Sailing World Cup - Final on 60 years to the day of Melbourne Olympics

by World Sailing on 5 Dec 2016

1956 Olympic Points scores and memorabilia - Royal Melbourne Yacht Club Pedro Martinez / Sailing Energy / World Sailing

On 5 December 1956, the Melbourne Olympic Games sailing competition drew to a close with some tense final races across the five classes.

Scandinavian sailors came out on top winning three of five golds and legends such as Paul Elvstrom (DEN) and Peter Mander and Jack Cropp (NZL) etched their names into the history books.

Sixty years on, it's fitting that the Olympic legacy left behind at the St Kilda Sailing Precinct continues with the venue once again welcoming a new generation of Olympic heroes whose success stories from Rio 2016 will be celebrated at the Sailing World Cup Final presented by Land Rover.

The St Kilda Sailing Precinct hosted the 1956 Games and the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron is full of stories and memorabilia dedicated to that competition. Most of those racing at the World Cup Final, December 4-11, 2016 are starting their Olympic journey however they carry the same end goal as the '56 sailing teams; the ultimate prize in sport, an Olympic medal and to follow in the footsteps of legends.

A recent rivalry will be renewed at the Sailing World Cup Final when Tom Burton (AUS) and Tonci Stipanovic (CRO) go head to head once again.

New Zealand (left) with Rolly Tasker (KA2 ) in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Both competitors finished tied on points,with the tiebreaker for the Gold Medla working the way of Peter Mander and Jack Cropp (NZL) © SW

Burton and Stipanovic tussled for Laser supremacy for four years and this culminated at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games when they locked horns in the Medal Race. Burton managed to overturn a ten-point deficit in the last double points race to clinch gold for Australia, relegating Stipanovic into silver medal spot.

Burton and Stipanovic will be front and centre at the World Cup Final after their Rio duel as they join more than 200 competitors from 31 nations racing across ten Olympic events and Open Kiteboarding. Several Olympic medallists will compete in the finale of the 2016 World Cup series and a whole host of upcoming, exciting talent will join them as they look ahead to Tokyo 2020.

Silver medalist, Tonci Stianovic (CRO) congratulates the Gold medal winner, Tom Burton (AUS) Mens Laser - 2016 Olympic Regatta © Richard Gladwell www.photosport.co.nz

Joining Burton and Stipanovic in the 20-boat Laser fleet will be former World #1 Matt Wearn (AUS), Belgian Olympian Wannes Van Laer, London 2012 silver medallist Pavlos Kontides (CYP) and American Rio 2016 sailor Charlie Buckingham.

In the Laser Radial fleet, Rio 2016 gold medallist Marit Bouwmeester (NED) is favoured to win. The Dutch champion controlled the field at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with an astute, professional display and quickly turned her attention to Tokyo 2020 immediately after winning Rio gold, heading to Japan to start familiarising herself with the next Olympic waters.

Danish Rio bronze medallist Anne-Marie Rindom will face off against Bouwmeester again, this time hoping to upset the Dutch party. Joining the Rio medallists in the fleet is current Laser Radial Youth World Champion and Rio Olympian Maria Erdi of Hungary who will warm up for the Youth Sailing World Championships by competing at the World Cup Final.

Paul Elvstrom - London 1948 Olympic Games. He won his third Gold medal in the Finn class at Melbourne in 1956. He won Gold Medals in the Finn in 1952, 1956 and 1960, and the Firefly (singlehander) in 1948 Olympics. © ISAF

Great Britain's two-time Olympian Alison Young was down to race in Melbourne but sustained an ankle injury in the lead up and withdrew.

The Women's RS:X welcomes some leading sailors including London 2012 gold medallist Marina Alabau (ESP), bronze medallist Zofia Klepacka (POL) as well as the two-time Youth Worlds champion and Rio 2016 bronze medallist Stefania Elfutina of Russia.

Further Olympic podium finishers across the fleets include Rio Men's 470 silver recipients Mat Belcher and Will Ryan (AUS), American Finn bronze medallist Caleb Paine and Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin who took silver in the Nacra 17.

Racing across all classes will commence at 12:00 local time on Tuesday 6 December with bragging rights heading into the new Olympic quadrennial as well as a share of the $200,000 AUD prize pot up for grabs. Medal Races on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 will draw the competition to a close.

Marit Bouwmeester (NED) after the Laser Radial medal race - 2016 Rio Olympics © Richard Gladwell www.photosport.co.nz

Information on how to follow the event is below:

Entry List:
A full list of sailors registered to sail in Melbourne is available to view - click here.

Results will be available via from Tuesday 6 December via the Manage2Sail results centre click here

Tracking:
Live tracking and competitor's analytics will be available via SAP Sailing Analytics throughout the event - click here

Video:
Medal Races on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 December will be streamed live on World Sailing's Facebook and YouTube Channel.

SWC Final - Medal Races - RS:X, 49er, Nacra 17, Kiteboarding

SWC Final - Medal Races - 470, Finn, Laser