Scandinavian Gold Cup

Scandinavian Gold Cup is a sailing race held annually for 5.5 metre yachts. It is a nation race, meaning that each participant nation can send only one boat/team. Despite its name, it has been an international competition almost through its entire history, and participating is not limited to Scandinavian nations. The event has been held every year since 1919 (with exception of 1920 and 1940–46) making it one of the oldest active sailing trophies.

History The Cup was originally established by one of the oldest Finnish yacht clubs, Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK) in 1919, to celebrate newly achieved Finnish independence, promote sailing and improve relations between Finnish and Swedish yacht racers. As such, it was a Cup for Scandinavian yachts only.

At first, the Cup was a challenge competition between Finland and Sweden and it was raced with 40m² Skerry cruisers. The first event was won by Swedes. In 1922, the event was handed over to the Scandinavian Yacht Racing Union (SYRU), which created an international competition based on the now-popular International 6 Metre class. It was intended to replace older One Ton Cup as an international prize for smaller, more affordable racing yachts.

1926 was the first year when competitors from outside the Nordic countries were allowed to enter and the Cup was soon established as one of the most coveted in the sailing world, attracting famous designers and competitors, including America's Cup winners.

By end of the 1930s, increasing costs began to decrease popularity of the 6 Metre class and it was gradually replaced by cheaper 5 Metre and 5.5 Metre classes. The Gold Cup was raced with 5.5 metre boats from 1953 onwards. It has continued to be raced annually, with the exception of 1986, when two competitions were held, and 2021 Cup which was cancelled through COVID. The 2006 Cup was held in the Netherlands, involved 11 nations and was for the first time won by a Dutch team.

The Cup held its centennial edition in July 2019.

Editions

40m² Skerry cruiser 1919 1920 not held 1921

6 metre 1922 HortenE. Lunde 1923 Horten 1924 HankøG. Lofmark 1925 Marstand 1926 HankøHerman Whiton 1927 Oyster BaySven Salén 1928 SandhamnClaus Frimann-Dahl 1929 HortenHakon Reuter 1930 GothenburgArvid Schulz 1931 MarstandJohan Anker 1932 HankøMagnus Konow 1933 HankøSven Salén 1934 SandhamnMagnus Konow 1935 HankøMagnus Konow 1936 HankøHerman Whiton 1937 Oyster BayB. Cunningham 1938 Oyster BayGeorg Nichols 1939 HelsinkiGeorg Nichols Jr. 1940 not held 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 Oyster BayB. Cunningham 1948 Oyster BayB. Cunningham 1949 HankøClaës-Henrik Nordenskiöld 1950 SandhamnArvid LaurinSven RinmanJan GeorgiiGunnar RydholmLars Lundström 1951 HelsinkiF. Ferner 1952 HankøF. Ferner

5.5 metre 1953 HankøClaes Turitz 1954 MarstrandClaes TuritzHans NilssonLars Nilsson 1955 SandhamnMassimo Oberti 1956 GenuaFinn Christian Ferner 1957 HankøRobert Mosbacher 1958 KemahE. B. Fay 1959 SandhamnLars Thörn 1960 MarstandPer Gedda 1961 HelsinkiFolke Wassén 1962 MarstandE. B. Fay 1963 Galveston BayE. B. Fay 1964 SandhamnAlbert Fay 1965 Long Island SoundAlbert Fay 1966 HankøE. B. Fay 1967 Montagu BaySundelin brothers 1968 SandhamnCrown Prince Harald of NorwayStein FöjenEirik Johannesen 1969 HankøGordon IngateMick MorrisIan Nathan 1970 SydneyR. E. Turner III 1971 Long Island SoundR. E. Turner III 1972 HankøFrank Tolhurst 1973 LysekilE. B. Fay 1974 SydneyRobert Symonette 1975 HankøMick Morris 1976 HankøFrank Tolhurst 1977 BenodetRobert SymonetteGavin McKinney 1978 SandhamnFrank Tolhurst 1979 HankøAlbert Fay 1980 SydneyFrank Tolhurst 1981 NassauAlbert Fay 1982 HankøRobert SymonetteGavin McKinney 1983 HankøRobert SymonetteGavin McKinney 1984 PortocervoWilly Vollenweider 1985 Newport BeachTom JungellMarkus MannströmSakari Harima 1986 Newport (58th)Bruce Ritchie 1986 Helsinki (59th)Jussi GullichsenPeter FazerRobert Mattsson 1987 HankøRobert Mosbacher 1988 LausanneRonald Pieper 1989 HoustonHenrik LundbergTom BoreniusBrage Jansson 1990 TorquayKalle Nergaard 1991 NewportMichael Haines 1992 NassauKalle NergaardKristian NergaardHarry Melges 1993 HankøKalle Nergaard 1994 CrouestyKristian NergaardKristen Horn JohannesenEspen Stokkeland 1995 HankoHenrik DahlmanHenrik LundbergTom Borenius 1996 HankøGlen Foster 1997 Key BiscayneJohn Platou 1998 CowesGlen FosterMark CowellBill Bennett 1999 TorboleGlen FosterRon RosenbergBill Bennett 2000 MedemblikGavin McKinneyLars Petter FjeldCraig SymonetteHarald Baars 2001 FlensburgGavin McKinneyCraig SymonetteLars Horn Johannesen 2002 HelsinkiJürg MenziJürg ChristenDaniel Stampfli 2003 ThunKristian NergaardHarry MelgesPetter Fjeld 2004 HankøKristian NergaardRalph JunkerPeter Hauff 2005 SydneyBruno MarazziFlavio MarazziRenato Marazzi 2006 MedemblikHans NadorpErik WesselmanFrans van Schellen 2007 SanremoBruno MarazziStefan HaftkaRenato Marazzi 2008 NassauKristian NergaardJohan BarnePetrus Eide 2009 HankoKristian NergaardJohan BarnePetrus Eide 2010 TorboleKristian NergaardPeer MobergPetter Mørland Pedersen 2011 HelsinkiKenneth ThelenThomas HallbergRobert NybergKristian NergaardTrond Solli-SætherPeer MobergBernard HaisslyNicolas BerthoudDaniel Stampfli 2012 BoltenhagenJohan GullichsenHenrik LundbergTimo TelkolaKristian NergaardBernard Haissly 2013 CuraçaoKristoffer SponeJohan BarneTrond Solli-Sæther 2014 Porto Santo StefanoMarkus WieserThomas AuracherJuerg MenziKristian Nergaard 2015 NynäshamnBernard HaisslyDaniel StampfliNicolas Berthoud 2016 CopenhagenBo SelkoRasmus KnudeMikael Petersen 2017 BenodetJürg MenziRasmus KnudeChristof Wilke 2018 CowesKristian NergaardKristoffer SponeTrond Solli-Sæther 2019 HelsinkiKristian NergaardJohan BarneTrond Solli-Sæther 2020 PittwaterKristian NergaardJohan BarneAnders Pedersen 2021 Cancelled COVID-19 2022 HankoGBR 42 - Jean GenieElliot HansonAndrew PalfreySam HainesBAH 24 - New Moon 2Mark HoloweskoChristoph BurgerPeter VlasovAUS 66 - Kuringai 3John BaconJames MajgorTerry Wetton

References

External links 5.5 Metre class association TIME article from 1939 describing US boat Goose winning the trophy