Sailing at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Sailing/Yachting
is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad
(1896 Olympics in Greece. With the exception of 1904
and possible 1916
sailing was always a part of the Olympic program.
The Sailing program of 1956 consisted of a total of five sailing classes (disciplines). For each class seven races were scheduled from 26 November to 5 December 1956 at Port Phillip Bay.
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 certain German lakes, still in use.
The winds are ideal for sailing. The predominant southerlies generates light airs in the morning. It freshens in the afternoon to up to 18 knots (35.3 km/h), and then easing and backing south-east in the evening.
Three circular courses were planned for the northern end of Port Phillip Bay, each using the 1936 system with 8 fixed buoy's with the start in the middle of the circle. At Sandringham for the Finn a course length of approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km) was used. For the 12 square metres and Star the length was set to about 10 nautical miles (18.5 km). The Dragon and 5.5 Metre were using a course length of 14 nautical miles (25.9 km).
>
= Male, 
= Female, = Open
, Spain, and Switzerland
. They withdrew to protest against the Soviet Union invasion of Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
and Soviet presence at the Games. At that time The Netherlands dominated at the International competition in the 12m2 Sharpie.
in the Finn, yacht designer of the Olympic Laser
., Peter Mander
won the first New Zealand Olympic gold medal in the 12m2 Sharpie, became later president of the New Zealand Yachting Federation., Graham Hargrave Mann helmed the dragon Bluebottle the wedding gift to Her Majesty the Queen., Prince of Thailand
, Prinz Bhanubanda Bira in the Star
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad
Olympiad
An Olympiad is a period of four years, associated with the Olympic Games of Classical Greece. In the Hellenistic period, beginning with Ephorus, Olympiads were used as calendar epoch....
(1896 Olympics in Greece. With the exception of 1904
1904 Summer Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States from 1 July 1904, to November 23, 1904, at what is now known as Francis Field on the campus of Washington University...
and possible 1916
1916 Summer Olympics
The anticipated 1916 Summer Olympics, which were to be officially known as the Games of the VI Olympiad, were to have been held in Berlin, Germany. However, due to the outbreak of World War I, the games were cancelled.-History:...
sailing was always a part of the Olympic program.
The Sailing program of 1956 consisted of a total of five sailing classes (disciplines). For each class seven races were scheduled from 26 November to 5 December 1956 at Port Phillip Bay.
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 certain German lakes, still in use.
Venue
Port Phillip Bay a natural bay of about 725 square miles (1,877.7 km²) of water, free of reefs a mere 8 miles (13 km) from the Main Stadium of the Olympics. One can enter the bay from the Southern Ocean a narrow gap of about 3 km. Therefore the course areas are almost free of tidal streams. However there is a 0.5 m tidal rise.The winds are ideal for sailing. The predominant southerlies generates light airs in the morning. It freshens in the afternoon to up to 18 knots (35.3 km/h), and then easing and backing south-east in the evening.
Three circular courses were planned for the northern end of Port Phillip Bay, each using the 1936 system with 8 fixed buoy's with the start in the middle of the circle. At Sandringham for the Finn a course length of approximately 6 nautical miles (11 km) was used. For the 12 square metres and Star the length was set to about 10 nautical miles (18.5 km). The Dragon and 5.5 Metre were using a course length of 14 nautical miles (25.9 km).
Overview
| Continents | Countries | Classes | Boats | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 29 | 5 | 71 | 153 | 0 |
Continents
- Africa
- Asia
- Australian continentAustralia (continent)Australia is the world's smallest continent, comprising the mainland of Australia and proximate islands including Tasmania, New Guinea, the Aru Islands and Raja Ampat Islands...
- Europe
- North America
- South America
Countries
Classes (equipment)
| Class | Type | Event | Sailors | Trapeze | Mainsail | Jib/Genoa | Spinnaker | First OG | Olympics so far |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finn Finn (dinghy) The Finn dinghy is the men's single-handed, cat-rigged Olympic class for sailing. It was designed by Swedish canoe designer, Rickard Sarby, in 1949 for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki... |
Dinghy Dinghy A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,... |
1 | 0 | + | – | – | 1952 | 2 | |
| 12m2 Sharpie 12 Square meter Sharpie (dinghy) The 12m Sharpie was designed in 1931 by the Kroger Brothers. The peak of the class was in the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. To this day, the original design has been preserved, and the class is sailed competitively in the ,, , and... |
Dinghy | 2 | 0 | + | + | – | 1956 | 1 | |
| Star Star (sailboat) The International Star is a 6.9 m one-design racing keelboat for two people.The boat must weigh at least 671 kg with a maximum total sail area of 26.5 m . It is sloop-rigged, with a mainsail larger in proportional size than any other boat of its length... |
Keelboat Keelboat Keelboat has two distinct meanings related to two different types of boats: one a riverine cargo-capable working boat, and the other a classification for small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yachts.-Historical keel-boats:... |
2 | 0 | + | + | – | 1932 | 5 | |
| Dragon Dragon (keelboat) thumbThe International Dragon is a one-design keelboat.The Dragon was designed by Norwegian Johan Anker in 1929. In 1948 the Dragon became an Olympic Class, a status it retained until the Munich Olympics in 1972... |
Keelboat | 3 | 0 | + | + | + | 1948 | 3 | |
| 5.5 Metre 5.5 Metre (keelboat) The International 5.5 Metre Class was created to yield a racing keel boat giving a sailing experience similar to that of the International 6 Metre Class, but at a lower cost.... |
Keelboat | 3 | 0 | + | + | + | 1952 | 2 |
= Male, = Female, = OpenMedal summary
| Finn: |
|||
| 12 m² Sharpie: |
Peter Mander Peter Mander Peter Garth Mander was a former New Zealand yachtsman and Olympic Gold medal winner. With Jack Cropp, Mander won the Sharpie class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Mander then retired from competitive yachting, but made a comeback and was selected to compete in the Finn class at the 1964... Jack Cropp Jack Cropp John "Jack" Urquhart Cropp is a former New Zealand yachtsman who won an Olympic Gold medal at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Together with Peter Mander, Cropp won the Sharpie class. Born in Hokitika, Cropp now resides in Takaka, Golden Bay.-External links:*... |
Rolland Tasker John Scott John Scott (sailor) John Malcolm Scott is an Australian sailor. He won a silver medal in the Sharpie class with Rolly Tasker at the 1956 Summer Olympics.- References :* at sports-reference.com... |
Jasper Blackall Jasper Blackall Jasper Blackall is a British sailor. He won a bronze medal in the Sharpie class with Terence Smith at the 1956 Summer Olympics-References:* at sports-reference.com... Terence Smith Terence Smith (sailor) Terence Smith is a British sailor. He won a bronze medal in the Sharpie class with Jasper Blackall at the 1956 Summer Olympics-References:* at sports-reference.com... |
| Star: |
Herbert Williams Herbert Williams (sailor) Herbert Williams was an American sailor and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, where he received a gold medal in the star class with the boat Kathleen, together with Lawrence Low.-External links:*... Lawrence Low Lawrence Low Lawrence Low is an American sailor and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, where he received a gold medal in the star class with the boat Kathleen, together with Herbert Williams.... |
Agostino Straulino Agostino Straulino Agostino Straulino was an Italian sailor and sailboat racer, who won one Olympic gold medal and one silver medal in the Star class, and eight consecutive European championships and two world championships in this class and was world champion in the 5.5m-class.-Biography:Straulino was born in Mali... Nicolò Rode Nicolò Rode Nicolò Rode is an Italian sailor and Olympic Champion. He competed at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki and won a gold medal in the Star class with skipper Agostino Straulino on Merope... |
Durward Knowles Durward Knowles Durward Randolph Knowles is a sailor and olympic champion from the Bahamas. He competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he won a gold medal in the Star class, together with Cecil Cooke... Sloane Farrington |
| Dragon: |
Folke Bohlin Bengt Palmquist Bengt Palmquist Bengt V. Palmquist was a Swedish sailor who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and in the 1960 Summer Olympics.... Leif Wikström Leif Wikström Leif Wikström was a Swedish sailor who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.In 1956 he won the gold medal as a crew member of the Swedish boat Slaghöken II in the Dragon class event.-External links:*... |
Ole Berntsen Ole Berntsen Ole Valdemar Berntsen was a Danish sailor and Olympic champion. He was born in Hellerup and died in Gentofte.... Cyril Andresen Cyril Andresen Cyril Andresen was a Danish competitive sailor and Olympic medalist. He won a silver medal in the Dragon class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, together with Ole Berntsen and Christian von Bülow.-References:... Christian von Bülow Christian von Bülow Christian von Bülow is a Danish sailor and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where he received a gold medal in the dragon class with the boat White Lady, together with crew members Ole Berntsen and Ole Poulsen. He received a silver medal at the 1956 Summer... |
Graham Mann Graham Mann Graham Mann was a British competitive sailor and Olympic medalist. He won a bronze medal in the Dragon class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, together with Ronald Backus and Jonathan Janson.-References:... Ronald Backus Ronald Backus Ronald Backus is a British competitive sailor and Olympic medalist. He won a bronze medal in the Dragon class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, together with Graham Mann and Jonathan Janson.-References:... Jonathan Janson Jonathan Janson (sailor) Jonathan Janson is a British competitive sailor and Olympic medalist. He won a bronze medal in the Dragon class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, together with Graham Mann and Ronald Backus.-References:... |
| 5.5 Metre: |
Lars Thörn Lars Thörn Lars Einar Thörn was a Swedish sailor who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and in the 1964 Summer Olympics.... Hjalmar Karlsson Hjalmar Karlsson Hjalmar Karlsson was a Swedish sailor who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.In 1956 he won the gold medal as part of the Swedish boat Rush V in the 5.5 metre class event.-External links:*... Sture Stork Sture Stork Sture Henrik Stork was a Swedish sailor who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics and in the 1964 Summer Olympics.In 1956 he won the gold medal as part of the Swedish boat Rush V in the 5.5 metre class event.... |
Robert Perry Neil Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick John Dillon David Bowker |
Jock Sturrock Jock Sturrock Alexander Stuart "Jock" Sturrock MBE was a noted Australian yachtsman who won over four hundred national and state championship yachting races.... Devereaux Mytton Devereaux Mytton Devereaux Mytton was an Australian competitive sailor and Olympic medalist. He won a bronze medal in the 5.5 Metre class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.-References:... Douglas Buxton Douglas Buxton Douglas Buxton was an Australian competitive sailor and Olympic medalist. He won a bronze medal in the 5.5 Metre class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.-References:... |
Sailing 1956
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 5 | 5 | 5 | 15 |
|---|
Sailing 1896–1956
| 1 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 24 | |
| 2 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 21 | |
| 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 | |
| 4 | USA | 7 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 19 | |
| 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 8 | |
| 7 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 | |
| 8 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | |
| 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 10 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |
| 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | |
| 15 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 21 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Total | 23 | 58 | 50 | 43 | 151 |
|---|
Olympic boycott
1956 was the first time in history that several countries decided to boycott the Olympics. The boycott that influenced the sailing the most was probably that of The NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Spain, and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. They withdrew to protest against the Soviet Union invasion of Hungary during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
1956 Hungarian Revolution
The Hungarian Revolution or Uprising of 1956 was a spontaneous nationwide revolt against the government of the People's Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed policies, lasting from 23 October until 10 November 1956....
and Soviet presence at the Games. At that time The Netherlands dominated at the International competition in the 12m2 Sharpie.
Sailing
- This Olympic sailing event was gender independent, but tuned out to be a Mens only event. This was one of the triggers to create gender specific events. This however had to wait until 1988Sailing at the 1988 Summer OlympicsSailing/Yachting is a Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad . With the exception of 1904 and possible 1916 sailing was always a part of the Olympic program....
. - Classes were hosted by several local yacht clubs:
- Sandringham Yacht Club: Finn
- Elwood Sailing Club: 12m2 Sharpie
- Royal St. Kilda Yacht Club: Star
- Royal Brighton Yacht Club: Dragon
- Royal Yacht Club of Victoria: 5.5 Metre
- The Royal St. Kilda Yacht Club was also the Sailing Headquarters
- Thirty-five Finn boats were built by a Melbourne firm of yacht builders. Other than in Helsinki, they were cold moulded shells of Queensland maple veneer. The mast and boom were of sitka spruce.
- The weather, throughout the series, was fine, with moderate sea breezes and pleasant sunshine. Except on 29 November th when the races in the Finn were postponed, several 12m2 Meter Sharpies capzised, only 5 out of 13 Sharpies could finish and the 5.5 Metre's of the Soviet Union and South Africa were dismasted.
- The courses were set by the Royal Australian Navy. The vessels: H.M.A.S. Warramunga, H.M.A.S. Swan and H.M.A.S. Sprightly acted as starting vessels.
Sailors
During the Sailing regatta's at the 1956 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes:, Paul Elvstrøm in the Finn won his third consecutive Gold medal, Bruce KirbyBruce Kirby
Bruce Kirby is a Canadian-born yacht designer, dinghy and offshore racer and journalist. His designs span boats from the extremely popular single crew Laser to America's Cup challengers...
in the Finn, yacht designer of the Olympic Laser
Laser (dinghy)
The International Laser Class sailboat, also called Laser Standard and the Laser One is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes...
., Peter Mander
Peter Mander
Peter Garth Mander was a former New Zealand yachtsman and Olympic Gold medal winner. With Jack Cropp, Mander won the Sharpie class at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Mander then retired from competitive yachting, but made a comeback and was selected to compete in the Finn class at the 1964...
won the first New Zealand Olympic gold medal in the 12m2 Sharpie, became later president of the New Zealand Yachting Federation., Graham Hargrave Mann helmed the dragon Bluebottle the wedding gift to Her Majesty the Queen., Prince of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Prinz Bhanubanda Bira in the Star