Sailing at the 1932 Summer Olympics

Sailing/Yachting is an Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad (1896 Olympics in Athens Greece). With the exception of 1904 and the canceled 1916 Summer Olympics, sailing has always been included on the Olympic schedule. The Sailing program of 1932 consisted of a total of four sailing classes (disciplines). For each class races were scheduled from 5–12 August directly off the Los Angeles Harbor on the Pacific Ocean.

Sailing
at the Games of the X Olympiad
Xth Olympiad Los Angeles Bronze tablet Yachting
VenuesLos Angeles Harbor
DatesFirst race: 5 August 1932 (1932-08-05)
Last race: 12 August 1932 (1932-08-12)
Competitors57 from 11 nations
Boats23

Venue

Source:[1]

Los Angeles Harbor
Angels Gate light
Entrance to the Los Angeles Harbor.
On the right the courses of the Snowbird were laid. To the left those of the other three classes.
1932 Olympic harbor
General information
StatusComplete
TypeOlympic harbor
LocationSan Pedro Breakwater
Town or cityLos Angeles, California
Country United States
Coordinates33°42′30.5″N 118°15′06.0″W
ElevationSealevel
Construction started1910
Completed1913
Opened1913
Cost$36,000
OwnerUS Coast Guard

Los Angeles Harbor

The Xth Olympiad Yachting events were raced in the Pacific Ocean directly off the Port of Los Angeles, over a course used for the past eight years in local yachting. This course was selected because of its suitability for wind conditions, its freedom from tides and swift currents, and the clearness of its waters, with the added advantage of offering spectators a full view from the Point Fermin headlands. Constant winds were assured as in this locality the trade wind comes up about mid-day, bringing with it a true westerly wind varying from eight to fifteen knots in velocity.

Xth Olympiade Committee of the Games of Los Angeles, Official Report of the Games of the X Olympiad[1]

Sea breeze

Due to the predicted Sea breeze in Los Angeles Harbor it was decided to race the Snowbirds in the lighter morning breezes. However, during the mornings there was virtually no wind at all. Therefore, some races of the Snowbird were sailed in the afternoon in heavy conditions. Luckily no capsizing took place. It also gave issues for those sailors who were competing not only in the Snowbird but also in one of the other classes.

Course areas

The courses had been well prepared. The marks were laid by the United States Lighthouse Service in the form of large Government buoys, and kelp beds under the lee of Point Fermin were marked by the United States Navy Department as restricted area. Visiting yachts were kept at a safe distance from the racing boats by the US Coast Guard. Tows were arranged by the US Navy to and from Los Angeles Harbor to the race area's. On the Pacific side of the San Pedro Breakwater the Star, 6 Metre and 8 Metre yachts had their races. Those classes had to pass the Angels Gate light in order to reach the course area. The Snowbird stayed inside the breakwater to protect them from the ocean swell.[1]

1932 Olympic Course Areas
Open street map view of the current map of Los Angeles. Projected are the 1932 Olympic courses of the Snowbird (Red Area) and the Star, 6 Metre and 8 Metre (blue area).

Competition

Source:[1]

Overview

ContinentsCountriesClassesBoatsMaleFemale
311423570
  • However all events were gender independent it turned out to be a male only event.

Continents

Map of Participating Sailing Continents at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Green = Participating for the first time
Blue = Participating
Light Blue = Have previously participated
● Africa
● Europe
● North America

Countries

Map of Participating Sailing Countries at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Green = Participating for the first time
Blue = Participating
Light Blue = Have previously participated
 Austria (AUT) Canada (CAN) Spain (ESP) France (FRA)
 Germany (GER) Great Britain (GBR) Italy (ITA) Netherlands (NED)
 South Africa (RSA) Sweden (SWE) United States (USA)
  • This time no new countries participated in the Sailing event of this Olympic.

Classes (equipment)

ClassTypeVenueEventSailorsFirst OGOlympics so far
SnowbirdDinghyLos AngelesMax. 1
Max. 1 substitutes
19321
StarKeelboatLos AngelesMax. 2
Max. 2 substitutes
19321
6 MetreKeelboatLos AngelesMax. 5
Max. 5 substitutes
19086
8 MetreKeelboatLos AngelesMax. 6
Max. 6 substitutes
19086
Legend: = Mixed gender event

Race schedule

Source:[1]

  Opening ceremony  Event competitions  Event finals  Closing ceremony
Date July August
30
Sat
31
Sun
1
Mon
2
Tue
3
Wed
4
Thu
5
Fri
6
Sat
7
Sun
8
Mon
9
Tue
10
Wed
11
Thu
12
Fri
13
Sat
14
Sun
Sailing (actual)

●●


●●
●●●
Total gold medals8 Metre6 MetreSnowbirdStar
Ceremonies

Medal summary

Source:[2]

Event Gold Silver Bronze

1932: Snowbird

 France (FRA)
Jacques Lebrun
 Netherlands (NED)
Bob Maas
 Spain (ESP)
Santiago Amat

1932: Star

 United States (USA)
Gilbert Gray
Andrew Libano
 Great Britain (GBR)
George Colin Ratsey
Peter Jaffe
 Sweden (SWE)
Gunnar Asther
Daniel Sundén-Cullberg

1932: 6 Metre

 Sweden (SWE)
Tore Holm
Olle Åkerlund
Åke Bergqvist
Martin Hindorff
 United States (USA)
Robert Carlson
Temple Ashbrook
Frederic Conant
Emmett Davis
Donald Douglas
Charles Smith
 Canada (CAN)
Philip Rogers
Gardner Boultbee
Ken Glass
Jerry Wilson

1932: 8 Metre

 United States (USA)
Owen Churchill
John Biby
Alphonse Burnand
Kenneth Carey
William Cooper
Pierpont Davis
Carl Dorsey
John Huettner
Richard Moore
Alan Morgan
Robert Sutton
Thomas Webster
 Canada (CAN)
Ronald Maitland
Ernest Cribb
Peter Gordon
George Gyles
Harry Jones
Hubert Wallace
No further competitors

Medal table

Source:[2]

RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 United States (USA)2103
2 Sweden (SWE)1012
3 France (FRA)1001
4 Canada (CAN)0112
5 Great Britain (GBR)0101
 Netherlands (NED)0101
7 Spain (ESP)0011
Totals (7 nations)44311

Notes

Star

The 1932 Olympics featured for the first time the Star as Olympic discipline. This turned out to be so far the longest run for a sailing discipline in the Olympics. The Star was an Olympic class from 1932 - 2012 with the exception of 1976.

Snowbird

The USOC proposed to discontinue the 12' Dinghy in favor of a small V-bottom Catboat locally known as the Snowbird as the single handed one design class. This proposal was carried by the IYRU and IOC. The locally available Snowbirds were equipped with new masts, sails and rigging.

Medical assistance

For medical incidents during the Yachting events a United States Navy boat and a US Coast Guard boat were on duty during the races. This boats were equipped with an inhalator and crew furnished by the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Seven local physicians provided voluntary service (in alphabetical order):

  • Edward G. Eisen, M.D., Head Physician
  • Stanley Boller, M.D.
  • J. Park Dougall, M.D.
  • K. E. Kretzschmar, M.D.
  • G. A. Laubersheimer, M.D.
  • Wayland A. Morrison, M.D.
  • Ewald Werner, M.D.

Other information

Sailors in multiple disciplines

Three sailors attempted to sail in the Snownbird and the Star. This was a challenge since the schedule of the Snowbird was modified due to the light air weather conditions in the mornings of the regattas.[1]

  •  George Colin Ratsey (GBR)
  •  Bob Maas (NED)
  •  Cecil Goodricke (RSA)

Sailing

During the Sailing regattas at the 1932 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes:

Further reading

  • "Digital Library Collection (Official Olympic Reports 1896 - 2008)". Digital Library Collection at la84.org. la84foundation. Retrieved 22 March 2015.

References

  1. Browne, Francis Granger, ed. (1933). Official Report of the Games of the X Olympiad (PDF). Los Angeles: Xth Olympiade Committee of the Games of Los Angeles, U.S. A. 1932, LTD. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  2. "Olympic Medal Winners". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
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