In Geneva, Switzerland, the WC in sailing for 8-meters is now underway. Among the participants is King Harald, who is skipper of the boat “Sira”. He sails with a crew of six more. After six out of ten voyages, King Harald and his crew are currently in 11th place. There are a total of 24 teams competing in the championship. The victory goes to the team that has performed best over the ten stages. King Harald has carried out his duties as king, while at the same time he has been training for this summer’s WC championships. Photo: James Robinson Taylor King Harald, who turned 85 in February, has been in training until the summer, in addition to carrying out his duties and assignments as Norway’s king. – Throughout the spring, the king and crew have been training with “Sira” in the inner Oslofjord, said Sven G. Gjeruldsen, assistant head of communications at the Royal Court, to news when it was announced that the king would participate in the WC. An operation on the leg in January last year has also not hindered the king’s World Cup participation. – The king is in good shape, said Gjeruldsen. Former world champion In Geneva, King Harald competes against boats representing a total of eight nations: Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Finland. When King Harald and his crew on board “Sira” took part in the WC for 8-meters in Germany four years ago, they finished in third place. King Harald and his crew in “Sira” finished in third place in their class when the World Championships in sailing for 8-meters ended on Lake Constance in Germany in 2018. Photo: FELIX KASTLE / DPA / NTB Sailing is a sport in which the king has several international merits He can point to five WC medals: one gold, two silver and two bronze. He also has a European Championship gold. King Harald has also represented Norway three times in the Olympics (1964, 1968 and 1972). His best Olympic result was 8th place in the 5.5 meter class. The WC for 8 meters in Geneva is now scheduled to run from 25 to 30 July, depending on the wind conditions. King Harald started sailing early. Here he is with his mother, Crown Princess Märtha, in the summer of 1939, when the little prince was two and a half years old. Photo: NTB “The most experienced 8-metre sailor in the world” King Harald is honorary president of the International Sailing Federation and also of the International Association for 8-metres. According to the website of the International 8-metre Federation, it is the highest award that can be given to someone who has made a special contribution to the sport. There, the king is described as “undoubtedly the most experienced 8-metre sailor in the world”. “Over 80 years ago, in 1939, his father King Olav took him on board the 8-metre “Sira”, and that was the start of a lifelong, deep passion for sailing and for the sea,” writes the association, describing King Harald as a highly recognized and competitive sailor.
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