The oldest video footage of Tornado catamarans racing
by Magnus Smith 12 May 2024 04:00 PDT
A revealing picture of an early version of Icarus, when although the boat could foil, the speeds were scarcely any faster than that of a standard Tornado © Austin Farrar Collection / David Chivers
Our video archive is fully searchable, and linked to all the clubs and classes in our database. It is updated weekly with the latest videos of sailing, but here we delve into the past, and round-up everything that shows early racing in the Tornado class.
It could be said that the birthplace of the Tornado was during the IYRU A & B Catamaran Trials 1967 which we featured in an article a few weeks ago: Oldest videos of racing catamarans.
Update: we later found Kiel Week 1968 includes the Tornado
The next footage comes from the World Championships at Eau Gallie YC, USA and has the date 4th December 1970. It shows the start of the penultimate race. Thanks to Ian Fraser, who was with Tim Coventry in K78, for sending in all this extra info. Reg White is to leeward at the start, in K80.
Update: we later found Munich 1972 Olympics has Tornado footage at 20m19s
1972 Weymouth Speed Week had a few Tornados participating.
Update: we later found Harken promotional film, 1976 - features Tornado amongst other classes
The 1980s
We move to colour recordings now! Watch Chris Timms and Rex Sellers win Gold in the Los Angeles Olympics, 1984.
Update: we later found Los Angeles 1984 Olympics with more Tornados
Tornado World Championship 1986 in Bermuda cannot be embedded here, so we have to direct you to watch all 46 minutes on Youtube in a new browser tab - www.youtube.com/watch?v=loRYdSqxFjk - if you have the time. There are a few sailor interviews mixed in with the scenes on the water.
57 minutes from the Tornado World Championship 1989 in Trinity Bay, Houston has a wonderful description from the uploader: "How to win a World Title by 34 pts by Mitch Booth & John Forbes. Introducing the Wild Thing and 'that mainsail' to the sailing world for the first time ever!" There are interviews with Reg White, Goran Marstrom, Giorgio Zuccoli and Pease Glaser.
Watch on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmouXfoKvDI
Update: we later found Paul Elvstrøm in various Olympics - 1952, 1968 and 1984 - has Tornado in there
The 1990s
From 1992 we have the Worlds at Jervoise Bay SC with plenty of sailor interviews amongst the on-water footage.
This 23 minute video from the 1992 Olympic Games includes the Medal Ceremony and interviews. There are a few places where other Olympic classes are covered briefly, but mostly it is Tornados.
If you'd rather see the highlights from the above in just 1m54s then try the Tornado highlights from 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=knWssdSI0Bk
Four years later we have the Tornado World Championship 1996 at Mooloolaba (22m25s) with aerial footage and sailor interviews.
Watch on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhR5y6nAybw
Update: we later found Atlanta 1996 Olympics with some Tornado action
Still in the nineties this is a great promotional video from Brazil ahead of the Tornado World Championship 1998 which surely tempted a lot of people to consider if they could afford to travel out there.
We will end with a heart-warming story of the Papua New Guinea team sail for 4 days ahead of the Pre Olympics 1999. These two guys had previously sailed only local outrigger canoes, but they had a chance and they grabbed it!
Watch on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTiHxRozGYw
What of the rest?
Do you know the location of any Tornado videos that show racing from the early years, or big fleet events? We would love to share these with other sailors. You can submit video links to us for immediate review.
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