Lars Thorn
Lars Thörn (full name Lars Einar Vilhelm Thörn; 26 September 1904 – 9 October 1990) was a Swedish sailor who specialized in the 5.5 Metre class and won Olympic gold as skipper at the 1956 Melbourne Games and Olympic silver at the 1964 Tokyo Games.1 • 2 He was known in Sweden by the nickname Lasse.2
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lars Einar Vilhelm Thörn, used name Lars Thörn1 |
| Born / died | 26 September 1904, Eskilstuna, Södermanland; 9 October 1990, Bromma, Stockholm, aged 861 |
| Club | KSSS (Kungliga Svenska Segelsällskapet), Saltsjöbaden1 |
| Class | 5.5 Metre keelboat, helmsman (skipper)3 |
| 1956 Melbourne | Gold in the Three-Person Keelboat, Open, as skipper of Rush V, 5527 points1 |
| 1964 Tokyo | Silver in the Three-Person Keelboat, Open, as skipper of Rush VII, 5224 points1 |
Life and club
Thörn was born in Eskilstuna in Södermanland, Sweden, and sailed for the Royal Swedish Yacht Club (KSSS), based at Saltsjöbaden near Stockholm.1 He stood 175 cm and weighed 70 kg during his competitive career.1 He died in the Bromma district of Stockholm on 9 October 1990, thirteen days after his 86th birthday.1
Melbourne 1956: Olympic gold
By the mid-1950s Thörn had for years been one of Sweden's most respected sailors, and he made his Olympic debut at age 52.2 Four years earlier he had narrowly missed selection as Swedish helmsman in the 5.5 Metre class, being edged out by the future bronze medalist Folke Bohlin and his crew; he repaid that setback on Port Phillip Bay outside Melbourne.2
The boat had shown its form earlier in 1956 with wins at Genoa and Sandhamn, and the Swedish team continued that run at the Games.2 After a race series of 5–1–1–3–2–1 the gold was decided before the final race, which Rush V finished second to complete the victory; the Swedish Olympic Committee credits his tactical judgment and his handling of the difficult conditions as decisive.2
Tokyo 1964: Olympic silver
Eight years after Melbourne, Thörn was again selected as the leading figure of the Swedish 5.5 Metre challenge at the Tokyo Games, sailed off the island of Enoshima southwest of Tokyo.2
The Swedish Olympic Committee describes the result as built on two race wins and five fourth places; the German account gives two firsts and four fourths.2 The final score was 5224 points, with the medal decided on 23 October 1964.3
Career beyond the Olympics
His two Olympic medals, one gold and one silver, are recorded by both Olympedia and the Swedish Olympic Committee.1 • 2
Other athletes of similar name
The name is shared by several other Swedish athletes: Viktor Thorn (born 1996), a cross-country skier who competed in the sprint and 50 km events at the 2018 Winter Olympics;4 Lars Thor, an ice hockey forward born in 1942 who played for Spånga IS;5 and Lars-Erik Thorén, a goalkeeper born in 1982 in Nybro.6
References
- Lars Thörn, Olympedia
- Lasse Thörn, Sveriges Olympiska Kommitté
- Lars Thörn, L'Équipe
- Viktor Thorn, Olympedia
- Lars Thor, Elite Prospects
- Lars-Erik Thorén, Eurohockey.com
Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Water sports › Sailors (competitive biographies) › Swedish Olympic sailors
Initially written Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 25, 2026
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