Melchior Rudolf Bürgin (born 17 October 1943) is a former Swiss

rower Rowing, often called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars (called blades in the United Kingdom) are attached to the boat using rowlocks, while paddles are ...

who competed at the

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

and

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...

. Bürgin partnered Martin Studach in the

double scull A double scull, also abbreviated as a 2x, is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars each, one in each hand. Racing boats (often called "shells") ar ...

s rowing for

Switzerland at the 1964 Summer Olympics Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

when they came fourth. Over next three years, Bürgin and Studach dominated the double sculls scene. In 1965 they won the

Double Sculls Challenge Cup The Double Sculls Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's double sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs. Two clubs may combine to m ...

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a Rowing (sport), rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It diffe ...

and the European Championships. In 1966 they won the World Championships. They won the European Championships and the double sculls at Henley again in 1967. Bürgin and Studach rowed in the double sculls for Switzerland at the 1968 Summer Olympics, but at the altitude in Mexico Studach suffered a collapse through over-exertion in the heats. Bürgin went two more rounds with substitute

Hans Ruckstuhl Hans Ruckstuhl (born 26 January 1943 in Lucerne, died 1987 in Porto Heli) was a Swiss rower. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics, 1972 Summer Olympics and the 1976 Summer Olympics The 1976 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the G ...

. Burgin won the double sculls at Henley again in 1969 partnering Denis Oswald. Bürgin competed for

Switzerland at the 1972 Summer Olympics Switzerland competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. 151 competitors, 122 men and 29 women, took part in 116 events in 17 sports. Medalists Archery In the first modern archery competition at the Olympics, Switzerland ent ...

in the

Single scull A single scull (or a scull), abbreviated as a 1x, is a racing shell designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand. Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-se ...

and reached the final to come sixth. Burgin was a long-time employee of Stämpfli, a Swiss boat building company, and took over it in the 1980s when Alfred Stämpfli retired.The History of Stampfli
Stampfli.co.uk. Retrieved on 7 November 2015.

References

External links

* 1943 births Living people Swiss male rowers Olympic rowers for Switzerland Rowers at the 1964 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 1968 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 1972 Summer Olympics World Rowing Championships medalists for Switzerland European Rowing Championships medalists 20th-century Swiss sportsmen {{Switzerland-rowing-bio-stub