The European press, which favoured the traditional competitors from France and England, greeted the arrival of the "colonials" with indifference, if not scorn. Referred to as "quaint" and even "strange looking," the Canadians were given no chance at all of winning. Their flesh-coloured jerseys, dark trousers, leather braces and pink caps provided a stark contrast to their well-dressed upper-class rivals. The New Brunswickers' boat, described in the English newspapers as "a curious old-fashioned outrigger," outweighed the sleek European boats by more than 100 pounds. The Canadians also thwarted tradition with their unorthodox rowing style. Even more ridiculous, they had no coxswain to shout instructions and steer the boat, preferring to steer with a foot-guided rudder.
It was with some astonishment, therefore, that the crowd watched the Saint John four take the first event with such ease that one of the crew could stop rowing and wave as the boat crossed the finish line. These upstarts were taken a bit more seriously in the second event, but here again they upset expectations by out-distancing their famed competitors by a full three lengths. The "Paris Crew," as they were called from that day on, proved themselves the undisputed world champions.
Robert Fulton, George Price, Samuel Hutton and Elijah Ross returned in triumph to a jubilant young Canada. In St. John 7,000 people in carriages, wagons, rowboats, canoes and steamers, cheered as the band played "Hail the Conquering Heroes Come." For the next two years, the Paris Crew dominated the sports pages. Thousands of Canadian fans turned out to watch them defeat various American rowing teams. On September 15, 1870 they were matched against a championship British team from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. The Canadians lost this one when the choppy water spilled over the low sides of their boat and threatened to swamp it. Rematched against the same British team on the 23rd of August 1871, the Paris Crew won the race [but were robbed of a satisfying victory with the death of one of the English rowers during the race].
The sadness of this event took the shine off rowing as a popular spectator sport, and the Paris Crew never again competed in international competition. However, their victory in Paris, and their few years in the public spotlight, put the young country of Canada on the map, and gave its citizens a newfound sense of pride and unity. As the Toronto Globe pointed out at the time, the Paris Crew's achievement brought home "to the broad mass of our people that our bold Maritime friends are now our fellow-countrymen in name and in fact."
Historica Minute Cast
| Fulton | Dean McDermott | |
| Price | Kevin Jubinville | |
| Ross | Simon Reynolds | |
| Hutton | Hugh Thompson | |
| Rogers | Neil Dainard | |
| Young | Gordon Michael Woolvett | |
| Leger | Robert Godin | |
| Plummy | Adrian Hough | |
| Percy | Steve Cumyn | |
| Claire | Torri Higginson | |
| Guard | Christian Laurin | |
| Gentleman | Rodger Barton | |
| Reporter | Jim Bearden | |
| Indiantown Man | Jeff Clarke | |
| Randall | Christopher Marren | |
| Bert | David Harvey | |
| Young Woman | Fiona Loewi | |
| Bookmaker | Michael Copeman | |
| Additional Cast | Trudy Anne Artman | |
| Additional Cast | Rob Greenway | |
| Additional Cast | Deborah Jarvis | |
| Additional Cast | François Klanfer | |
| Additional Cast | Sam Malkin | |
| Additional Cast | Paul Saunders |
