An extraordinary sports course
Born on 25 February 1928, Paul Elvstrom participated eight times in the Olympic Games between 1948 and 1988. He was one of the most successful sailors in Olympic sailing. The Danish sailor won the gold medal four times in a row, in Firefly in 1948 in London and in Finn in Helsinki (1952), Melbourne (1956) and Rome (1960). He also competed in the Star, Soling and Tornado classes in the following Olympics. His Tornado crew with his daughter was the first family crew at the Olympic Games.
Paul Elvstrom has also collected 11 world titles on different light sail media, from the 505 to the Flying Dutchman, the Star and the Tornado.
A respected and elegant competitor, the sailing community remembered his quote: "You haven't won the race if by winning the race you've lost the respect of your competitors. "
A passionate inventor
Paul Elvstrom will also go down in sailing history for his inventions. In particular, he is at the origin of a new model of dinghy, now a common accessory on dinghies, distributed by Andersen. The Danish sportsman also created his model of lifejacket.
Elvstrom Sails
In 1954 Paul Elvstrom founded the sailmaker Elvstrom Dinghy Sails, which has since become Elvstrom Sails. The logo, a red crown designed by him, has become a common symbol on regatta waters around the world. It is one of the most important European sailmakers and is used on many mass-produced yachts.
Designated Danish Sportsman of the Century in 1996, Paul Elvstrom passed away on 7 December 2016 at the age of 88 in his hometown of Hellerup. He leaves an essential trace in the history of 20th century sailing.
