Torben Grael

Torben Grael
Grael in 2003
Personal information
Full nameTorben Schmidt Grael
NicknameTurbine
Nationality Brazilian
Born (1960-07-22) 22 July 1960
São Paulo, SP, Brazil
ChildrenMarco Grael
Martine Grael
Sailing career
SportSailing
ClubBrazil Rio Yacht Club
ClassesSoling, Star
Medal record
Sailing
Representing  Brazil
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place1996 AtlantaStar class
Gold medal – first place2004 AthensStar class
Silver medal – second place1984 Los AngelesSoling class
Bronze medal – third place1988 SeoulStar class
Bronze medal – third place2000 SydneyStar class
Torben Grael, skipper of Ericsson 4 and overall winner of the Volvo Ocean Race 2009

Torben Schmidt Grael (born 22 July 1960) is one of the most well known Brazilian sailors, renowned in international competitions. A descendant of Danes, he was taken sailing by his grandfather at the age of five years on the sailboat Aileen, of the 6 Metre class, which was the boat used by the silver medal-winning 1912 Summer Olympics Danish sailing team. Once he moved to Niterói, he started sailing with his brother, Lars Grael, also an Olympic medal winner, on the Bay of Guanabara. Another brother, Axel Grael, is the current mayor of Niterói. He is father of Olympic champion Martine Grael and sailor Marco Grael. Nicknamed Turbine for his fame in conducting sailboats, he collected five Olympic medals, four of them in the Star class.


Sailing Career

Olympic Sailing

He is the Brazilian with the highest number of Olympic medals, and holds the highest number of Olympic medals in sailing together with Ben Ainslie and Robert Scheidt with five, followed by Paul Elvstrøm with four. He also placed first place in many World, South American and Brazilian championships in several categories. His crew is usually Marcelo Ferreira.

Year Event Venue Class Result
2004 XXVIII Olympic Games Athens, Greece Star 1st
2000 XXVII Olympic Games Sydney, Australia Star 3rd
1996 XXVI Olympic Games Atlanta, United States Star 1st
1992 XXV Olympic Games Barcelona, Spain Star 11th
1988 XXIV Olympic Games Seoul, South Korea Star 3rd
1984 XXIII Olympic Games Los Angeles, U.S. Soling 2nd

World Championships

Year Event Class Result
202412mR World Championship12 Metre Grand Prix1
2014Star World ChampionshipStar Open9
2012Farr 40 World ChampionshipFarr 40 Open2
2010Star World ChampionshipStar Men3
2007ISAF Sailing World ChampionshipsStar Men13
2006Star World ChampionshipStar Men17
2005Star World ChampionshipStar Men2
2004Star World ChampionshipStar Men15
2003ISAF Sailing World ChampionshipsStar Men32
2002Star World ChampionshipStar Men2
2001Star World ChampionshipStar Men4
2000Star World ChampionshipStar Men18
1999Star World ChampionshipStar Men12
1998Star World ChampionshipStar Men2
1997Mumm 36 World ChampionshipMumm 36 Open7
1996Mumm 36 World ChampionshipMumm 36 Open5
1996Star World ChampionshipStar Men3
1995Star World ChampionshipStar Men2
1994Star World ChampionshipStar Men3
1993Star World ChampionshipStar Open5
1991One Ton CupOne Ton 2
19913/4 Ton Cup3⁄4 Ton 3
1991Star World ChampionshipStar Open2
1990Star World ChampionshipStar Open1
1989Star World ChampionshipStar Open18
1989Open Snipe World ChampionshipSnipe Open2
1988Star World ChampionshipStar Open5
1987Open Snipe World ChampionshipSnipe Open1
1985Soling World ChampionshipSoling Open2
1983Open Snipe World ChampionshipSnipe Open1
1983Soling World ChampionshipSoling Open8
1981Open Snipe World ChampionshipSnipe Open3
1981Finn World Championship (Gold Cup)Finn Open32
1978Youth Snipe World ChampionshipSnipe Open1

Other Dinghy Events

Year Event Venue Class Result
1980 Sailing Olympic Week Cork, Ireland Soling 1st
1981 North-American Championship Sarnia, Ontario, Canada Soling 1st
1983 IX Pan American Games Caracas, Venezuela Soling 1st
1984 Sailing Olympic Week Sanremo, Italy Soling 1st
Mediterranean Championship Sanremo, Italy Soling 1st
1987 X Pan American Games Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. Soling 3rd
1989 European Championship Travemünde, Lübeck, SH, Germany Star 1st
1990 European Championship Lake Balaton, Hungary Star 1st
Sailing Olympic Week Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Star 1st
1991 European Championship Palermo, Italy Star 1st

Sources:[1][2][3]

Offshore/Oceanic Sailing

He was skipper of Brasil 1 in the 2005–06 Volvo Ocean Race, the first 100% Brazilian outfit to enter the competition, which finished third overall. He would win the next Ocean Race, but this time as the skipper of the Swedish team Ericsson 4 (he won the race with two legs to spare). In October 2008 the yacht Ericsson 4 officially travelled 596.6 nautical miles in 24 hours, establishing a 24-hour monohull record. Skipper Torben Grael and his crew made the record on the first leg of the 2008–2009 Volvo Ocean Race. They sailed Ericsson 4 hard as a strong cold front hit the fleet, bringing winds approaching 40 knots, and propelling the yacht at an average speed of 24.8 knots.


America Cup

He has sailed in several America's Cup races, including the winning campaign in Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000 and the 2007 event as tactician aboard Luna Rossa Challenge[4]


References

  1. ↑ "Resultados". Torben-Grael.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 19 August 2006.
  2. ↑ "Torben Grael". Olympics.com. International Olympic Committee.
  3. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Torben Grael". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016.
  4. ↑ "TORBEN GRAEL - Titles & Awards". Torben-Grael.com.
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