One Person Dinghy (Finn), Open

Denmark’s Paul Elvstrøm had won this event at the last four Olympics, 1948-60, but he did not compete in 1964. The Germans entered a combined team in 1964 and it was not certain whether an East or West German sailor would compete in the Finn, but the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU) stepped in and gave the spot to West German Willi Kuhweide. It was a good choice as Kuhweide won two races and finished no worse than sixth in any race to win the gold medal. Kuhweide did not need to start the seventh race to win the title, but he did, and won that race as well. The silver went to American Peter Barrett, who came back in 1968 to win a gold medal in the Star Class. Austrian Hubert Raudaschl placed fifth but would win a silver medal in Finn in 1968 and in Star in 1980. This was the first of nine Olympic appearances for Raudaschl, consecutively from 1964-96. When he competed at Atlanta in 1996, it made him the first Olympian to compete in nine Olympics.