Harman Patil (Editor)

Sailing at the 1952 Summer Olympics

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Venues
  
Harmaja

Boats
  
93

1 02 !
  
0 03 !

Sailors
  
227 from 29 countries

2 01 !
  
1 02 !

Dates
  
First race: 20 July 1952 (1952-07-20) Last race: 28 July 1952 (1952-07-28)

Sailing/Yachting is an Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad (1896 Olympics in Athens, GReece). With the exception of 1904 and possible 1916 sailing was always a part of the Olympic program. The Sailing program of 1952 consisted of a total of five sailing classes (disciplines). For each class seven races were scheduled from 20–28 July 1952 of the coast of Harmaja.

Contents

The sailing was done on the triangular type Olympic courses. The start was made in the center of a set of 8 numbered marks that were places in a circle. During the starting procedure the sequence of the marks was communicated to the sailors. By picking the mark that was most upwind the start could always be made upwind. This system is, at least in certain German lakes, still in use.

Venue

Two course areas were created in front of Helsinki. One for the Finn just outside the island Liuskasaari. The Finn course was 5.4 nm long and triangular in shape. For the keelboats a course area near the Harmaja lighthouse was used. A 13.1 nm course was set for Star, Dragon, 5.5 & 6 Metre just over one nm South of the lighthouse. Specially the keelboat course was situated in an area of fair sailing conditions. No currents or tidal movements, and no obstacles around the course that could create wind shadows. On the other hand, the Finn course was set near sheltered islands and thus safe for this type of sailing. This course give the spectators also a nice view of the races.

The races were held from 20–23 and 26–28 July. In between the sailors could recover or made boat repairs.

Three yacht clubs were involved:

  • Nyländska Jaktklubben
  • Helsingfors Segelsällskap
  • Merenkävijät Yachting Club (also for the prize giving ceremony)

    • Continents

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Oceania
  • Europe
  • Americas

    • Classes (equipment)

    = Male, = Female, = Open

    Remarks

  • Sailors from abroad were housed in the homes of Finnish yachtsmen
  • Two motor launches accommodated pressmen on the yacht race courses
  • Only the Yachting officials wore a different official uniform, blue coat and grey trousers
  • The Danish shipyard of Borresens Baadebygger was the builder of all Finn dinghies, since then till the beginning of the 21st century closely committed to Olympic Sailing.

    • Sailors

    During the sailing regattas at the 1952 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes:

  •  Denmark (DEN), Paul Elvstrøm in the Finn won his second consecutive Gold medal
  •  Sweden (SWE), Finn sailor Rickard Sarby, also designer of the Finn, injured his right hand during however he took the third place
  •  Australia (AUS), Jock Sturrock the first Australian to represent his country in sailing, became later honoured with the Lindy Award for sportsmanship, Australian yachtsman of the year and ultimately Australian of the year.

    • References

    Sailing at the 1952 Summer Olympics Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA