Sven Gustaf Salén (7 November 1890 – 29 October 1969) was a Swedish
sailor who competed in the
1936 and
1952 Summer Olympics. In 1936, together with his wife
Dagmar Salén, he won a bronze medal in the mixed 6 m class as the
helmsman of the boat ''May Be''. Sixteen years later he finished fourth as the helmsman of the boat ''May Be VII'' in the
same event.
Between 1922 and 1962 Salén ran his company Salén Lines. He was first to use an oversized foresail on his 6 meter racing yacht "May-Be" in the 1926 race Coppa del Tirreno in
Genoa. This is why this sail is called a
genoa. He successfully used it during the Scandinavian Gold Cup’s races of 1927 in Oyster Bay (US).
Sven Salén also pioneered the parachute spinnaker. His sailing career was boosted after his team won the 6 m event at the unofficial world championships in 1927.
In 1927 he received the
Svenska Dagbladet Gold Medal.
Salén was also a singer-songwriter and a founder, with Ulf Peder Olrog, of the
Swedish Song Archive. Two of his songs, "Sången till havet" (Song to the Ocean) and "Visa kring slånbom och månskära" (Song of Blackthorn and Crescent Moon) were recorded by
Jussi Björling.
In 1931 Salén married Dagmar Mörner, daughter of a baroness.
Their son Sven H. Salén (
sv; born 1939) became a lawyer and politician.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salen, Sven
1890 births
1969 deaths
Swedish male sailors (sport)
Olympic sailors for Sweden
Olympic bronze medalists for Sweden
Olympic medalists in sailing
Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Sailors at the 1936 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre
Sailors at the 1952 Summer Olympics – 6 Metre
Royal Swedish Yacht Club sailors
Sportspeople from Borås