ACOG - News - IBM

(19 July 1996)

Yachting Medal Winners Return for More

The yachting field returns 16 former medal winners for the Olympic Yachting competition that begins on 22 July, in Savannah, Georgia, on the area of Wassaw Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

Spain's Luis DORISTE seeks a third gold medal in the Soling class after previously capturing gold in the 470 (1984) and Star (1992). DORISTE, a four-time Olympian, and his crew will have to contend with a Danish team led by Jesper BANK that captured the gold medal in Soling in 1992.

Spain's Theresa ZABELL teams with Begona VIA DUFRESNE in an attempt to bring home the gold medal in the women's 470 class. ZABELL captured the gold in 1992 and is seeking to to become the event's first two-time gold medalist. VIA DUFRESNE also is hopeful of a repeat of her silver medal-winning perfomance in the Europe class in 1992.

The men's 470 class returns the full compliment of medalists. Spain's Jorid CALAFAT and Francisco SANCHEZ try to defend their title after winning the gold as the host team in 1992. Morgan REESER and Kevin BURNHAM of the United States hope to return to the victory stand after capturing a silver medal in 1992. Estonia's Tonu ONISTE and Toomas TONISTE finshed third in Barcelona.

The IMCO-One design replaces the Lechner class, but former medalists still headline the field. The women's competition promises to be exciting with two-returning medalists from the Lechner class. New Zealand's Barbara KENDALL, gold medalist in 1992, will battle the Netherland's Dorien de VRIES, silver medalist in 1992. In the men's division, Mike GEBHART of the United States captured the silver medal in the Lechner class in 1992.

Mitch BOOTH of Australia is the only returning medalist in the Tornado class field, winning a bronze medal at Barcelona.

Mark REYNOLDS and Hal HAENEL of the United States roundout the returning medalists. The duo will compete in the Star class where they earned a sliver medal in the 1988 games. REYNOLDS and HAENEL captured the gold in the discontinued Flying Dutchman class in 1992.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department. Written by Thad Dohrn.



Olympic Factoid
The volunteer staff of the 1996 Olympic Games totaled 50,152. They worked an estimated 850,000 shifts.