Peter-Michael Kolbe
Encyclopedia
Peter-Michael Kolbe (born 2 August 1953 in Hamburg
) is a German
rower
and is one of the greatest single scullers ever. And, with the possible exception of Australia
's Stuart Mackenzie
, the greatest to have never won an Olympic Gold Medal. He won a record 11 Olympic and World Championship medals in the single scull, including a record 5 Gold Medals in the single scull event at the World Championships. Kolbe's rivalry with Finland
's single sculler Pertti Karppinen
, which stretched over 14 years, is legendary.
as the favorite. On the day of the Olympic finals, the wind was fierce and the course difficult. Kolbe led the entire race only to be passed in the closing moments by Karppinen
who had trailed badly during the early portions of the race. Kolbe's reward was a silver medal.
Germany boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics
to protest the Soviet Union
's invasion of Afghanistan
. Kolbe left the single scull and rowed in the German National eight (8+), which raced in several European events. His rival, Karppinen won the Gold Medal at the Olympics.
At the 1984 Olympics
, Kolbe faced his rival Karppinen once again. Kolbe fought for and got the lead early in the race. He slowly began pulling away from the other rowers. Karppinen languished far back. Over the last thousand meters of the race, Kolbe continued to pull away from the pack, but Karppinen was inching his way back into the race. In the last 150 meters of the race, Karppinen caught an exhausted Kolbe and went on to win his third gold medal.
In both the 1976 and 1984 Olympics, Karppinen and Kolbe separated themselves from the pack turning a multi-boat race into a two boat match. They were the two best scullers in the world. They raced each other many other times and their races were well rowed and hard fought. Unlike the Olympics, Kolbe, more often than not, beat his rival at the World Championships.
At the 1988 Olympics
, Kolbe finally beat Karppinen at the Olympics, but there was a new sculling sensation. Thomas Lange
won the race with Kolbe again getting silver, and Karppinen not even making the finals.
Kolbe was consistently fast. In all Kolbe's Olympic and World Championship races, only Karppinen, Lange and Andrew Sudduth
were ever able to beat Kolbe in a regularly rigged boat.
In 1994, Kolbe became a director of the German Rowing Federation. Today, Kolbe lives in Lübeck. For many years Peter lived in Oslo, Norway
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
) is a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
rower
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and is one of the greatest single scullers ever. And, with the possible exception of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's Stuart Mackenzie
Stuart MacKenzie
Stuart MacKenzie is an Australian competition rower and Olympic medalist, who also competed for Great Britain at the 1962 World Championships....
, the greatest to have never won an Olympic Gold Medal. He won a record 11 Olympic and World Championship medals in the single scull, including a record 5 Gold Medals in the single scull event at the World Championships. Kolbe's rivalry with Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
's single sculler Pertti Karppinen
Pertti Karppinen
Pertti Johannes Karppinen is a Finnish rower who is legendary for his three consecutive Olympic Gold medals in Single Sculls in 1976, 1980, and 1984. He also won World Championships in 1979 and 1985. He once held the world record in indoor rowing. Karppinen's style was to row a steady race and...
, which stretched over 14 years, is legendary.
Rowing Biography
In 1975, Kolbe won his first World Rowing Championship in the single scull. He was named German Sportsman of the year for this achievement. He went into the 1976 OlympicsRowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal featured races in 14 events, all held at the rowing basin on Île Notre-Dame. Women's events held at 1000 m debuted ....
as the favorite. On the day of the Olympic finals, the wind was fierce and the course difficult. Kolbe led the entire race only to be passed in the closing moments by Karppinen
Pertti Karppinen
Pertti Johannes Karppinen is a Finnish rower who is legendary for his three consecutive Olympic Gold medals in Single Sculls in 1976, 1980, and 1984. He also won World Championships in 1979 and 1985. He once held the world record in indoor rowing. Karppinen's style was to row a steady race and...
who had trailed badly during the early portions of the race. Kolbe's reward was a silver medal.
Germany boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
to protest the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's invasion of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. Kolbe left the single scull and rowed in the German National eight (8+), which raced in several European events. His rival, Karppinen won the Gold Medal at the Olympics.
At the 1984 Olympics
Rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympics featured 14 events in total, for both men and women.Due to the Eastern Bloc boycott of these Olympics, some of the strongest rowing nations like East Germany, the USSR or Bulgaria were not present...
, Kolbe faced his rival Karppinen once again. Kolbe fought for and got the lead early in the race. He slowly began pulling away from the other rowers. Karppinen languished far back. Over the last thousand meters of the race, Kolbe continued to pull away from the pack, but Karppinen was inching his way back into the race. In the last 150 meters of the race, Karppinen caught an exhausted Kolbe and went on to win his third gold medal.
In both the 1976 and 1984 Olympics, Karppinen and Kolbe separated themselves from the pack turning a multi-boat race into a two boat match. They were the two best scullers in the world. They raced each other many other times and their races were well rowed and hard fought. Unlike the Olympics, Kolbe, more often than not, beat his rival at the World Championships.
At the 1988 Olympics
Rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul featured 14 events in total, for men and women, held on the Han River Regatta Course.-Medal summary:-Medal table:-See also:*Rowing at the Summer Olympics*Olympic medalists in rowing...
, Kolbe finally beat Karppinen at the Olympics, but there was a new sculling sensation. Thomas Lange
Thomas Lange
Thomas Lange is a German rower who won two gold and one bronze Olympic medals in the single scull. He was born in Eisleben....
won the race with Kolbe again getting silver, and Karppinen not even making the finals.
Kolbe was consistently fast. In all Kolbe's Olympic and World Championship races, only Karppinen, Lange and Andrew Sudduth
Andrew Sudduth
Andrew Hancock Sudduth , was one of the best United States rowers of his generation. He was a fixture on the United States National team throughout the 1980s....
were ever able to beat Kolbe in a regularly rigged boat.
In 1994, Kolbe became a director of the German Rowing Federation. Today, Kolbe lives in Lübeck. For many years Peter lived in Oslo, Norway
Olympics
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1976 Olympic Games
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1984 Olympic Games
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1988 Olympic Games
- Member, German 1980 Olympic Team (boycotted Olympics)
World Championships
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1975
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1978
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1979
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1981
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1983
- Bronze Medal, Single Scull, 1985
- Gold Medal, Single Scull, 1986
- Silver Medal, Single Scull, 1987
Links
- Video of 1985 World Championship, Single Scull (Kolbe Third Place)
- Video of the Olympic Games in 1976
- Video of the Olympic Games in 1984