One Person Dinghy (Finn), Men

Eleven races were scheduled but only 10 could be held, because of wind conditions. Poland’s Mateusz Kusznierewicz had won the 1994 European title in the OK dinghy, a preparation class for the Finn, and was second at the Europeans in the Finn earlier in 1996. He had also been runner-up in the OK dinghy at the 1993-94 World Championships, and came to Savannah as one of the favorites. He was only in fifth place after five races, but then finished first, second, first, and first to clinch the title after nine races, although he started the tenth race, finishing 10th. He would add a Finn bronze medal in 2004, and competed at five straight Olympics through 2012.

Belgian runner-up Sébastien Godefroid competed at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics in the Finn, but then switched to the multihull Tornado class for the 2008 Olympics, but this was his only medal. Dutch bronze medalist Roy Heiner was competing in his third Olympics and would compete again in 2000, but this was his only medal. He would race in the Volvo Ocean Races and with the 2003 America’s Cup New Zealand challengers. Heiner represented the Netherlands at the Olympics, but was born in Virginia, not in the United States, but rather South Africa. His son, Nicholas, became World Champion in the Laser in 2014.