1. Gold Cup 1956 |
Burnham, England, March 29 - April 2, 45 entries from 12 countries |
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The first Gold Cup was sailed over Easter 1956 in Burnham-on-Crouch in Great Britain. It already attracted 45 entries from 12 countries. This first Gold Cup was won by the Belgian, Andre Nelis with 7343 points in accordance with the old Olympic scoring system, who was thus able to beat by 1491 points the great Paul Elvstrom who had 5852. Third was Brian Roswell from Great Britain with 4597 points. Nelis had won 2 races, Elvstrom 1, and another Englishman Bruce Banks 2 more. A sixth race was not counted, because the time limit had expired.
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Winner in 1956,
Andre Nelis from Belgium |
Racing in 1956 Runner-up, Paul Elvstrom in D 6 |
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2. Gold Cup 1957
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Karlstad, Sweden, July 3 - August 4, 78 entries from 13 countries
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The second event was organised on the huge Lake Vanersee in western Sweden by the later president of the IFA Bengt Hornevall of the Karlstads Kanotforening. The sailing area with many little islands offered a beautiful unique setting but caused extremely shifty wind conditions. 13 nations had sent 78 participants, which was exceptionally high for the standards of the fifties. But to the surprise of the experts in yachting in those days the Finn Class exposed a high performance level, developing special skills at the starts. Since there was no limitation of participants in those days, every nation sent all its best sailors and the mood was exceptionally friendly. Not a single protest was lodged. The winner Jiirgen Vogler was lucky, because Andre Nelis, winner in 1956, broke his mast step in the fourth race while leading. Harald Bredo Eriksen of Norway, later president of the IFA, scored two firsts and was leading the last race, when an unpredictable wind shift caused him to finish third and therefore second overall. In addition the second participant from the German Democratic Republic, Wegener, gave another 126 points to Jorgen Vogler as a gift, by waiting for his team mate at the finishing line. Defender Nelis was finally third. Bert Sarby, nephew of the designer Rickard Sarby finished 8th as the best Swedish sailor and the designer of the Finn finished 11th. The British performed surprisingly well on the reaches.
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Close racing at the 1957 Gold Cup |
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3. Gold Cup 1958
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Zeebrugge, Belgium, May 1-4, 84 entries from 15 countries
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As all participants were invited for food and lodging, 94 entries from 15 countries reached the organiser. 84 boats finally started. The conditions were extremely tough. The harbour was covered by a thick layer of oil and tides of six meters created strong currents. A start at low tide resulted in a water depth of 50 cm. Winds varied from Beaufort 0 to 6. Once, in extremely light winds only 17 boats reached the finishing line within the time limit, while the rest drifted up to 4 kilometres away from the finishing line in the strong ebb stream. Even Andre Nelis, leading up to the last race overall, drifted away, finished 65th, and lost the Gold Cup. Paul Elvstrom, 11th after 3 races, won the last 3 races and thus the title. In the 4th race more than 40 boats capsized, most of them at the gybe mark. Many of them were unable to right their boat, had to abandon it, and found it back on the shore wrecked for good. Nevertheless the mood among the participants was excellent.
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Final Results Gold Cup 1956
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Final Results Gold Cup 1957 |
Final Results Gold Cup 1958 |
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| 1. |
Andre Nelis |
В |
7343 |
| 2. |
Paul Elvstrom |
D |
5852 |
| 3. |
Brian Roswell |
К |
4597 |
| 4. |
Borge Schwarz |
D |
4546 |
| 5. |
A. Svenson |
S |
4229 |
| 6. |
J. M. de Yong |
H |
4065 |
| 7. |
Richard Murray |
к |
3681 |
| 8. |
Bruce Banks |
к |
3555 |
| 9. |
Vernon Stratton |
к |
3433 |
| 10. |
Jack Knights |
к |
3257 |
| 11. |
Richard Creagh-Osborne |
к |
3199 |
| 12. |
Dijkors |
H |
2919 |
| 13. |
Bengt Hornevall |
S |
2799 |
| 14. |
Rinze Koopmans |
H |
2758 |
| 15. |
Jerome Harinkouck |
F |
2678 |
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| 1. |
Jurgen Vogler |
DDR 16 |
7650 |
| 2. |
Harald Bredo Eriksen |
N 25 |
7350 |
| 3. |
Andre Nelis |
В 24 |
7270 |
| 4. |
Karel Warburg |
H 30 |
5948 |
| 5. |
K.H. Kallstrom |
L 45 |
5852 |
| 6. |
Wim Maarse |
H 33 |
5235 |
| 7. |
Borge Schwarz |
D6 |
5192 |
| 8. |
Bert Sarby |
S 101 |
5191 |
| 9. |
Richard Murray |
K18 |
5181 |
| 10. |
Erik Rundstrom |
N 23 |
5024 |
| 11. |
Rickard Sarby |
S 118 |
4916 |
| 12. |
R. Frandestam |
S 100 |
4635 |
| 13. |
H. Andersson |
S 97 |
4453 |
| 14. |
Bjorn Rosen |
S 90 |
4257 |
| 15. |
Derrick Pitts-Pitts |
K6 |
4250 |
| 16. |
Leo Gerhards |
H 37 |
4232 |
| 17. |
K.H. Wegener |
DDR 6 |
4052 |
| 18. |
E. Stadig |
L 13 |
3984 |
| 19. |
Hans Sleeswijk |
H 35 |
3976 |
| 20. |
Arne Baltscheffsky |
L51 |
3796 |
| 21. |
A. Svensson |
S 39 |
3698 |
| 22. |
Rinze Koopmans |
H 45 |
3454 |
| 23. |
Jerome Harinkouck |
F 41 |
3268 |
| 24. |
Curd Ochwadt |
G 11 |
3077 |
| 25. |
S. Luckner |
S 111 |
2988 |
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| 1. |
Paul Elvstrom |
D |
8432 |
| 2. |
Andre Nelis |
В |
7315 |
| 3. |
Adelchi Pelaschier |
I |
7072 |
| 4. |
Karel Warburg |
H |
6638 |
| 5. |
Richard Creagh-Osborne |
К |
6088 |
| 6. |
Jurgen Vogler |
DDR |
5652 |
| 7. |
Lemoine |
F |
5285 |
| 8. |
Erik Rudstrom |
N |
5197 |
| 9. |
|
H |
4991 |
| 10. |
Peter Danby |
К |
4921 |
| 11. |
Hans Sleeswijk |
H |
4747 |
| 12. |
P. Gorelikov |
SR |
4437 |
| 13. |
Barton |
К |
4251 |
| 14. |
Philippe Harinkouck |
F |
4194 |
| 15. |
Bert Sarby |
S |
4123 |
| 16. |
Auclair |
F |
3764 |
| 17. |
Nielsen |
В |
3650 |
| 18. |
Jacques Gillard |
В |
3642 |
| 19. |
Borge Schwarz |
D |
3617 |
| 20. |
Bernhard Straubinger |
G |
3449 |
| 21. |
Jannich |
G |
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| 22. |
Kammerer |
G |
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| 23. |
Jerome Harinkouck |
F |
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| 24. |
Eriksen |
N |
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| 25. |
Bill Dotsch |
В |
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| 26. |
Prost |
F |
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| 27. |
Roger |
К |
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| 28. |
Wim Maarse |
H |
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