Three Person Keelboat (Soling), Open

This class came down to the final race, with Denmark, the United States, East Germany, and the Soviet Union all in the running for the gold medal. The finish was so close that the Danish team, skippered by Poul Richard Høj Jensen, did not know it had won until it returned to the docks. Høj Jensen had won a silver medal in the 1968 Dragon class, and would defend his title in the Soling at Moskva in 1980. He raced the Dragon class for most of his career but did win silver medals in Soling at the 1973 and 1979 World Championships. In 17th place, Austrian Hubert Raudaschl was making his fourth of nine Olympic appearances (1964-96).