There have been many changes to the Olympic Sailing boats – or Olympic sailing classes – since the last, Covid…
Wind doesn't play ball again forcing Olympic Skiff Medal Race delays, but racing continued in other fleets for the six day of Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing competition
Thursday was supposed to see Medal Racing for the Men’s Olympic Skiff, the 49er and Women’s Olympic Skiff, the 49er FX. However despite the Men getting their race started on two occasions, the wind disappeared mid-race both times and the racing had to be halted. The Skiff racers – male and female – are hoping the forecast for better breeze today, Friday, actually comes to pass on the Bay of Marseille.
Racing may not have got underway for the Olympic Skiff classes, but elsewhere the Olympic Sailing competition continued on Thursday in Marseille, as athletes across various classes are positioning themselves for potential podium finishes. The day’s events showcased consistency, skill, and strategy under challenging conditions.
Photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch
Great Britain’s Emma Wilson has guaranteed herself a Women’s Olympic Windsurfing medal after finishing at the top of the Windsurfing standings in the Opening Series. Wilson’s strong performance, including a win in the final race of the day, left her 31 points ahead of her competitors, securing her a spot in the Final where she will compete for gold.
Reflecting on her achievement, Wilson said, “It’s really cool to be guaranteed a medal. Just to perform how I’ve done this week at the Olympics is pretty cool. I don’t approach tomorrow differently; I’ll just keep following my routine.”
Israel’s Sharon Kantor, who secured a place in the Semi-Final with a solid second-place finish in the final race, and Italy’s Marta Maggetti will be closely watching the Quarter-Final results to determine their opponents.
For those new to Olympic Windsurfing, the format is slightly different to other Olympic Sailing Medal Race Days.
At the end of the Opening Series, the top ten athletes will qualify for the Medal Series. Those ranked fourth to tenth compete in a Quarter-Final, with the top two reaching the Semi-Final.
They will then face the athletes that finished second and third in the Opening Series. Two will progress from the Semi-Final, joining the top overall athlete in the Final.
The three athletes in the Final are all guaranteed a medal, so the finishing order in the Final race will determine who wins what medal.
Photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch
Australia’s Grae Morris clinched a medal in Men’s Windsurfing, topping the leaderboard after a series of consistent finishes. He now faces the pressure of maintaining his lead in the Final race. Morris reflected on the challenge, stating, “It feels good now, but knowing that you have to pull off the next best thing tomorrow makes it a bit nerve-wracking. The gold medal is still in play and that won’t leave my mind tonight.”
Close behind Morris are Israel’s Tom Reuveny and New Zealand’s Josh Armit, both securing spots in the Semi-Final. Poland’s Pawel Tarnowski, finishing fourth, noted the difficulty of the conditions and the upcoming challenge in the Quarter-Final.
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Photo: World Sailing / Lloyd Images
Peru’s Stefano Peschiera made a strong start in the Men’s Olympic Dinghy, finishing first in the second race and establishing an early seven-point lead in the ILCA 7 class. Peschiera, a veteran of the Rio and Tokyo Games, leveraged his experience to navigate the tricky conditions in Marseille.
“It was tricky. There were really patchy conditions out there,” Peschiera commented. “We’re going to take away all the good things and learn from any mistakes.”
Reigning Olympic champion Matt Wearn of Australia remains a close contender, finishing second in the day’s races, with Portugal’s Eduardo Marques following in third.
Photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch
France’s Louise Cervera made an impressive debut in the Women’s Dinghy, winning the first race of the ILCA 6 class. Cervera managed the shifting winds expertly, taking an early lead and securing the first yellow jersey of her Olympic career.
“It’s nice to start with a victory,” Cervera said. “Taking the first yellow jersey at my first Olympic Games gives me confidence.”
China’s Min Gu and Italy’s Chiara Benini Floriani also had strong starts, finishing second and third respectively. With a second race postponed due to lack of wind, the competitors will face a packed schedule as they continue to vie for medals.
As the competition progresses, the athletes’ strategies and adaptability will be tested under Marseille’s unpredictable conditions.
Keep up to date with all our Olympic Sailing 2024 coverage.
You can find all the Olympic sailing results at the World Sailing Olympic results page
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