{"id":152999,"date":"2024-08-06T09:01:52","date_gmt":"2024-08-06T08:01:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/?p=152999"},"modified":"2024-08-06T09:03:06","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T08:03:06","slug":"marit-bouwmeester-secures-second-gold-becoming-greatest-olympic-female-sailor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/marit-bouwmeester-secures-second-gold-becoming-greatest-olympic-female-sailor-152999","title":{"rendered":"Marit Bouwmeester secures second gold becoming greatest Olympic Female Sailor"},"content":"Could Paris 2024 be one of the best Olympic sailing regattas yet? Hosted by a country truly passionate about sailing, combined with \u2013 hopefully \u2013 stunning Mediterranean weather, and sailing fans should be in for a treat when the Olympuc sailing takes place from 28th July - 8th August 2024.\r\n\r\nThe 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/tag\/olympic-sailing\">Olympic sailing<\/a> regatta will be held at Marseilles on the Mediterranean coast.\r\n\r\nMarseille\u2019s coastline, flanked by the Calanques cliffs to the south and the Frioul islands to the west, can create challenging conditions. Everything from stifling hot and light wind days to full-on Mistral conditions is possible.\r\n\r\nFrance has fielded a strong home team, with the Netherlands also hotly tipped for medals in several classes. But can Britain retain its position as the top sailing nation? Five GBR sailors have already competed in at least one Games, while nine are making their Olympic debut. A bold call perhaps, but GBR has at least an outside chance of a medal in almost all 10 classes...\r\n\r\nBut there\u2019s no such thing as a sure-thing in the Olympics and every fleet is a hotbed of talent. Together with Olympic reporter Andy Rice \u2013 who\u2019s had a front-row seat at many of the big class events \u2013 we\u2019ve picked our tips for who to watch.\r\n\r\n<strong>The 10 Olympic Sailing events that will take place in Paris 2024 will be:<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Men\u2019s Windsurfing \u2013 iQFOiL \u2013\u00a0<strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women\u2019s Windsurfing \u2013 iQFOiL \u2013\u00a0<strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Men\u2019s Kite \u2013 Formula Kite \u2013\u00a0<strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Women\u2019s Kite \u2013 Formula Kite \u2013\u00a0<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 \u2013\u00a0<strong>NEW for 2024<\/strong><\/li>\r\n \t<li>Mixed Multihull \u2013 Nacra 17<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152297\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152297\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/YAW300.otw_olympics.favourite_230714_p24te_marseille_sb2_9845-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> ILCA 6: Marit Bouwmeester will be bidding for a fourth medal. Photo: Sander van der Borch\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>ILCA 6 &amp; ILCA 7<\/h2>\r\nThe men\u2019s Olympic sailing single-hander class ILCA 7 looks set to be one of the most nail-biting showdowns between <strong>Matt Wearn (AUS)<\/strong> and <strong>Micky Beckett (GBR)<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nWearn won Gold in Tokyo and back-to-back ILCA World Championship titles. But he\u2019s been pushed hard through this Olympic cycle by Beckett, who is going to his first Games after winning silver at the Test Event at the same venue last summer, and back to back Trofeo Princesa Sofia regattas.\r\n\r\nBehind these two the field is wide open, though French contender <strong>Jean-Baptiste Bernaz<\/strong> could challenge for a medal on his home waters.\r\n\r\nThe women\u2019s single-handed ILCA 6 fleet is packed with serious experience. <strong>Marit Bouwmeester (NED)<\/strong> will be bidding to overtake <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/hannah-mills-becomes-greatest-female-olympic-sailor-with-gold-133331\">Hannah Mills<\/a> as the most decorated female Olympian of all time, having won a gold, silver and bronze medal at three previous Games.\r\n\r\nBouwmeester also won last year\u2019s Test Event, securing 1st even before the medal race. Tough opposition comes from <strong>Anne Marie Rindom (DEN)<\/strong> who won the World Championships this year and took gold at the last Games. <strong>Emma Plasschaert (BEL)<\/strong> is another strong medal contender and a double world champion.\r\n\r\nBritish entry <strong>Hannah Snellgrove<\/strong> might not be expected to rival those right at the front of the fleet, but she's had an unconventional journey to the Games. Snellgrove combined training in the British Team with studying for a Cambridge University degree, and at one stage busked with her folk band (band name: <em>Bimbling<\/em>) to help fund her campaign. She was selected for the Olympics aged 33, after finishing 11th at the Worlds.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152288\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152288\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/YAW300.otw_olympics.230715_p24te_marseille_sb1_0844-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> The skiff class is a huge physical test. Photo: Sander van der Borch\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>49er &amp; 49erFX<\/h2>\r\nThe men\u2019s double-handed skiff is expected to be a close, three-way duel. The Dutch pairing of <strong>Bart Lambriex and Floris van de Werken<\/strong> have an edge as favourites, having won three back-to-back Worlds and last year\u2019s Test Event. But they\u2019re likely to be pushed hard by <strong>Erwan Fischer and Cl\u00e9ment Pequin (FRA)<\/strong>, current World Champions who\u2019ll be looking for a home win, and <strong>Diego Botin and Florian Trittel (ESP)<\/strong>.\r\n\r\nThe British pairing of <strong>James Peters and Flynn Sterritt<\/strong> have shown they can challenge at the front of the fleet on their best days, but it\u2019ll be a battle for consistency against the top teams.\r\n\r\nDutch skiff dominance continues in the women\u2019s double-hander, with <strong>Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz<\/strong> top-ranked as winners of the Test event and World Champions. <strong>Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (BRA)<\/strong> will be giving everything they\u2019ve got to try and secure a third gold after winning in Rio and Tokyo. Swedish pairing <strong>Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler<\/strong> are also likely to be in the mix for medals.\r\n\r\nBritain\u2019s <strong>Freya Black and Saskia Tidey<\/strong> will be headed straight from the Olympics to Barcelona, as members of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/americas-cup\/british-womens-and-youth-americas-cup-squad-unveiled-150390\">Athena women\u2019s and youth British America\u2019s Cup<\/a> team. They qualified for the Games with a great 5th at the 2023 Worlds, but it\u2019ll be a step up to get onto the medal podium.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152287\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152287\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/YAW300.otw_olympics.230715_p24te_marseille_c9v_8687-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Photo: Vincent Curutchet\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>470<\/h2>\r\nThe oldest Olympic sailing class has had a big shake-up for 2024, with the move to a mixed team format. There isn\u2019t any consensus on whether it\u2019s better to have the male or female crew on the tiller or the trapeze, with the top 10 teams split evenly in their approach.\r\n\r\nWhat has changed is which countries are dominant, with Australia and Great Britain no longer clear ahead. The GBR duo of <strong>Vita Heathcote and Chris Grube<\/strong> can definitely get there, as a silver at this year\u2019s Worlds demonstrated, but they\u2019ve had less time together than some other teams.\r\n\r\nWorld Champions<strong> Jordi Xammar and\/ Nora Brugman (ESP)<\/strong> are favourites, with <strong>Camille Lecointre and Jeremie Mion (FRA)<\/strong> tipped for silver ahead of Japan.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152289\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152289\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/YAW300.otw_olympics.230715_p24te_marseille_sb2_3699-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Photo: Sander van der Borch\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>Nacra 17<\/h2>\r\nThe mixed multihull was already the fastest dinghy at the Games, but since Tokyo the foiling cat class has gone through a major development for even more speed.\r\n\r\n\u201cThey\u2019ve gone from foiling downwind to putting rudder elevators on for this Olympic cycle, which now allows them to foil upwind as well in anything more than 10-11 knots of wind,\u201d explains Andy Rice. That hasn\u2019t had the effect of shaking up the leaderboard though, with the Tokyo medallists expected to follow similar form in Paris.\r\n\r\nItalians remain favourites after back to back World Championships wins for <strong>Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti<\/strong>, but Brits <strong>John Gimson and Anna Burnet<\/strong> are hotly tipped for another silver. Germany could also take bronze again, although other nations like Argentina, New Zealand, Sweden and The Netherlands have serious podium intentions.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152298\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"630\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152298\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/YAW300.otw_olympics.gbr_230714_p24te_marseille_l1_1333-630x354.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"630\" height=\"354\" \/> Photo: Mark Lloyd\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>iQFOil<\/h2>\r\nAnother change for this Games is the introduction of a new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/tag\/foiling\">foiling<\/a> windsurfing class for both men and women in the iQFOil. This is the class that\u2019s hardest to establish consistency in, but <strong>Nicol\u00f3 Renna (ITA)<\/strong> is a solid performer and the current world champion. The two previous world title holders for 2022 and 2023 respectively, <strong>Sebastien Koerdel (GER)<\/strong> and <strong>Luuc van Opzeeland (NED)<\/strong>, are other serious podium prospects. GBR\u2019s <strong>Sam Sills<\/strong> has an outside chance for a medal too.\r\n\r\nIn the women\u2019s fleet Britain\u2019s <strong>Emma Wilson<\/strong> is expected to podium after a consistent season which saw her take silver or bronze at all the major class events \u2013\u00a0iQFOiL medal races see just three sailors fight it out for gold. Wilson also took a bronze Olympic medal at Tokyo 2020 in the non-foiling RS:X class.\r\n\r\nIsrael has been a force to be reckoned with in the women\u2019s iQFOil class with several top performers, and world champion <strong>Sharon Kantor<\/strong> will be going to the Games.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_152285\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"320\"]<img class=\"size-large wp-image-152285\" src=\"https:\/\/keyassets.timeincuk.net\/inspirewp\/live\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/21\/2024\/07\/YAW300.otw_olympics.230710_p24te_marseille_l1_0262-320x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"320\" height=\"400\" \/> Photo: Mark Lloyd\/World Sailing[\/caption]\r\n<h2>Formula Kite<\/h2>\r\nThe final two places for sailing athletes at Paris go to men\u2019s and women\u2019s kitefoiling racers. Unlike the iQFoil windsurfers, which really need a minimum of 9 knots to race, Formula Kite racers can compete in wind speeds from 5 knots up to 30, so should be able to handle any conditions at Marseilles.\r\n\r\nGBR\u2019s <strong>Emma Aldridge<\/strong> is expected to be at the front of the fleet, though is one of the smaller athletes in the class. <strong>Lauriane Nolot<\/strong> came out top of a fierce selection fight for France\u2019s Kite slot, and is likely gold medal favourite.\r\n\r\nSix-time world champion <strong>Daniela Moroz (USA)<\/strong> is another contender and would have been a clear favourite up until two years ago since when the European powerhouses have closed the gap on the kiteboarding pioneer from California.\r\n\r\n<strong>Max Maeder (SGP)<\/strong> is the runaway favourite for the men\u2019s gold. Aged just 17, he wins most major events he enters. <strong>Axel Mazella (FRA)<\/strong> is a consistent performer who should bring home another medal for the hosts, while the more mercurial <strong>Toni Vodisek (SLO)<\/strong> can perform at the very top on his day. GBR\u2019s <strong>Connor Bainbridge<\/strong> is also capable of a top performance, but with a late qualification for Paris \u2013 along with a number of injuries \u2013 hasn\u2019t had an ideal preparation for his first Games.\r\n\r\n<em>Head over to our Paris 2024\u00a0<a class=\"hawk-link-parsed\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/tag\/olympic-sailing\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-custom-tracking-id=\"4433057606007447133\" data-hawk-tracked=\"hawklinks\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-label=\"Olympic Sailing\">Olympic Sailing<\/a>\u00a0page for more on the Olympic Sailing,\u00a0<a class=\"hawk-link-parsed\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/who-looks-set-to-win-the-olympic-sailing-medals-in-paris-2024-152283\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-custom-tracking-id=\"3731709437375492568\" data-hawk-tracked=\"hawklinks\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-label=\"Olympic sailing form guide\">Olympic sailing form guide<\/a>, and\u00a0<a class=\"hawk-link-parsed\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/olympic-sailing-boats-paris-2024-olympic-sailing-events-explained-152583\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-custom-tracking-id=\"1042921140416002952\" data-hawk-tracked=\"hawklinks\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-label=\"Olympic sailing boats\">Olympic sailing boats<\/a>\u00a0explainer.<\/em>\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>As the capricious, fitful breezes finally expired in the intense late afternoon heat on the Bay of Marseille, when Race 10 for the Women\u2019s Olympic Dinghy (ILCA 6) was abandoned Marit Bouwmeester effectively secured her second gold medal to become sailing\u2019s most successful ever female Olympian. Adding to gold in Rio 2016, silver in London 2012 and bronze in Beijing 2008, Holland\u2019s 36-year old sailing superstar today surpasses Briton Hannah Mills\u2019s two successive golds from Rio and Tokyo and silver in London, Italian windsurfer Alessandra Sensini gold in 2000, silver in Beijing and pair of bronzes from 1996 and 2004 as well as Kiwi windsurfer Barbara Kendall\u2019s \u2018full set\u2019 earned consecutively from 1996-2004. Marit Bouwmeester took time off after the 2021 Olympics after giving birth to her daughter Jessie Mae two years ago and since then has ensured that her role as a mother comes first and foremost. Lately she travels with her brother \u2013 a former sailor \u2013 and their combined families as is the case here. \u201cHere I often get back and she is asleep. I get a kiss and she tells me what a great day she has had with her cousins.\u201d She said this week. In so doing today she has now fulfilled an aggrieved teenage assertion \u2013 started in 2005 after she was told by her National Authority that she was too young and too slight to represent at the Laser Worlds that year in Brazil \u2013 that she would be the best in the world one day. She recalled, again, this afternoon this was what ignited the fire inside her. \u201cIt feels incredible now because as a youngster my spot was taken away from me because I was told I was not good enough, that is when I said I am going to be the best of all time. So it feels good now. &#8220;Then they told me I was too young, too light they were going to send Lisa Westerhof. That has spurred me all the time to be the best female sailor of all time. I have always chased that dream. When you get setbacks you get the chance to be the victim or to come back stronger.\u201d And she pointed to her recent 11th at January\u2019s ILCA 6 Women\u2019s World Championship in Argentina as the final catalyst, another time not to be a victim. \u201cFor me to be down at the worlds in Argentina was the best thing to happen because I chose to keep the grind, when I thought this is the biggest challenge for me to win the gold medal, to always come back stronger.\u201d Article continues below&#8230; Her work rate and ethic are second to none whilst on the water her superior downwind speed is attributable to her sheer athleticism and an innate feel for the boat. And there is no doubt that here on Marseille\u2019s very demanding, challenging race arenas her Olympic Sailing experience has probably been her decisive experience. As athlete and commentator British double Olympic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/events-2\/who-looks-set-to-win-the-olympic-sailing-medals-in-paris-2024-152283\">&hellip;Continue reading &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":447,"featured_media":153003,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1540],"tags":[754,1633],"review_manufacturer":[],"acf":[],"introduction":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152999"}],"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\/447"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152999"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152999\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":153005,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/152999\/revisions\/153005"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/153003"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152999"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152999"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152999"},{"taxonomy":"review_manufacturer","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yachtingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/review_manufacturer?post=152999"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}