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History of the European Championship 1956 to 1975
Introduction
At the time that the Finn became the Olympic singlehander
in 1952, the IYRU used to delegate the organisation of a European
Championship with a crew of one to member countries. They had the freedom
to select a suitable class for the event. In those days it was customary -
as it was in the Olympic Games until 1996 - that the host country supplied
the boats for the European Championship and that each country is allowed
to enter only one sailor.
The sailors had to qualify in a local class and then adjust
to the class the host country selected and the individual boat which was
assigned to them each day. Before 1954 the event was generally sailed in
the O-Jolle and won by sailors unknown in the Finn class.
The 1954 IYRU European Championship for a crew of one was
delegated to the Federal Republic of Germany and organised again in the
1936 O-Jolle in Berlin on the Wannsee. Interesting for us is the fact that
the people who were fast in the Finn were also representing their
countries in that event. The favourite, Paul Elvström, won four races but
had so many collisions in others that he finally ended up only 4th. The
Championship was won by Andre Nelis - silver medalist in the 1956 Olympics
- without winning a single race. The silver medalist of the 1936 Olympics
Werner Krogmann was second and Rickard Sarby was third.
In 1955 the Championship was delegated to
Austria
and the O-Jolle was selected again for the races organised on Lake
Traunsee. There were 11 races with generally very little wind. The
Austrian Wolfgang Erndl became the European Champion. The Finn sailor Jan
de Jong from Holland was third, Andre Nelis 6th, Vernon Stratton 8th and
Rickard Sarby 12th after he had left the regatta because of the poor wind
conditions.
1. European
Championship 1956
Loosdrechter Lakes, Holland, August 20-25
15 entries from 15 countries
Belgium should have organised the IYRU European
Championship for a crew of one. However because there was no suitable
sailing area the Belgians gave the organisation to the Dutch. They in turn
selected a totally unsuitable sailing area themselves, although they have
such fine areas. The selected site was a former peat bog near Loosdrecht
with very shallow water and hundreds of little islands left over from the
peat-cutting. In addition the water was crowded with about 1000
recreational spectator boats and the little islands were heavily wooded.
The competitors never saw the next mark and had to decide which of the
various narrows between the basins might turn out to be the most
advantageous.
However for the history of the Finn it is important that
the Dutch selected for the first time the Finn Dinghy for that European
Championship and provided 15 cold moulded boats, not all of which had
self-bailers and buoyancy bags. There were very variable wind conditions
so it heavily depended on the lot the sailors drew each day. Because of
the unsuitable site Elvström refused to participate. The first European
Champion of the Finn Class was Jürgen Vogler from the German Democratic
Republic; the runner up was the Frenchman Didier Poissant, and Andre Nelis
was third. In 7th place was Rickard Sarby, and in 11th Curd Ochwadt the
promoter of the Finn Class in the Federal Republic of Germany. Also, at
this European Championship the IFA was finally founded and had its first
Annual General Meeting.
Final Results 1956
1. Jürgen Vogler DDR
7839
2. Didier Poissant
F 7770
3. Andre Nelis
B 7369
4. Richard Murray
K 5885
5. Y. Shavrin
SR 5868
6. B. Markus
Z 5712
7. Rickard Sarby
S 5680
8. E. Rundström
N 4888
9. Adelchi Pelaschier
I 4827
10. S. Payne IR
4248
11. Curd Ochwadt
G 4204
12. St. Rydgren
L 2926
13. Erzin Demir TR
2604
14. A. Allende
D 2352
15. Willy Pieper
H 1998
2. European
Championship 1957
Naples, Italy, August 27-September 3
12 entries from 12 countries
The Italians selected the Finn again and provided 12 very
nice brand new boats, all well and equally equipped. Racing was in Naples
Bay - site of the Olympic racing three years later. There were 16 races
scheduled, of which 10 were finally sailed. Winds were generally light and
taking advantage of the tide was quite important. Andre Nelis won 8 races
and became the superior winner. The battle for the runner-up was tight
between Pelaschier, Vogler, and Schwarz. Sweden was represented by the
nephew of Rickard Sarby, Bert Sarby.
Final Results 1957
1. Andre Nelis
B 10486
2. Adelchi Pelaschier
I 6943
3. Jürgen Vogler DDR
6619
4. Borge Schwarz
D 5924
5. Hans Sleeswijk
H 5524
6. Bert Sarby
S 4271
7. Jerome Harinkouck
F 4223
8. Czeslaw Marchaj PZ
3891
9.
Vernon Stratton
K 3832
10. Tonko Pivecevic
Y 3715
11. Hans Larcher
Z 3553
12. Erzin Demir TK
2751
3. European
Championship 1958
Cascais, Portugal, September 3-7
12 entries from 12 countries
No country was particularly interested in being entrusted
by the IYRU with the organisation of the 1958 European Championship.
Finally Portugal accepted without ambition, lacking experience in the
Finn. For the first time, the organiser invited the participants to bring
their own boats in order to save the costs in building new ones. Four
sailors brought their own dinghies and had a large advantage. The 8 new
boats supplied by the organiser had never been sailed before and were
inferior. An additional problem was the launching facilities. A crane
lowered and lifted the boats with the skipper on board from a 20 m high
quay. So this Championship was more a test of technical skills than of
sailing abilities.
Final Results 1958
1. Adelchi Pelaschier
I 7684
2. Karel Warburg
H 6161
3. Bernhard Reist
Z 4021
4. Harinkouck
F 3952
5. Arne Baltscheffsky
L 3769
6. Börge Schwarz
D 3518
7. Jürgen Vogler DDR
3427
8. Richard Murray
K 3396
9. Bert Sarby
S 2756
10. Wolfgang Erndl OE
2510
11. Curd Ochwadt
G 1994
12. Teixeira da Fonseca
P 1265
4. European
Championship 1959
Silsersee, Switzerland, August 27-30
18 entries from 18 countries
For 1959 the IYRU delegated the event to
Switzerland.
Although this country even today still has a strong O-Jolle fleet, the
Finn was selected since it was the designated singlehander for the 1960
Olympics. The Swiss choose the Silsersee south of
St. Moritz with usually strong
winds, where however they had never before organised a sailing regatta.
The 52 year old Dutchman Jan de Jong, 1.95 m tall, weighing 100 kg, but
quick as a flash and smart, won four races and was twice runner-up. In
second overall, the Frenchman Pinaud, had a number of new technical
gadgets on his Finn. The German Democratic Republic sent J. Vogler who
came third and had won the Gold Cup before. Fourth was Kuhweide, at that
time only 16 years old.
Final Results 1959
1. Jan de Jong
H 5480
2. Yves Louis Pinaud
F 4290
3. Jürgen Vogler DDR
4008
4. Willy Kuhweide
G 3845
5. Henning Wind
D 3816
6. Per Jordebakke
N 3646
7. Adelchi Pelaschier
I 3334
8. Keith Musto
K 2886
9. Bernhard Reist
Z 2633
10. Peter Fürst OE
2524
11. Andre Nelis
B 2446
12. E. Stadig
L 2038
13. Bengt Hornevall
S 1786
14. B. Oliviera
P 1723
15. Andrzej Podolski PZ
1298
18. Bir TR
1131
17. Tolnai
M 828
18. Perrakis GR
191
5. European
Championship 1960
Ostende, Belgium, July or early August
10 entries from 10 countries
Four races between force 4 and 7 suited Paul Elvström
perfectly and he won three of the races. 17 year old newcomer from the
Federal Republic of Germany Willy Kuhweide won the first race, but scored
never worse than 4th, and thus became runner-up. Host Andre Nelis won two
races, but did not perform that well in the heavy wind and had a collision
in the sixth race. In the fourth race, when it blew force 7, it is
reported that Elvström in first and Kuhweide in second position did not
dare to gybe. However Nelis in third position risked the manoeuvre, made
it technically, but hit the mark, got entangled with the French Pinaud and
lost several hundred meters.
Final Results 1960
1. Paul Elvström
D 5074
2. Willy Kuhweide
G 4870
3. Andre Nelis
B 4518
4. Yves-Louis Pinaud
Z 4393
5. Hans Sleeswijk
H 3472
6. Jack Knights
K 2635
7. Göran Andersson
S 2615
8. Klaus Koop DDR
1566
9. Jouko Valli
L 1361
10. Andrzej Podolski PZ
1193
6. European
Championship 1961
Warnemünde, German Democratic Republic, July 14-18
14 entries from 14 countries
In splendid racing conditions seven races were sailed
without a discard. After each race the overall lead changed. Before the
last race in force 4-5 there were five competitors who could win the
title. The Swede Goran Andersson won that race clearly and thought he was
the champion until the last round. Chuchelov had a safe 2nd until he broke
his mast step on the last beat and had to retire. So Willy Kuhweide moved
into second position, which was just enough to take the championship.
Final Results 1961
1. Willy Kuhweide
G 5456
2. Göran Andersson
S 5326
3. Walter Gärtner DDR
4886
4. Wim Maarse
H 4523
5. Hubert Raudaschl OE
3850
6. Alex. Chuchelov
SR 3263
7. Yves-Louis Pinaud
F 2787
8. Spacek
CZ 2719
7. European
Championship 1962
Kiel, Federal Republic of Germany, June 12-16
11 entries from 11 countries
By 1962 the Finn was so well established even in the
Federal Republic of Germany that it was selected (in disfavour of the 1936
O-Jolle) for the last European Championship for a crew of one under the
IYRU flag. Only one mast and one sail were allowed and the reigning champ
Willy Kuhweide as well as his Austrian friend Hubert Raudaschl blew their
chances before the first start by selecting soft masts and flat sails. The
wind turned out to be light and shifty all week. The Frenchman Francis
Jammes developed a ‘new’ sailing technique, standing upright in his boat
and pumping or gybing all the time. Jammes was leading up until the last
race, but he failed to cover his only opponent and lost the title to the
Swede Boris Jacobsson who had quickly picked up the art of questionable
propulsion. The 3rd overall Jan de Jong and 4th Richard Creagh-Osborne
despised the technique vehemently but the younger people swore to practise
it.
Final Results 1962
1. Boris Jacobsson S
318 5098
2. Francis Jammes F
164 4730
3. Jan de Jong H
43 4700
4. Richard Creagh-Osborne K
7 3825
5. Wilhelm Kuhweide G
203 3633
6. Hubert Raudaschl OE
31 3378
7, A. Schemer M
21 2264
8. Börge Schwarz D
16 2232
9. J. Kariofillis GR
6 2072
10. Roar Larsen N
24 1868
11. Dr. Fred Auer Z
81 857
8. European
Championship 1963
Lake Balaton, Hungary, September 15-22
18 entries from 10 countries
The IYRU had decided not to continue with the European
Championships after 1962. So the IFA picked up the tradition and delegated
the event to Hungary. From now on two entries per nation were allowed. The
beginning of the regatta was postponed by one day when the British and the
Norwegian entry phoned that they had a car accident but would come soon -
never to arrive. Bernhard Straubinger from the Federal Republic of Germany
was leading with a large margin before the last race. However as in the
year before, the smart Swede Boris Jacobsson won the last two races, while
Straubinger finished only 11th and 6th, and thus won the championship for
the second time. The second Swedish entry Andersson won the bronze.
Final Results 1963
1. Boris Jacobsson
S 6449
2. Bernhard Straubinger
G 6237
3. Bernt Andersson
S 5421
4. Miroslav Vejvoda
CZ 4994
5. Uwe Mares
G 4898
6. Walter Gärtner DDR
4764
7. Hubert Raudaschl OE
3955
8. A. Neeser
Z 3647
9. György Finaczy
M 3614
10. B. Horák
CZ 3518
9. European
Championship 1964
Oeresund, Denmark, August 26-31
32 entries from 20 countries
Six races in force 3-5 were sailed on three days and one
race was abandoned when only 14 boats were still upright in force 6-8. The
European Championship was the final selection for most of the participants
for the Olympics soon after.
Final Results 1964
1. Willy Kuhweide G
503 7743
2. Henning Wind D
30 6245
3. Wim Maarse H
260 6187
4. Bernhard Straubinger G
416 6187
5. Boris Jacobsson S
318 4965
6. Per Jordebakke N
60 4497
7. Miroslav Vejvoda CZ
111 4488
8. Bernt Andersson S
448 4477
9. Brian Saffery-Cooper K
144 3740
10. György Finaczy M
40 3447
11. Mike Astley K
177 3226
12. Miklos Tuss M
50 3051
10. European
Championship 1965
Cascais, Portugal, September 6-12
29 entries from 16 countries
As a new regulation the ruling champion in addition to his
countries quota of two and overseas countries were allowed to enter. The
ruling US Champion Dick Tillman entered as the only non-European. Of the
seven races one was light air, two were medium, and four heavy. A burning
question at that time was how much wet sweaters or sweat shirts one should
use before a limitation was set by the IYRU. For the first time two boats
were disqualified by the jury for infringement of rule 60 - means of
propulsion.
Final Results 1965
1. Bernd Dehmel DDR
98 7044
2. Valentin Mankin SR
636 6317
3. Willy Kuhweide G
503 6016
4. Jürgen Mier DDR
232 5095
5. Boris Jacobsson S
318 5003
6. J. Stutterheim G
516 4965
7. Henning Wind D
82 4639
8. Hubert Raudaschl OE
31 3869
9. Arne Akerson S
321 3837
10. Richard Hart K
131 3510
11. Panagiotis Couligas GR
55 3288
12. Rogge B
13 3252
13. Dick Tillman US
419 3159
14. Rest H
109 3140
15. Mike Astley K
177 2999
11. European
Championship 1966
Attersee, Austria, September 4-12
43 entries from 25 countries
Because of the authority he had gained by winning the 1964
Gold Cup, Hubert Raudaschl managed to convince the Council at the 1965
Gold Cup, to delegate the European Championship 1966 to
Austria.
Since the championship was open for all the non-European countries as
well, all the top helmsmen had entered with the exception of Willy
Kuhweide (because he had not qualified despite winning the Gold Cup that
same year) and Henning Wind (who in those days refused to sail on fresh
water on principle). The first race saw a lazy drifter, a five minute
thunderstorm with Bruder on a screaming reach through the finishing line,
many boats capsizing, and a sudden calm again with no hope for those under
water to bail their boats. In rather shifty conditions Hubert Raudaschl
capitalised from his knowledge of the local conditions. He had the best
speed upwind, however he lost quite a bit again on the reaches and the
runs. After a poor start in the regatta Raudaschl managed to take line
honours four times and won convincingly with 14.7 points against runner up
Jörg Bruder with 68.0.
Final Results 1966
1. Hubert Raudaschl OE
81 14.7
2. Jörg Bruder BL
3 68.0
3. U. Köhler Z
208 81.4
4. Valentin Mankin SR
636 85.0
5. Dick Tillman US
419 87.4
6. E. Altmayer BL
25 88.7
7. A. Rymkiewicz PZ
42 90.4
8. B.E. Treleaven KZ
62 101.0
9. Bernd Dehmel DDR
9 107.4
10. A. Bally Z
145 108.0
11. Arne Akerson S
321 112.0
12. Lucian Christl OE
70 113.0
13. Miroslav Vejvoda CZ
111 116.0
14. Serge Maury F
462 116.7
15. S. Golser I
371 117.0
16. B. Horák CZ
138 120.0
17. G. Wossala M
77 126.0
18. P. Lippert DDR
3 127.0
19. W. Erdmann G
434 135.7
20. György Finaczy M
40 142.4
12. European
Championship 1967
Naples, Italy, August
43 entries from 24 countries
Conditions were mainly light and fluky. The championship
was in doubt up to the last leg of the last race. Van Grünewaldt from
Sweden had been leading on points from the second race on. However going
into the last race Willy Kuhweide was only 1.4 points behind the Swede, if
both discarded their worst race - with third place a good distance behind.
When Kuhweide rounded the last mark third and the Swede was around 20th
everybody thought that Willy would win the title once again. However
Kuhweide made one of the few mistakes of his sailing career, tacked away
from a veer and dropped to 9th. So both sailors finally discarded the last
race and the Swede was the winner overall.
Final Results 1967
1.
Arnold von Grünewaldt
S 366 19.0
2. Willy Kuhweide G
711 21.4
3. Jürgen Mier DDR
3 42.8
4. Hubert Raudaschl OE
81 60.0
5. Henning Wind D
93 65.0
6. Valentin Mankin SR
636 73.7
7. Fabio Albarelli I
406 74. | 
