Jul
28

12
Aug

Olympic Games North America & Caribbean

1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games Sailing Competition

Long Beach, USA

Event website

The Los Angeles/Long Beach combination seen in 1932 was repeated.

So too was a boycott, with countries from the Soviet sphere of influence refusing to come to the USA. Nevertheless it was the biggest Olympic sailing event seen at the time with 62 nations competing.

For the first time since Melbourne, sailing was contiguous to the main Games.

Sailing gained a new seventh event, windsurfer, using the Winglider class. The USA was dominant, winning medals in every class, something not seen since 1912.

Spain’s Jose-Luis Doreste won the 470 gold yet many remember 1984 as the year when Briton Cathy Foster, crewed by Pete Newlands, won a race against an all-male fleet in an Open Olympic class, finishing seventh overall in a 28 boat competition.