Klaus Baess took up sailing just prior to World War II, but managed to practice his sport of choice nearly every day during the conflict. Having joined the Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub in 1943, he represented Denmark at the 1948 London Olympics in the Dragon competition where, alongside brothers William and Ole Berntsen, he won a bronze medal. This was his only major international podium finish, but he gained much greater fame in his native country as a yacht designer, building upon his earlier work in the boat export business and as a marketer. His most well-known achievements were his contributions to the development of the Great Dane 28 class of sailboats.
Denmark