The oldest video footage of Star class keelboat racing
by Magnus Smith 28 Jul 08:30 PDT
John Wastall and Stuart Jardine in the Star during the build up to the 1972 Olympics © Archive
As we approach the start of the 2024 Olympic Games (the first races are on Sunday 28th July) it is a good moment to dig through our huge video archive to see the oldest footage from the classes that used to contest medals. The Star appeared in the Games from 1932 to 2012.
British Pathé provide our earliest footage, as usual. Sadly the lack of forward motion in a choppy Monte Carlo harbour, 1930, is not the finest racing you've ever seen...
We are blessed with a commentary, though no idea of the event title (European championship?), for Star class racing at Naples, 1938.
One year later, still in Italy, we have Star and 6m racing in Genoa, 1939 with some better close-ups of the yachts.
Now on the other side of the Atlantic, almost a decade later, Star class racing in Seattle, 1948 this short clip still features the hiking style which seems so crazy these days.
Our first colour footage comes from the Lorain Regatta, Ohio sometime in the early fifties on Lake Erie. There are a variety of craft, so you may wish to skip to 9m30s or 38m20s to see the Star class in particular. Sadly not all the video is in clear focus.
A video Ron Jenyns sailing at the Rome 1960 Olympics mainly features Finns but has Stars shown at the start.
There is some excellent coverage of the 1961 World Championships in San Diego to watch. Wooden booms still in use, I see!
Another news piece from British Pathé covers Kiel Week 1966 which also shows the Flying Dutchman class, but sadly it is silent.
This next video repeats twice, so you only need to watch half! Mexico Olympics, 1968 with Dragon and FD amongst the Stars. The music is not necessarily to everyone's choice.
Kiel Week 1969 shows a little of the Star class, amongst the Flying Dutchman and larger yachts.
From an unknown year in the seventies, Star class at Sandy Bay YC, Rockport has some great close-ups on shore, showing boat maintenance.
Now you may need a firm stomach to watch Youtube's next offering, as the VHS cassette this footage languished on for a few decades has not aged well. 1984 Olympic TV coverage is a bit wobbly! In order, the classes covered are Finn, 470, Windglider, Tornado, Flying Dutchman, Soling, Star. You can skip straight to the Star by going to 4m17s. (Keep watching after the TV adverts for Christopher Reeve (Superman) talking passionately about sailing a yacht.)
What of the rest?
Do you know the location of any Star videos that show racing fleets from the 1930s to the 80s which we have missed? We would love to share these with other sailors. You can submit video links to us for immediate review.
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