Please select your home edition
Edition
C-Tech 2020 Tubes 728x90 TOP

Mr Viggo Jacobsen, founder of IODA, turns 100 years young

by Jonas Døpping on 13 Feb 2014
Viggo Jacobsen Sailing Aarhus http://www.flickr.com/photos/sailingaarhus/
Viggo Jacobsen (the father of the Optimist Dinghy class) turns 100 on the 13th February 2014.

The first Danish optimist dinghies sailed in Vordingborg, Hvidovre, and Roskilde. The first regatta for optimist dinghies took place in Vordingborg on the 24th April 1954, this was the beginning of the optimist dinghy era in Europe.


With Mr Viggo Jacobsen at the helm, the development of this class was started. The class first spread to Norway, Great Britain, Sweden Germany, Rhodesia, Finland Austria, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden and USA, and later to the rest of the world. In 1965, Mr Jacobsen took the initiative in founding IODA, the International Optimist Dinghy Association, of which Mr Jacobsen was the first president, and his wife was secretary.

Since then, there has only been progress. Mr Viggo Jacobsen was the originator not only of the world’s second largest class in sailing, but junior sailing internationally.

Today, the number of dinghies being built is about 3,500 a year. Optimist dinghies are found in more than 120 countries, and more than 200,000 optimist dinghies have been built.

The number of 200,000 optimist dinghies also means that far more than one million sailors have started their sailing careers or interest in sailing in an optimist dinghy, the dinghy whose worldwide success can be attributed to Mr Viggo Jacobsen, if any.

What Mr Jacobsen started in the sixties, really fascinated young sailors, young sailors who have later become Olympic medal winners, winners of Admirals America’s Cup or 'just' one of our many, many pleasure sailors.

To confirmed optimists, Mr Viggo Jacobsen will always be the first among equals.

Viggo Jacobsen will be celebrated at a reception in Aarhus Sailing Club (DEN) on the 13th February 2014 15:00-17:00 CET.

As a tribute to Viggo, Robert Wilkes, former Optimist class secretary, has released as a freely available document, the chapters of his historical history which relate to his great Sailing Aarhus
V-DRY-XPredictWind - GO! exec 728x90 BOTTOMArmstrong 728x90 - Performance Mast Range - BOTTOM

Related Articles

British Classic Week Day 2
An early start for Classes 1-3 as they prepared to race around the Isle of Wight It was an early start for the British Classic Week fleet on day two, as Classes 1-3 prepared to race around the Isle of Wight.
Posted on 8 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 3
The leaderboard tightens at the halfway mark after today's racing in a building breeze After a frustrating day of waiting ashore on Monday, Day 3 brought back the action in Aarhus Bay with spectacular foiling conditions and a full day of intense racing.
Posted on 8 Jul
Fleet advances to the last half of the AEGEAN 600
In contrast to yesterday's slow pace, the rate of progress has been much improved Most of the fleet of 59 Monohulls and Multihulls who are sailing in this year's AEGEAN 600 have either already entered the second half of the race at the island of Rhodes or are well on their way to reaching this important milestone.
Posted on 8 Jul
Mediterranean Regatta season in full swing
A+T instruments seen all over Europe delivering high-level performance for racing fleets As regatta season gathers speed, A+T instruments were seen all over Europe delivering high-level performance for the racing fleets.
Posted on 8 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 1
Storm cells circling Lake Garda lead to atypical and tricky conditions The 137 sailors representing 25 nations faced the first day of racing in conditions that were anything but typical for Malcesine, with unstable weather creating a complex, yet exciting, opening.
Posted on 8 Jul
Temptation/Oakcliff takes line honours
In a thrilling Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race finish The race delivered fast conditions, high drama, and unforgettable moments on the 363-nautical-mile dash to Nova Scotia.
Posted on 8 Jul
NYYC International Women's Championship update
Teammates and Competitors Join Forces The strength of bonds forged in competition is a common theme among the second group of skippers and teams invited to compete in the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women's Championship.
Posted on 8 Jul
The Ocean Race Europe Video Preview
We speak to Phil Lawrence, Peter Rusch & Pip Hare to find out more The Ocean Race Europe will take place between 10 August & 21 September, following a debut event in the summer of 2021. The racing is in IMOCA yachts, the same as the Vendée Globe, but this time with 4 crew and an OBR who will document the action on board.
Posted on 8 Jul
Sailing's Glitterati prepare for the Admiral's Cup
The depth and quality of talent is truly breathtaking. The 2025 Admiral's Cup is shaping up to be one of the most compelling editions in the event's storied history, featuring a glittering constellation of the sport's elite.
Posted on 8 Jul
British Dragon South West Championship
A spectacular warm-up for the 2025 Edinburgh Cup Torquay delivered a spectacular warm-up for the 2025 Edinburgh Cup, as 13 Dragon teams took to the waters of Tor Bay for the South West Championship, a two-day regatta packed with shifting breezes, tactical gambles, and top-class racing.
Posted on 8 Jul