coach Al Ulbrickson’s archives. The note is in his had on the back of the photo. Unlike in the movie “The Boys in the Boat,” the Husky Crew had to win the Olympic Trials in Princeton, New Jersey AFTER winning the IRA national collegiate championship in Poughkeepsie, NY. The events were combined in the film. The Poughkeepsie race was not very close, and the Huskies were then heavily favored to win the 1936 trials and represent the US in Berlin. As you can see here, they won the 2000 meter trials in style by open water.
Speaking of Poughkeepsie, here’s the lovely cover of the 1936 Intercollegiate Rowing Association’s national championship regatta. Not only did the “Boys in the Boat” from the Pacific Northwest win the Varsity Challenge Cup, they were the first team in history to “sweep” the river in all three races, winning the Junior Varsity and Freshman races, too.
This is the film and can handed to me by Al Ulbrickson’s granddaughter Rinda in 2016. The can looked authentic with the embossed “EKC” (Eastman Kodak Company) on the back, but one never knows what is actually on a film. Was it actual rowing footage? Turns out, yes, it was. Almost three minutes of “The Boys in the Boat” training, practicing and racing in Berlin before the Olympic final. Unbelievable. If you saw the PBS American Experience documentary “The Boys of ‘36,” all the Berlin footage in that splendid piece was from this reel. Now, for the first time, we’re showing the entire reel. Check it out right here in just a few days…
Coach Al Ulbrickson’s wife Hazel kept a small blue leather journal where she wrote her daily thoughts in tiny penciled handwriting. She also took the book around the S.S. Manhattan, the ocean liner that transported the U.S. Olympic Team to Germany in July of 1936, and had members of the team autograph it. On this page are all the “Boys in the Boat” except Joe Rantz, who’s signature is on another page. Louis Zamperini, the subject of Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken, signed it. And so did Jesse Owens. Is it the first known autograph of the soon-to-be winner of 4 Olympic gold medals? Might be.