Hans Fogh Canada’s greatest sailor and six time Olympian
A Canadian Sailing Legend at Rest in Toronto
While walking through Park Lawn Cemetery in Toronto’s west end, I came across the grave of one of Canada’s greatest sailors — Hans Fogh.
Born in Rødovre, Denmark to a family of gardeners, Hans was expected to follow in their footsteps. But instead, he fell in love with the water. His passion for sailing would chart a very different course — one that would take him across oceans and into Olympic history.
It was Canadian sailing legend Paul Henderson — not the hockey hero, but the revered sailor — who convinced Hans to emigrate to Canada in 1969. Once here, Hans cemented his place as a champion, becoming a dominant force in the Flying Dutchman and Soling classes. He was a North American and European champion, and a veteran of six Olympic Games (1960, 1964, 1968 for Denmark; 1972, 1976, 1984 for Canada).
Hans Fogh died in Toronto on March 14, 2014. He was 76.
1938-2014
In Denmark Hans worked for Paul Elvstrom, an Olympic Gold Medalist and sailmaker. Paul Henderson convinced Hans to come to Canada to open an Elvstrom sailloft. At Immigration when Hans said he was a sailmaker the officer, after checking his list of occupations, said Hans couldn’t be admitted because there was no such occupation in Canada. Whereupon Hans then said he was a “gartner” and was admitted.