Geoff Smale

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameGeoffrey Audrew "Geoff"•Smale
Used nameGeoff•Smale
Born5 November 1924 in Auckland, Auckland (NZL)
Died9 April 2011 in Mount Duppa, Marlborough (NZL)
Measurements180 cm / 73 kg
NOC New Zealand

Biography

From a farming background, Geoff Smale was already in his twenties before he took up sailing. In partnership with his long time crewman Ralph Roberts they became the first New Zealand crew to win a major competition in Europe when they won the Prince of Wales Cup in England in 1958 but Olympic qualification eluded them in 1964. In the national trials for the Tokyo Olympic they led after nine of the ten trial races but suffered a decisive defeat in the final race and lost out to the eventual Olympic champion pairing of Helmer Pedersen and Earle Wells.

The pairing won qualification for the 1968 Games and were considered as one of the medal favourites in the Flying Dutchman class but Smale was struck down by a stomach ailment, lost 8 kgs in weight, and could only finish in eighth position in the fleet. He mixed a business career in quarrying with a long career on the water and was an active competitor into his late fifties. Smale was also interested in the technical aspects of sailing and was an innovator as both a sail maker and a boat designer.

At the age of 82 he gained his pilot’s license and regularly flew his microlight aircraft around New Zealand for the next four years. On 9 April 2011 contact was lost with his plane on a flight between the North and South Islands. Two days later his body was found, along with the wreckage of the plane, on Mount Duppa to the northeast of the city of Nelson.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1968 Summer Olympics Sailing NZL Geoff Smale
Two Person Heavyweight Dinghy, Open (Olympic) Ralph Roberts 8

Special Notes