One Person Dinghy (Europe), Women

Women competed separately in a one-person dinghy class for the first time at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Mixed one-person dinghy events had been held since the 1924 Olympics, but only one woman had ever competed in them, Ella Maillart of Switzerland in 1924. The Europe class was chosen as a women’s class because it is fairly small and light and considered ideal for sailors weighing less than 75 kg. It was designed in 1960 by Belgian Alois Rolland. The Europe class was contested by women from 1992-2004 at the Olympics, but was replaced in 2008 by the Laser Radial as the women’s one-person dinghy class.

Norway’s Linda Andersen started slowly but won the third and fourth races to move into the lead. Entering the final race, however, her victory was not assured as American Julia Trotman and Spanish sailor Natalia Vía Dufresne could both win the gold, and even New Zealander Jenny Armstrong had a longshot chance. Armstrong finished second in the seventh race, which was not enough to get her on the podium. Andersen finished fifth, but that was better than Trotman or Vía Dufresne and secured her the gold medal. Vía Dufresne won the silver, and would win a second silver in the 470 class at Athina in 2004. Her sister, Begoña, later won a gold medal in the 470 class at Savannah in 1996.