His Majesty King Harald of Norway

Our honorary president is unquestionably the most experienced Int. 8-Metre sailor in the world. Eighty years ago, back in 1939, his father King Olaf first took him on board his Int. 8-Metre Sira and so started a life time of deep passion for sailing and the sea. King Harald is a highly accomplished and competitive sailor who competed in three Olympic games (Int,. 5.5 in 1964 and 1968 and Soling in 1972). He won the One Ton Cup twice and won the Sira Cup during the 8-Metre Worlds in 2007. He has raced string of custom design IOR and IMS
racing yachts, a Farr 40 and aTP52 which he campaigned around the world. Always racing with a crew of friends, all world class sailors in their own right, all passionately competitive and all enjoy sailing as much as each other’s company. If not on other duties, the Royal Yacht Norge serves as mothership. Norge was built in 1937 as mothership for T.O.M. Sopwiths America’s Cup challenge with Endeavor. She’s lovingly maintained and her aft deck has space for the cradle which Sira is transported. It is an honor to have King Harald racing with us and a privilege to have him as honorary life president of IEMA