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  Remembering Paul Elvstrom - Sailing news from North America & beyond
 | | Four consecutive Gold medals Paul Elvstrom (DEN) |
The sailing world lost one of its brightest stars last week when Paul Bert Elvstrom, commonly known as The Great Dane, passed away in his sleep at the age of 88 on December 7, 2016 in Hellerup, Denmark. Elvstrom is remembered for many great on-the-water accomplishments, most notably winning four gold medals in four consecutive Olympic Games, but it was his great character, personal integrity and honor that earned Elvstrom the reputation as the world's greatest sailor.
To help put Elvstrom's Olympic sailing accomplishments in perspective, the only five other athletes (in any discipline) to have won four consecutive Olympic gold medals are sailing's own Sir Ben Ainslie (GBR), swimming's Michael Phelps (USA), wrestling's Kaori Icho (JPN), and track and field athletes Carl Lewis (USA) and Al Oerter (USA).
 | | Paul Elvstrom (1928-2016) receiving his first Olympic Gold Medal at the age of 20 in 1948 |
While Elvstrom could make any boat go fast, he won his Olympic medals in the Firefly (one gold medal) and the Finn (three golds), while also winning World Championship regattas in the 505, Finn, Snipe, Flying Dutchman, 5.5 metre, Star, and Soling, and finishing third in the 1985 Tornado Worlds.
As a junior sailor growing up, I remember being immensely impressed when I first read Elvstrom's thoughts on what it means to be a competitor and a gentleman: “You haven't won the race if in winning the race you have lost the respect of your competitors.”
 | | 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 © |
Few sailors experience the kind of success needed to understand this concept, and fewer still have the humility, humbleness and personal integrity to distill such important thoughts into such a succinct sentence.
Impressively, Elvstrom wasn't “just” a sailing philosopher, but also an equipment designer and sailmaker whose products and ideas continue to resonate in the sailing world today. Additionally, Elvstrom penned numerous sailing- and rules-related books, all of which are well worth your time, if you are not familiar with his works.
 | | Elvstrom - Paul Elvstrom (1928-2016) |
While it is with a heavy heart that the sailing world accepts this loss, we are collectively richer people for having a competitor as universally respected and loved as Paul Elvstrom leading our fleet for many fine years.
There is no better way to celebrate the life of such a great sailor and competitor than to go racing, and in Australia the offshore sailing world is gearing up for Boxing Day (December 26), when the starting guns sound for the storied Sydney to Hobart Race. While this is still two weeks away, feeder events such as the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge (December 13) get underway much sooner, spelling big excitement for the sailors lucky enough to participate in these often wild-n'-woolly events.
 | | Wild Oats Xi and Comanche go to battle in 2014 - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race © Rolex/ Kurt Arrigo |
While there are plenty of entries for “the Hobart”, one entry that's missing is that of Comache, Jim and Kristy Clark's 100-foot VPLP/Verdier-designed 100-foot maxi monster that's skippered by Ken Read and his highly capable crew. Instead, American offshore interests are being represented by Triple Lindy, Joe Mele's Swan 44 Mk II. While Mele and company have been racking-up the miles in events such as the Marblehead to Halifax Race and the Newport to Bermuda Race, this will be their first Hobart Race.
Stay tuned for Sydney Hobart updates, as they become known, and be sure to check out the latest news from events such as the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, inside this issue.
 | | Start - SOLAS Big Boat Challenge - Sydney, December 2015 Michael Chittenden |
Also inside this issue, be sure to get the latest news from the ongoing Vendee Globe, World Sailing's recently concluded Sailing World Cup Melbourne, the Extreme Sailing Series and the Melges 20 Miami Series.
May the four winds blow you safely home,
David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor
November Sailor of the Month - Queen's University Keelboat Team
Sail Canada, 
On November 7th, Queen's University, became the second North American team to win the Student Yachting World Cup in its thirty-six year history. The Canadian boat was helmed by fourth year engineering student, Will Jones with crew members Clifton Kartner, Daniel Sheedy, Denby Mcdonnell, Sam Thompson, Adrienne Gudreault, Claire Boileau, and Connor Mackenzie.... [more]
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