Sailing at the 1976 Summer Olympics

Lore & Background

The sailing program of 1976 consisted of six classes, with seven races scheduled for each. The competition took place on Lake Ontario, using three race areas: Alpha (yellow), Bravo (red), and Charlie (blue). The Portsmouth Olympic Harbour was reconstructed in 1974 to host the event, as Montréal was not suitable. A new Olympic facility was built at the harbour, including a measurement hall, but its overhead doors were not wide enough to admit a fully assembled Tornado; each had to be lifted on one side to enter diagonally.

Reader's Guide

After the Tempest races, an unprecedented incident occurred: Alan Warren and David Hunt set their Tempest on fire. The boat, named 'Gift 'orse', had won silver in 1972 but was damaged during transport to Canada. Warren and Hunt finished 14th in Kingston. Warren stated, 'The Horse was lame and we had to put her down.' Canada Customs could not accept that the boat was unavailable for inspection. Notable sailors at the 1972 Olympics included Beatriz de Lisocky (Colombia, only female competitor in the 470), Jacques Rogge (Belgium, later IOC President), John Bertrand (Australia), Jochen Schümann (East Germany), Rodney Pattisson (Great Britain), Valentin Mankin (Soviet Union), Dennis Conner (United States), Poul Richard Høj Jensen (Denmark), and Hubert Raudaschl (Austria).

Did You Know?

• Sailing has been an Olympic sport since the 1896 Games, with the exception of 1904 and the canceled 1916 Summer Olympics.
• The 1976 sailing events were held in Kingston, Ontario, because Montréal was not a suitable location.
• Alan Warren and David Hunt set their damaged Tempest on fire after finishing 14th, leading to a dispute with Canada Customs.
• The measurement hall's overhead doors were too narrow for a fully assembled Tornado, requiring diagonal entry.