Sailing at the 1948 Summer Olympics explained

Event:	Sailing
Games:	1948 Summer
Dates:	First race: Last race:
Competitors:	217
Teams:	75
Team Descriptor:	Boats
Nations:	23
Next:	1952

Sailing at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London consisted of a total of five sailing classes (disciplines). For each class, seven races were scheduled from 312 August 1948 Torquay/Torbay, on England's south coast.^[1]

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 placed 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.

Great Britain's last surviving Gold Medal Champion from the 1948 Summer Olympics was David Bond, who sailed for Great Britain in the Swallow Class.

Venue

As quoted from the official report, "Torquay was, perhaps, an inevitable choice as the venue. It is exposed only to easterly winds, which are rare in summer. Moreover, it is remarkably free from strong tides and currents and other navigational hazards, and thus there is nothing or next to nothing to be gained from the " local knowledge " which is so profitable in difficult waters."^[2]

The sailing event a separate opening ceremony which took place in Torquay, due to its distance from London. The opening was made by IOC chairman J. Sigfrid Edström.

A 14adj=onNaNadj=on course was created for the Dragon and 6 Metre. The Star and Swallow sailed a little more inshore on a 10adj=onNaNadj=on course, while a 6adj=onNaNadj=on course was set close to the coast for the Firefly.

The closing ceremony was observed by 10,000 spectators. The medals were handed by Sir Ralph Gore, President of the International Yacht Racing Union.

Competition

Overview

width=50	Continents	width=50	Countries	width=50	Classes	width=50	Boats	width=50	Male	width=50	Female	width=50	Reserves
4	23	5	75	221	0	37

Continents

• Africa
• Oceania
• Europe
• Americas

Countries

Classes (equipment)

Prior to 1948, sailing had been a gender-neutral sport where male and female competitors competed together. For the 1948 Games, the IOC decided the events should only be open to male sailors. This was the only time this happened until separate male and female events were introduced in some classes in the 1988 Summer Olympics.^[3]

Class	Type	Event	Sailors	Trapeze	Mainsail	Jib/Genoa	Spinnaker	First OG	Olympics so far
			1	0	+	+	–	1948	1
			2	0	+	+	–	1932	3
	Keelboat		2	0	+	+	+	1948	1
	Keelboat		3	0	+	+	+	1948	1
	Keelboat		5	0	+	+	+	1908	8

= Male, = Female, = Open

Remarks

Sailing

• Modern techniques like hot-molded plywood in an autoclave, aluminum mast, booms and decks made their entrance in the Firefly.
• The series was scheduled over the two Olympic weeks. Races 1–4 in each class were sailed from 3–6 August. Races 5–7 took place from 10 to 12 August. This was done so that boats could be overhauled after the first set of races.
• Regarding the scoring system, per the official report, "[t]he number of points awarded to each other competitor diminishes under a given formula, according to the placing of his boat at the finish."^[2] Advantages of this system are:
  • Winning races is well-awarded, so sailors are likely to fight till the end of the race for each place.
  • Fewer ties than with the point-for-place system.
  • The score of the winner reflects the number of entries.
• Together with the scoring system, it was introduced that each team could discard its worst result.
• The courses were laid and patrolled by vessels of the Royal Navy.

Sailors

During the Sailing regattas at the 1948 Summer Olympics, the following people (among others) competed in the various classes:

• , the future designer of the Finn.
• , the future designer of the Vaurien and the Herbulot spinnaker.
• , who won eight consecutive European championships in the starboat class between 1949 and 1956.
• , the oldest of the Sieburger-Salas "clan", a family that had 20 total entries in Olympic Sailing competitions.
• , a two-time gold and silver medalist in the 6 Metre.
• , spanned the longest period in Olympic sailing (1908–1948), in the 6 Metre.
• , who, although he did not finish the first race, won his first of four consecutive gold medals in the Firefly.
• , who became the first Australian to sail in the Olympic Games.

Further reading

• Book: Canada's Olympic Sailing Legacy, Paris 1924 – Beijing 2008. Drake. Hugh. Henderson. Paul. Paul Henderson (sailor). CYA. Toronto. 2009.

50.4574°N -3.5303°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Sailing at the 1948 Summer Olympics . 29 May 2020 . Olympedia.
2. Book: The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the XIV Olympiad London 1948. Organising Committee for the XIV Olympiad London 1948. 1951.
3. Web site: 70 years ago this week: The story of singlehanded sailing at the London 1948 Olympics. Henshall. Dougal. yachtsandyachting.com. August 10, 2018. March 22, 2023.