|
Born in Sweden on the 4th of June 1945, Dag Blidback grew up as fore-deck crew on Dragon
Class, 5.5 m and 6.0 m boats, racing with his father, Erland. Most of the family were in the
boat-building business or involved in the marine industry in some way.
Ladies still turn for a second look when this tall, slim, blond, blue-eyed sailor walks in.
(Ed: Well, if you must know, 1.79 m and 75 kilos)
He looks good but it is something more that attracts the eye. The relaxed confidence of a man with nothing to prove to
anyone. Sadly, Dag's, Arcona 36, 'Stardust', sank, ablaze, last summer - the
story is on our 'Recent Events' pages in the 'News' section - and he is
currently globe-trotting in search of a suitable replacement.
A member of Sweden's Olympic sailing team in his youth, Dag has competed in more events than he can
list, winning a great number of them.
In the fifteen years that this remarkable man was at the top of the Star Class
(see the 'Winning Ways' racing page in the 'Sporting Types' section) he had eight boats all named
"Flying Star" built in places as far apart as the United States of America and
Italy, Switzerland and Sweden. Each would last about forty races before going
'soft' as racers say.
For the past ten years, Dag has been racing with his friend Gunner, whom many cruisers know as the captain of the yacht 'Sandra", having raced against him for the previous
thirty!
Win or lose, neither can resist the lure of the Star Class events. Dag's position in the vast majority of winning races in which he has participated has almost invariably been at the
helm.
Last year, Dag left 'Star Dust' safely tucked up in Trinidad, as usual, and flew back to Sweden to race in a boat he and Gunner bought a few years back and have never got around to
naming. She had previously won a World Championship and, now that they no longer feel they have to prove anything the fact that she may be going
'soft' is not a source of anxiety.
Typical, he says of Star Class camaraderie but more typical, one suspects, of the affection he inspires in all who get to know
him, was the greeting he received from the Commodore of the Kieler Yacht Club who ran over and hugged Dag
delightedly. They had not seen each other in thirty years.
Dag's greatest pride, he says, is in the fact that he has probably clocked up more sea-miles in the Caribbean than any other cruiser
around, in the last five years. Each year, after the annual lay-up in Trinidad,
'Star Dust' would sail at least three thousand miles, nipping around the islands to wherever there was something of interest going
on.
Bequia's single-handed race is the toughest in the Caribbean. Dag and 'Star
Dust' won in 1988 and 1999 and his class too!
In fact, at Bequia's Easter Regatta 1999, Dag became the first person ever to win every single
event. As skipper on 'Hotel California' he steered his crew to victory in all their races and then went on to win the
single-handed event on 'Star Dust'.
His two silver cups from Antigua, two from Bequia and other trophies, including a Rolex Sports Cup from
St. Thomas, for coming second in class in 1996 or '97, he forgets which, there have been so many
events, went down with 'Star Dust' melted, no doubt, beyond recognition. It pains him more than he cares to show.
As mainsail trimmer aboard the 'Intrepid' in the America's Cup of 1974 and 1979,
Dag again sampled the thrills of competing in an event which attracts global
interest.
Dag Blidback spent many years in the Swedish Navy and it shows in his bearing in the nicest
way. The man is a true gentleman.
Dag has alternated between racing and commercial captaining over the last thirty
years. He has skippered offshore salvage and towing vessels and mega-yachts as well as being consultant to various mega-yacht builders in Europe and the United
States.
|
