Sailing at the 1976 Summer Olympics
| Sailing at the Games of the XXI Olympiad | |
|---|---|
  Woodcarves of the Olympic Classes at the Porthmouth Olympic Harbour | |
| Venue | Kingston |
| Dates | July 19 to 27 |
| Competitors | 225 /1 from 40 nations |
| Teams | 130 |
Sailing/Yachting is a 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 1976 consisted of a total of six sailing classes (disciplines). For each class seven races were scheduled from July 19, 1976 to July 27, 1976 of the coast of Kingston, Ontario at the Lake Ontario.
The sailing was done on the triangular type Olympic courses.
Venue
Portsmouth Olympic Harbour Olympic Flame | |
|---|---|
 | |
 |
According to the IOC statutes the contests in all sport disciplines must be held either in, or as close as possible to the city which the IOC has chosen. Since Montréal was not a suitable place the Portsmouth Olympic Harbour Kingston, Ontario, constructed in 1969, was reconstructed in 1974 in time for the 1976 Olympic Sailing event. A total of three race areas were created on Lake Ontario.
The distance from the Porthmouth Olympic Harbour to course area Bravo (red) was about 5nm From there it was another 5nm to the course area's Alpha (yellow) and Charlie (blue). This however ensured wind conditions without local effects.
Competition
Overview
| Continents | Countries | Classes | Boats | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 40 | 6 | 130 | 225 | 1 |
Continents
Countries
* Green: Country participated for the first time
* Blue: Country participated also on previous games
* Red: Country boycotted the sailing event of the OG
 Argentina (ARG) |
 Australia (AUS) |
 Austria (AUT)
|
 Bahamas (BAH) |
 Belgium (BEL) |
 Bermuda (BER)
|
 Brazil (BRA) |
 Canada (CAN) |
 Cayman Islands (CAY)
|
 Colombia (COL) |
 Denmark (DEN) |
 Spain (ESP)
|
 Finland (FIN) |
 France (FRA) |
 Great Britain (GBR)
|
 East Germany (GDR) |
 West Germany (FRG) |
 Greece (GRE)
|
 Guatemala (GUA) |
 Hungary (HUN) |
 Ireland (IRL)
|
 Israel (ISR) |
 Virgin Islands (ISV) |
 Italy (ITA)
|
 Japan (JPN) |
 Mexico (MEX) |
 Monaco (MON)
|
 Netherlands (NED) |
 Norway (NOR) |
 New Zealand (NZL)
|
 Philippines (PHI) |
 Poland (POL) |
 Portugal (POR)
|
 Puerto Rico (PUR) |
 Switzerland (SUI) |
 Sweden (SWE)
|
 Thailand (THA) |
 Soviet Union (URS) |
 United States (USA)
|
 Yugoslavia (YUG)
|
Classes (equipment)
| Class | Type | Event | Sailors | Trapeze | Mainsail | Jib/Genoa | Spinnaker | First OG | Olympics so far |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finn | Dinghy |  |
1 | 0 | + | - | - | 1952 | 7 |
| 470 | Dinghy | |
2 | 1 | + | + | + | 1976 | 1 |
| Flying Dutchman | Dinghy | |
2 | 1 | + | + | + | 1960 | 5 |
| Tornado | Catamaran | |
2 | 1 | + | + | - | 1976 | 1 |
| Tempest | Dinghy | |
2 | 1 | + | + | + | 1972 | 2 |
| Soling | Keelboat | |
3 | 0 | + | + | + | 1972 | 2 |
Medal summary
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
Finn: |
East Germany (GDR)
|
Soviet Union (URS)
|
Australia (AUS)
|
470: |
West Germany (FRG)
|
Spain (ESP)
|
Australia (AUS)
|
Flying Dutchman: |
West Germany (FRG)
|
Great Britain (GBR)
|
Brazil (BRA)
|
Tornado: |
Great Britain (GBR)
|
United States (USA)
|
West Germany (FRG)
|
Tempest: |
Sweden (SWE)
|
Soviet Union (URS)
|
United States (USA)
|
Soling: |
Denmark (DEN)
|
United States (USA)
|
East Germany (GDR)
|
Medal table
| 1 | West Germany (FRG) |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | Great Britain (GBR) |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | East Germany (GDR) |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | Denmark (DEN) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Sweden (SWE) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 6 | United States (USA) |
0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | Soviet Union (URS) |
0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Spain (ESP) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Australia (AUS) |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 10 | Brazil (BRA) |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Sailing 1896–1976
| 1 |  Norway |
15 | 10 | 1 | 26 |
| 2 |  United Kingdom |
14 | 8 | 6 | 28 |
| 3 |  United States |
11 | 7 | 10 | 28 |
| 4 |  Sweden |
9 | 10 | 8 | 27 |
| 5 |  France |
6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
| 6 |  Denmark |
6 | 7 | 2 | 15 |
| 7 |  Netherlands |
3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 8 |  Soviet Union |
3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| 9 |  Australia |
3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 10 |  Belgium |
2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 11 |  West Germany |
2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
 Italy |
2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | |
| 13 |  New Zealand |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 | Germany |
1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 15 |  Germany (EUA) |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Switzerland |
1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
| 17 |  East Germany |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 18 | Greece |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 19 |  Bahamas |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 20 |  Mixed team (ZZX) |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 |  Portugal |
0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 22 |  Argentina |
0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 23 |  Finland |
0 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| 24 |  Canada |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 25 |  Austria |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Cuba |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 27 |  Brazil |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Spain |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
 Estonia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Russia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 30 | 85 | 77 | 70 | 232 |
|---|
Remarks
Facilities
At the Portsmouth area a new Olympic facility was constructed. This building was build to contain all facilities needed during that period. It holds for instance a large measurement hall and several exercise rooms. Only the size of the overhead doors of the measurement hall was not wide enough to bring a fully assembled Tornado in. Each had to be lifted on one side to enter diagonally.
Sailing
After the races in the Tempest an unprecedented incident occurred:
Alan Warren and David Hunt set their Tempest on fire. With this boat they won the silver medal in 1972 but during the transport to Canada the boat called "Gift 'orse" was damaged. Warren and Hunt ended in Kingston on place 14. After the incident Warren stated: "The Horse was lame and we had to put her down."
The story did not end there. Canadian customs couldn't accept that the boat was not available for them to inspect.
Sailors
During the Sailing regatta's at the 1972 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes:
- Colombia (COL), The only female competitor Beatriz De Lisocky in the 470. (This generated a lot of dicussion in the media.)
- Belgium (BEL), President International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge in the Finn
- Australia (AUS), John Bertrand in the Finn
- East Germany (GDR), Jochen Schumann in the Finn
- Great Britain (GBR), Rodney Pattisson Already two times Gold medalist in the Flying Dutchman
- Soviet Union (URS), Valentin Mankin Already two times Gold medalist in the Tempest
- United States (USA), Dennis Conner America's Cup legend in the Tempest
- Denmark (DEN), Poul Richard Høj Jensen multiple winner of World Championships in the Soling
- Austria (AUT), Hubert Raudaschl currently holds the record of competing Olympic Games (9) in the Soling
-
In Finn:
Jacques Rogge -
In Finn:
John Bertrand -
In Soling:
Poul Richard Høj Jensen
References
- (ed.) Louis Chantigny (1978). Montréal 1976 Official Report,Volume I: Organization (PDF). Ottawa: COJO. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help) - (ed.) Louis Chantigny (1978). Montréal 1976 Official Report,Volume II: Facilities (PDF). Ottawa: COJO. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help) - (ed.) Louis Chantigny (1978). Montréal 1976 Official Report,Volume III: Results (PDF). Ottawa: COJO. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
{{cite book}}:|author=has generic name (help) - Kubatko, Justin. "Sailing at the 1976 Montréal Summer Games: Sailing". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
- Hugh Drake & Paul Henderson (2009). Canada's Olympic Sailing Legacy, Paris 1924 - Beijing 2008. Toronto: CYA.
- Official IYRU movie of the 1976 Olympics
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