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Notes: America's Cup link

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{{short description|Sailing at the Olympics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox Olympic event
|event = Sailing
|games = 1908 Summer
|image = [[File:Olimpiad medal 1908.jpg|95px]] [[File:Olimpiad medal 1908 2.jpg|95px]]
|caption = 1908 Gold Medal (Obverse and Reverse)
|venues = [[Ryde]], Isle of Wight [[Hunters Quay]], Scotland
|dates = First race: {{Start date|df=yes|1908|07|27}} (Ryde) Last race: {{End date|df=yes|1908|07|29}} First race: {{Start date|df=yes|1908|08|11}} (Hunters Quay) Last race: {{End date|df=yes|1908|08|12}}
|competitors = 64 Male and 2 Female (Documented)
|teams = 14
|team_descriptor = Boats
|nations = 5
|prev = [[Sailing at the 1900 Summer Olympics|1900]]
|next = [[Sailing at the 1912 Summer Olympics|1912]]
}}

[[Sailing (sport)|Sailing/Yachting]] is an [[Olympic sport]] starting from the Games of the 1st [[Olympiad]] ([[Sailing at the 1896 Summer Olympics|1896 Olympics]] in Athens, Greece). With the exception of the [[1904 Summer Olympics|1904]] and the canceled [[1916 Summer Olympics]], sailing has always been included on the Olympic schedule.
The Sailing program of 1908 was open for a total of five sailing classes (disciplines), but actually only four Sailing events were contested. The planned venue of all races, named ''matches'', was [[Ryde]], [[Isle of Wight]].

== Venue ==
{{Infobox building
| name = Royal Victoria Yacht Club
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = en
| former_names =
| status = Complete
| image = RVYC, Ryde, 1909.png
| caption = Clubhouse of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Ryde, 1909 [[File:Burgee Royal Victoria Yacht Club.png|95px]]
| altitude = Sealevel
| building_type = Clubhouse
| cost =
| client = Royal Victoria Yacht Club
| owner = Prince Consort Building
| address =
| location =
| location_town = Ryde
| location_country = {{flag|GBR|1908}}
| coordinates = {{coord|50|43|58.92|N|1|9|44.91|W|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| start_date = 1846
| completed_date =
| opened_date =
| inauguration_date =
| floor_area =
| architect = Italianate style Regency architecture
| seating_type =
| seating_capacity =
| main_contractor =
}}

{{Infobox building
| name = Royal Clyde Yacht Clubhouse
| native_name =
| native_name_lang = E
| former_names =
| status = Complete
| image = Royal Clyde Yacht Club.png
| caption = The Clubhouse of the Royal Clyde Yacht Club Clyde at Hunter’s Quay (GBR) was made available for the Organizing Committee of the B.O.C. and the Clyde Corinthian Yacht Club for the 12 Metre Matches. [[File:Burgee Clyde Corinthian Yacht Club.png|95px]]
| altitude = Sealevel
| building_type = Hotel & Clubhouse
| cost =
| client =
| owner =
| address =
| location =
| location_town = Hunters Quay
| location_country = {{flag|GBR|1908}}
| coordinates = {{coord|55|58|11.31|N|4|54|31.78|W|region:GB|display=inline}}
| start_date =
| completed_date =
| opened_date =
| inauguration_date =
| floor_area =
| architect =
| seating_type =
| seating_capacity =
| main_contractor =
}}

At the 1907 The Hague Conference of the IOC [[Ryde]] at the [[Isle of Wight]] was appointed to host the sailing regattas, for all classes, of the games of the IVth Olympiad. However, when there were only two British entries for the 12 Metre matches, and both yacht were located at the [[Firth of Clyde]], the decision was made to use [[Hunters Quay]] as a second venue.<ref name="A" />

=== [[Royal Victoria Yacht Club (England)|Royal Victoria Yacht Club]], [[Ryde]] ===
The RVYC was founded on 24 May 1845 by Prince Albert to give Queen Victoria a Yacht Club which she was entitled to enter as a mere female!<ref name="C" />

For the Olympic matches the race committee used the available shipping buoys as marks for the courses. for the classes the following course lengths were used:
* 6 Metre: {{convert|13|nmi|km}}
* 7 Metre: {{convert|13|nmi|km}}
* 8 Metre: {{convert|16|nmi|km}}

=== Clyde Corinthian Yacht Club, [[Hunters Quay]] ===
* 12 Metre: {{convert|26|nmi|km}}

=== Course areas ===
The following course areas were used during the 1908 Olympic sailing regattas:
{{Multiple image
| title = 1908 Olympic Course Areas
| align = left
| direction = horizontal
| width = 300
| image1 = 1908 Olympic Course Area, Ryde.png
| caption1 = Olympic Course Area for the 6 & 7 Metre, Ryde
| image2 = Olympic 12 Metre Course 1908.png
| caption2 = Olympic 12 Metre Course, Hunters Quay
}}
{{clear}}

== Competition ==

=== Overview ===
{| class="wikitable"
!width=50|Continents
!width=50|Countries
!width=50|Classes
!width=50|Entries
!width=50|Male
!width=50|Female
|-
| align="center"| 1 || align="center"| 5 || align="center"| 5 || align="center"| 14 || align="center"| 64 || align="center"| 2
|-
|}
A maximum of 2 boats per country per class was allowed.

=== Continents ===
{|
|-valign="top"
|rowspan="3"|[[File:Continents at Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics.png|thumb|260px|left|Map of Participating Sailing Continents at the 1908 Summer Olympics ● '''Green''' = Participating for the first time ● '''Blue''' = Participating ● '''Light Blue''' = Have previously participated]]||
{|
|[[Europe|● Europe]]
|}
|}

=== Countries ===
Source:<ref name="A" />
{|
|-valign="top"
|rowspan="3"|[[File:Sailingmap OG 1908.png|thumb|260px|left|Map of Participating Sailing Countries at the 1908 Summer Olympics ● '''Green''' = Participating for the first time ● '''Blue''' = Participating ● '''Light Blue''' = Have previously participated]]||
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*{{flagIOC|BEL|1908 Summer|3}}
*{{flagIOC|FRA|1908 Summer|3}}
*{{flagIOC|GBR|1908 Summer|45}}
*{{flagIOC|NOR|1908 Summer|5}}
*{{flagIOC|SWE|1908 Summer|13}}
{{div col end}}
|}

=== Classes (equipment) ===
Source:<ref name="A" />
Although one of the oldest organized sporting activities, '''sailing''' in the early first part of the 20th century was not uniformly organized. This had a lot to do with national traditions as well as with the fact that there were no standardized boat types with uniform building instructions and measurements. Also a lot of development was done in the area of boat design and boat building. The shape of a boat, specifically its length, its weight and its sail area, are major parameters that determine the boat's speed. Several initiatives were started to create a formula that made it possible to have boats race each other without having to calculate the final result. But the different countries initially could not agree on an international system. At the Olympics of 1900 it was clear that sailing was not ready for international competition, and something had to be done.

In 1906 international meetings were organize to solve the problem. Finally in Paris, October 1907 the first [[International Rule (sailing)|International Rule]] was ratified. Delegates from this meeting went on to form the [[International Yacht Racing Union]] (IYRU), the precursor to the present [[International Sailing Federation]] (ISAF).

The agreed formula gives a result in meters (Metre). During the meeting in 1907 the IOC made the decision to open the [[1908 Summer Olympics]] for the following Metre classes:
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
|colspan="7"|
{{Gallery
|width = 750
|height = 325
|File:Olympic Classes 1908.svg
}}
|-
! Class !! Type !! Venue !! Event !! Sailors !! First OG !! Olympics so far
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[6 Metre (keelboat)|6 Metre]] || [[Keelboat]] || Ryde || [[File:Cercle noir 100%.svg|9px]] || 3 || 1908 || 1
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[7 Metre (keelboat)|7 Metre]] || Keelboat || Ryde || [[File:Cercle noir 100%.svg|9px]] || 4 || 1908 || 1
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[8 Metre (keelboat)|8 Metre]] || Keelboat || Ryde || [[File:Cercle noir 100%.svg|9px]] || 5 || 1908 || 1
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[12-metre class|12 Metre]] || Keelboat || Hunters Quay || [[File:Cercle noir 100%.svg|9px]] || 10 || 1908 || 1
|-
|style="text-align:left"| [[15-metre class|15 Metre]] || Keelboat || No show || [[File:Cercle noir 100%.svg|9px]] || Unknown || 1908 || 0
|-
|colspan="7"|'''Legend:''' [[File:Cercle noir 100%.svg|9px]] = Mixed gender event
|-
|colspan="7"|
{{Gallery
|title = The 1908 Olympic Classes in action
|width = 164
|height = 160
|File:1912 Nurdug II.JPG|[[6 Metre (keelboat)|6 Metre]]
|File:7MetreBlueBird.jpg|[[7 Metre (keelboat)|7 Metre]]
|File:Cobweb at the 1908 Olympics.png|[[8 Metre (keelboat)|8 Metre]]
|File:Hera and Mouchette during the 1908 Olympics.png|[[12-metre class|12 Metre]]
}}
|}

== Race schedule ==
Source:<ref name="A" />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:90%;position:relative;"
|-
|bgcolor=#3399ff align=center| ● ||Event competitions || bgcolor=#ffcc00 align=center| ● ||Event finals
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; font-size:90%; line-height:1.25em;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Date
!colspan=5|July
!colspan=12|August
|-
!27 Mon!!28 Tue!!29 Wed!!30 Thu!!31 Fri!!1 Sat!!2 Sun!!3 Mon!!4 Tue!!5 Wed!!6 Thu!!7 Fri!!8 Sat!!9 Sun!!10 Mon!!11 Tue!!12 Wed
|- align="center"
| align="left" | Sailing
| bgcolor=#3399ff |[[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre|●]] [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 7 Metre|●]] [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre|●]]
| bgcolor=#3399ff |[[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre|●]] [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 7 Metre|●]] [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre|●]]
| bgcolor=#ffcc00 |[[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre|●]] [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 7 Metre|●]] [[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre|●]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| bgcolor=#3399ff |[[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 12 Metre|●]]
| bgcolor=#ffcc00 |[[Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 12 Metre|●]]
|- align="center"
|-
! Total gold medals !! !! !! 3 !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! !! 1
|}

== Medal summary ==
{| {{MedalistTable|type=Event}}
|-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:6 Metre insigna.png|x20px]] 
'''1908: 6 Metre''' {{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre}}
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]] [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] (GBR) [[Gilbert Laws (sailor)|Gilbert Laws]] [[Thomas McMeekin]] [[Charles Crichton (sailor)|Charles Crichton]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Belgium (civil).svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Belgium]] [[Belgium at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Belgium]] (BEL) [[Léon Huybrechts]] [[Louis Huybrechts]] [[Henri Weewauters]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of France.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|France]] [[France at the 1908 Summer Olympics|France]] (FRA) [[Henri Arthus]] [[Louis Potheau]] [[Pierre Rabot]]

|-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:7 Metre insigna.png|x20px]] 
'''1908: 7 Metre''' {{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 7 Metre}}
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]] [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] (GBR) [[Charles Rivett-Carnac (sailor)|Charles Rivett-Carnac]] [[Norman Bingley]] [[Richard Dixon (sailor)|Richard Dixon]] [[Frances Rivett-Carnac]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|The second competitor failed to make it to the start.
|style="vertical-align:top;"|No further competition

|-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:8 Metre insigna.png|x20px]] 
'''1908: 8 Metre''' {{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 8 Metre}}
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]] [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] (GBR) [[Blair Cochrane]] [[Charles Campbell (sailor)|Charles Campbell]] [[John Rhodes (sailor)|John Rhodes]] [[Henry Sutton (yachtsman)|Henry Sutton]] [[Arthur Wood (sailor)|Arthur Wood]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of Sweden.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Sweden]] [[Sweden at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Sweden]] (SWE) [[Carl Hellström]] [[Edmund Thormählen]] [[Eric Sandberg]] [[Erik Wallerius]] [[Harald Wallin]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]] [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] (GBR) [[Philip Hunloke]] [[Alfred Hughes (sailor)|Alfred Hughes]] [[Frederick Hughes (sailor)|Frederick Hughes]] [[George Ratsey]] [[William Ward (sailor)|William Ward]] [[Constance Lewes|The Duchess of Westminster]]

|-
| style="align:center;" | [[File:12 Metre insigna.png|x20px]] 
'''1908: 12 Metre'''<ref name="A"/> {{DetailsLink|Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – 12 Metre}}
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]] [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] (GBR) [[Sir Thomas Glen-Coats, 2nd Baronet|T. C. Glen-Coats]] (helmsman) [[John Downes (sailor)|J. H. Downes]] (mate) [[John Aspin|J. S. Aspin]] [[John Buchanan (sailor)|John Buchanan]] [[James Clark Bunten (sailor)|J. C. Bunten]] [[Arthur Downes|A. D. Downes]] [[David Dunlop (sailor)|David Dunlop]] [[John Mackenzie (sailor)|John Mackenzie]] [[Albert Martin (sailor)|Albert Martin]] [[Gerald Tait]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|[[File:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg|22x20px|border|alt=|link=|Great Britain]] [[Great Britain at the 1908 Summer Olympics|Great Britain]] (GBR) [[Charles MacIver|C. MacIver]] (helmsman) [[J. Graham Kenion|J. G. Kenion]] (mate) [[John Adam (sailor)|J. M. Adam]] [[James Baxter (sportsman)|James Baxter]] [[William Davidson (sailor)|W. P. Davidson]] [[John Jellico|J. F. Jellico]] [[Thomas Littledale|T. A. R. Littledale]] [[Charles R. MacIver|C. R. MacIver]] [[Charles Macleod-Robertson|C. Macleod Robertson]] [[John Spence (sailor)|J. F. D. Spence]]
|style="vertical-align:top;"|No further competition

|}

== Medal table ==
{{Medals table
| caption =
| host =
| flag_template = flagIOCteam
| event = 1908 Summer
| team =
| gold_GBR = 4 | silver_GBR = 1 | bronze_GBR = 1
| gold_BEL = 0 | silver_BEL = 1 | bronze_BEL = 0
| gold_SWE = 0 | silver_SWE = 1 | bronze_SWE = 0
| gold_FRA = 0 | silver_FRA = 0 | bronze_FRA = 1
}}

{{clear}}

== Notes ==
* This Olympic sailing event was gender independent, however only two women, [[Frances Rivett-Carnac]] in the 7 Metre, and the [[Constance Lewes|Duchess of Westminster]] as extra on her 8 Metre, participated. The duchess of Westminster also distributed the diplomas of special merit to the competitors of the other Olympic sports on 25 July 1908. Gender specific events however had to wait until [[Sailing at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988]].
* The matches at Ryde were held in light air conditions.
* All members of a team had to be a citizen of the country they represent. However the boats used did not have to be built in the same country that the team was representing since the Olympic games are considered a test of skills and handling for the team and not a test of the yacht. This in contrast with the matches for the [[America's Cup]] of that time.
* A second 7 Metre yacht ''Mignonette'' was entered under command of Capt. R. Sloane-Stanley but failed to make it to the starting line.
* At the end of the official report the following suggestion was made: <blockquote>It has been suggested that in the yacht racing of future Olympic Games it might be better to select a fleet of "one-design" boats in the waters where the Games are held, and let all the crews entered draw lots for them every day, with the proviso that no crew should have the same boat twice.</blockquote> Sailing had to wait until [[Sailing at the 1920 Summer Olympics|1920]] before the first "one-design" class was selected for the Games.

== Other information ==
During the Sailing regattas at the 1908 Summer Olympics among others the following persons were competing in the various classes:
* {{flagIOCteam|NOR|1908 Summer}}, [[Johan Anker]], Multiple Olympic competitor and designer of many Metre yachts as well as the 1948 Olympic [[Dragon (keelboat)|Dragon]], in the 8 Metre ''Fram''
* {{flagIOCteam|GBR|1908 Summer}}, [[Constance Lewes|Duchess of Westminster]] as owner and extra crewmember of the 8 Metre ''Sorais''
* {{flagIOCteam|GBR|1908 Summer}}, [[William Dudley Ward]] in the 8 Metre ''Sorais''
* {{flagIOCteam|SWE|1908 Summer}}, [[Harald Wallin]] in ''Vinga''
{{Gallery
|title=People at the 1908 Olympic regattas
|width=100
|height=100
|File:Johan Anker.jpg|Johan Anker
|File:Constance Edwina Cornwallis-West00.jpg|Duchess of Westminster
|File:Dudley-Ward William Vanity Fair 1900-03-29.jpg|William Dudley Ward
|File:Crew of Cobweb.jpg|Crew of Cobweb
|File:Clyde 1908 Race Committee.png|Race committee of the Clyde Corinthian Yacht Club
}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite web
|title = Digital Library Collection (Official Olympic Reports 1896–2008)
|url = http://search.la84.org/search
|work = Digital Library Collection at la84.org
|publisher = la84foundation
|accessdate = 3 March 2014
}}{{Dead link|date=July 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name = "A">{{cite book
|last = Cook
|first = Theodore Andrea
|year = 1908
|title = The Fourth Olympiad, Being the Official Report
|publisher = British Olympic Association
|location = London
|url = http://la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf
|pages = 339–354
|accessdate = 2 February 2015
|archive-date = 16 January 2013
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130116164837/http://www.la84foundation.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1908/1908.pdf
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>
<ref name = "C">{{cite web
|title = Royal Victoria Yacht Club
|url = http://rvyc.org.uk/club.html
|publisher = Royal Victoria Yacht Club
|accessdate = 2 February 2015
|archive-date = 3 February 2015
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150203011439/http://rvyc.org.uk/club.html
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>
}}
{{IOC games|games=1908 Summer Olympics }}

{{EventsAt1908SummerOlympics}}
{{Sailing at the Summer Olympics}}
{{Olympic venues sailing}}

[[Category:Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics| ]]
[[Category:Events at the 1908 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Sailing at the Summer Olympics|1908]]
[[Category:1908 in sailing]]
[[Category:Sport on the Isle of Wight]]
[[Category:Sailing in Scotland]]
[[Category:Sailing competitions in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Sport in Argyll and Bute]]

Sailing at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Revision history

imported>Caerlinger: /* Notes */ America's Cup link