Sailing at the 1984 Summer Olympics

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 1984 consisted of a total of seven sailing classes (disciplines). For each class seven races were scheduled from 31 July 1984 to 8 August 1984 of the coast of Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California at the Pacific Ocean. Los Angeles hosted the Olympic sailing competitions for the second time, having previously done so during the 1932 Summer Olympics. The sailing was done on the triangular type Olympic courses.

Venue

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 the sailing conditions of the coast of Los Angeles are very suitable for Olympic sailing no exception had to be made for the 1984 Sailing event. A total of four race areas were created in the Pacific of the coast of Long Beach. Boardsailing for men was added to the sailing event.

The facilities needed to accommodate the sailing event were simple. According to the official report: "Two paved parking lots and three boat-owner shower facilities were the only existing facilities utilized. The only on-site facilities provided for spectators were a series of bleachers for the award ceremonies and an information booth on the west edge of the site on the marina green. Spectators could sign up for space on a boat that circumvented the race courses."

For the media a number of 40 boats was reserved. All boats were fully booked.

Competition

Overview

Continents

• Africa
• Asia
• Australian continent
• Europe
• North America
• South America

Countries

1984 Olympic Boycott

In response to the American-led boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, 14 Eastern Bloc countries including the Soviet Union, Cuba and East Germany (but not Romania) boycotted the Games. For differing reasons, Iran and Libya also boycotted. The USSR announced its intention not to participate on 8 May 1984, citing security concerns and "chauvinistic sentiments and an anti-Soviet hysteria being whipped up in the United States."^[1] The Los Angeles boycott influenced most sailing events. e.g. In the Soling the East German team of: Helmar Nauck, Norbert Helriegel and Sven Diedering were absent.

Classes (equipment)

Medal summary

Medal tables

Sailing 1984

Sailing 1896–1984

Remarks

Sailing

• The Windglider event was also held for women, but only as an exhibition event. Karen Morch of Canada won the competition.
• Although there was a need for a specific female event, this was the first time a specific men's event Windglider was on the program.

Sailors

During the Sailing regatta's at the 1984 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes:

•  Fiji (FIJ), Tony Philp The youngest competitor:(15 years, 48 days)
•  Denmark (DEN), Paul Elvstrøm The oldest participant: (56 years, 158 days)
•  New Zealand (NZL), Russell Coutts
•  New Zealand (NZL), Luis Doreste

Notes

References

• (ed.) Richard B. Perelman (1985) (PDF). Official Report Los Angeles 1984,Volume 1: Organization and Planning. Los Angeles: 1984 Olympic Organizing Committee. http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984. Retrieved 24 January 2011. 
• (ed.) Richard B. Perelman (1985) (PDF). Official Report Los Angeles 1984,Volume 2: Competition and Summary and Results. Los Angeles: 1984 Olympic Organizing Committee. http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1984. Retrieved 24 January 2011. 
• Hugh Drake & Paul Henderson (2009). Canada's Olympic Sailing Legacy, Paris 1924 – Beijing 2008. Toronto: CYA. 
• "Los Angeles 1984". Olympic.org. International Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.org/en/content/Olympic-Games/All-Past-Olympic-Games/Summer/Los-Angeles-1984.