{"id":152583,"date":"2024-07-23T16:40:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-23T15:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/?p=152583"},"modified":"2024-07-23T17:02:33","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T16:02:33","slug":"olympic-sailing-boats-paris-2024-olympic-sailing-events-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/olympic-sailing-boats-paris-2024-olympic-sailing-events-explained-152583","title":{"rendered":"Olympic Sailing boats: Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing events explained"},"content":"Sailing has been an Olympic sport since the first Olympiad in 1896 and has changed significantly over the years since. But whilst the sport of sailing at the Olympic Games has always undergone changes, arguably Paris 2024 will see one of, if not the, biggest changes to the event format in the recent history of the Games.\r\n\r\nOver recent Olympiads there has been an ongoing transition away from some of the more \u2018traditional\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/tag\/olympic-sailing\">Olympic sailing classes<\/a> towards more modern, higher performance classes and also more accessible classes in terms of pure equipment cost. Plus a drive for greater gender equity in Olympic medals generally has also had an effect.\r\n\r\nAs such, of the 10 Olympic Sailing events in Paris 2024, 50% are new to the Olympic Games. And for four of these events, the newly introduced Formula Kite for men and women, and the foiling windsurfer for men and women, there will be new formats that may well be unfamiliar to anyone who has watched Olympic sailing previously.\r\n<h2>What are the Olympic Sailing events in Paris 2024?<\/h2>\r\n<strong>The 10 events that will take place in Paris 2024 will be:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Men\u2019s Windsurfing \u2013 iQFOiL - <strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women\u2019s Windsurfing \u2013 iQFOiL - <strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Men\u2019s Kite \u2013 Formula Kite - <strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women\u2019s Kite \u2013 Formula Kite - <strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Men\u2019s One Person Dinghy \u2013 ILCA 7<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women\u2019s One Person Dinghy \u2013 ILCA 6<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Men\u2019s Skiff \u2013 49er<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women\u2019s Skiff \u2013 49erFX<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Mixed Dinghy \u2013 470 - <strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Mixed Multihull \u2013 Nacra 17<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nHead over to our Paris 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/tag\/olympic-sailing\">Olympic Sailing<\/a> page for more on the Olympic classes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152113\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-152113\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/06\/210727_LIVE_SE_Tokyo20_60951219-630x394-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> ILCA 7 sailing. Photo: Sailing energy \/ World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>What is the Olympic sailing format?<\/h2>\r\nFor most of the sailing events at the Paris Olympics, medals will be awarded under a tried and tested format and will be familiar to sailors and avid Olympic watchers the world over.\r\n\r\nThe ILCA 7 (previously known as the Laser), ILCA 6 (previously Laser Radial), 49er, 49erFX, 470, and Nacra 17 will all compete in a fleet racing format, meaning all competitors and crews take to the course at the same time in a straight race to the finish.\r\n\r\nAfter the opening series races (10 races for the ILCAs and 470, 12 races for the Nacra, 49er and 49er FX), the ten boats ranked highest compete in a medal race on the final day of racing.\r\n\r\nPoints are awarded based on how well a boat finishes in each race. First place receives one point, second receives two points, and so on, while the points from the worst race performance for each crew are discarded.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152114\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-152114\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/06\/210727_LIVE_SE_Tokyo20_77041419-630x394-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Olympic 49er racing. Photo: Sailing energy \/ World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe remaining points are then added together and used to determine the rankings. So the lower the total score, the better the ranking.\r\n\r\nThe top 10 boats compete in a medal race in which the points for each placement are doubled.\r\n\r\nThe boat with the lowest total score (including the opening series) will be crowned Olympic champion.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152115\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"wp-image-152115 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/06\/230714_P24TE_Marseille_SB2_2695-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Men's Formula Kite racing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>Formula Kite format<\/h2>\r\nThe format for the Formula Kite fleets is initially almost exactly the same as for the traditional classes, with an opening qualification series running for the majority of the week with points being awarded on the same basis (one point for first place, two points for second etc.)\r\n\r\nThe key difference in Formula Kite racing is the length of the races. Kite foiling is fast and furious and races last around 10 minutes \u2013 as compared to 35-50 minutes for traditional classes.\r\n\r\nWhere the Formula Kite format is very different from the traditional fleets is in the Medal Race day format.\r\n\r\nFor the Medal Race day, the top 10 competitors go through to a Semi-Final and Final format. The top two competitors go straight through to the Final while the two Semi-Finals are made up of four competitors each in alternating rankings.\r\n\r\nEach Semi-Final group races until a competitor has won three races and the first competitor to do so in each Semi-Final goes through to the Final.\r\n\r\nHowever, the sailors who qualified in third and fourth start the Semi-Finals with two race wins already on the board. And the sailors in fifth and sixth start with one race win.\r\n\r\nFor the Finals, the format is once again first to three race wins, with the sailors who qualified for the Final in first and second starting the final with two and one race wins respectively.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152116\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152116\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/06\/230715_P24TE_Marseille_SB1_0274-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Women's iQFOiL racing. Photo: Sander van der Borch\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>iQFOiL windsurfing format<\/h2>\r\nFor anyone used to the more normal Olympic Sailing formats, the racing in the iQFOiL windsurfer does take a bit of getting used to and will look different depending on the weather.\r\n\r\nThe foiling windsurfers have three types of racing, which will vary during the week, largely depending on weather conditions.\r\n\r\nThe first type of racing is the Sprint Slalom, where racing takes place on a fully downwind course, reaching back and forth until the finish. This is typically used if the wind is light, around 10 knots or less. The target race time here is around 5 minutes.\r\n\r\nIf the wind is over 10 knots then a more traditional fleet race format will be used, essentially the same as the more traditional sailing classes, with the windsurfers sailing an upwind and downwind course. The target race time for fleet racing is around 15-20 minutes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152117\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152117\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/06\/230716_P24TE_Marseille_C9V_0230-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Men's iQFOiL racing. Photo: Vincent Curutchet\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe third type of racing is the Marathon course. The shape of this course depends on the venue and the wind direction, but the aim is for the race to last at least 1-1.5 hours. For the Paris 2024 Olympics this Marathon is currently scheduled to take place on the penultimate day of racing, Thursday 1 August.\r\n\r\nAs with all other classes, the final day of racing is reserved for the Medal Race competition, with the top 10 competitors going through to this final day of racing.\r\n\r\nHowever, where the iQFOil differs from the rest, once you have made it through to this final day, scores are wiped clean for the top ten, so everyone starts the final day evenly.\r\n\r\nRacing then takes place in either Sprint Slalom or an upwind \/ downwind fleet racing course (again depending on weather conditions).\r\n\r\nThe fleet racing course is slightly different in layout and much shorter (sub-10 minutes per race) than in the previous week, and the entirety of the Medal Race day is a knock out format, making it a much more exciting, if unpredictable, competition.\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<h2><a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2JMgfA4\"><img class=\"alignright wp-image-120951 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2019\/05\/YW_JUNE19_-COVER-1-152x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"152\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a>If you enjoyed this\u2026.<\/h2>\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<div class=\"\"><em>Yachting World is the world's leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.<\/em><\/div>\r\n<div><\/div>\r\n<div class=\"\"><em>Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our <a href=\"http:\/\/bit.ly\/2JMgfA4\">latest offers<\/a> and save at least 30% off the cover price.<\/em><\/div><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>","excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There have been many changes to the Olympic Sailing boats \u2013 or Olympic sailing classes \u2013 since the last, Covid delayed, Games in Tokyo, so what are the new Olympic Boats zipping around in the stunning Mediterranean weather in the Olympic sailing venue in Marseilles? Two of the new Olympic sailing events do not take place in boats at all, but are the Olympic Windsurfing and Olympic Kitesurfing events, which along with the Olympic Dinghy, Olympic Multihull, and Olympic Skiff events all fall under the &#8216;Olympic Sailing&#8217; banner. Both the windsurfing and kitesurfing events at the Paris 2024 Olympics will be zooming around out of the water on hydrofoils \u2013 as is the case for the Olympic Multihull, the Nacra 17 Catamaran. Olympic Sailing in Paris 2024 runs from 28th July &#8211; 8th Aug The 10 events that will take place in Paris 2024 will be: Men\u2019s Windsurfing \u2013 iQFOiL \u2013\u00a0NEW for 2024 Women\u2019s Windsurfing \u2013 iQFOiL \u2013\u00a0NEW for 2024 Men\u2019s Kite \u2013 Formula Kite \u2013\u00a0NEW for 2024 Women\u2019s Kite \u2013 Formula Kite \u2013\u00a0NEW for 2024 Men\u2019s One Person Dinghy \u2013 ILCA 7 Women\u2019s One Person Dinghy \u2013 ILCA 6 Men\u2019s Skiff \u2013 49er Women\u2019s Skiff \u2013 49erFX Mixed Dinghy \u2013 470 \u2013\u00a0NEW for 2024 Mixed Multihull \u2013 Nacra 17 Paris 2024 Olympic Boats Olympic Windsurfer \u2013 IQFoil \u2013 Men &amp; women The IQFoil is a windsurfing class selected by World Sailing to replace the RS:X for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Sailors competing in the IQFoil fleet may only use a single sail \u2013 a notable difference from many windsurfing events, where multiple sails sizes may be used. The sail size for the men\u2019s class is 9m2. The women&#8217;s Olympic windsurfer features a slightly smaller sail than the men\u2019s class at 8m2. For both the men\u2019s and women\u2019s classes, the rider has a choice between using a hydrofoil or a conventional 68 cm fin, with the former being used in all but the lightest of conditions. Olympic Kitesurfer \u2013 Formula Kite \u2013 Women &amp; Men Formula Kite will make its Olympic debut in 2024 having been selected by World Sailing to effectively replace two Olympic Dinghy events. The class features a soft, foil kite and a board with a hydrofoil. For both men\u2019s and Women\u2019s fleets, the Formula Kite classes do not feature one-design kit, but instead competitors use their choice of approved production equipment. The International Kiteboarding Association (IKA) manages the class. Olympic Multihull \u2013 Nacra 17 \u2013 Mixed The first mixed class in sailing at the Olympics, the Nacra 17 must have one male and one female, though which role they take (helm or crew) is up to the teams. The Nacra 17 is a very high performance catamaran and now features hydrofoils allowing the boat to zip around above the surface of the water. It can be very fast and very difficult to control, which can result in races with many lead changes. Olympic Singlehanded Dinghy \u2013 ILCA 7\u00a0 (Men) + ILCA 6 (Women) Formerly known at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/olympic-sailing-explained-what-you-need-to-know-to-follow-the-racing-152110\">&hellip;Continue reading &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3349,"featured_media":152591,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1540],"tags":[754],"review_manufacturer":[],"acf":[],"introduction":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152583"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3349"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152583"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":152600,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152583\/revisions\/152600"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/152591"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152583"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=152583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}