olympic sailboat race commentary

• AROUND THE SAILING WORLD
• BOAT OF THE YEAR
• Email Newsletters
• America’s Cup
• St. Petersburg
• Caribbean Championship
• Boating Safety
• Ultimate Boating Giveaway

Behind The Scenes of the High-Tech Olympic Sailing Broadcast

• By Gary Jobson
• September 10, 2024

The Olympic Games is the most celebrated sporting event in the world. There are many other great events like World Cup soccer, the Super Bowl or the World Series that attract attention, but the Olympics is unlike any other. Athletes carry their nation’s pride on their shoulders, participating is important and winning a medal is particularly special. 

I’ve watched the world’s best sailors reach their zenith at the Games as my interest in Olympic sailing dates to my earliest memories. Since 1988 I’ve covered Olympic sailing for NBC seven times including this year’s regatta, which took place off Marseille, France. I wasn’t located in Marseille; I was hunkered down for weeks at NBC’s sprawling production facility in Stamford, Connecticut, alongside 2,000 others in Stamford producing content from the Games for American audiences.

NBC started “at home” production in 1996 for the Atlanta Olympic Games. Senior Vice President of Engineering, Tim Canary, who is based in Stamford (and keeps a cruising sailboat at a nearby marina) says, “With the advent of high-speed fiber optic links, remote production of major events is prolific and game changing in how sports are produced. Olympic sailing is no different.    

“NBC was provided with content from every Olympic venue from Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS) in Paris. That facility was connected to NBC Sports’ Stamford headquarters via transatlantic fiber optic cabling providing 220 Gbps of data throughput. Once the signals are in Stamford, the Engineering and Operations team route the signal to soundproof rooms where talent provides commentary in English to the program.”

I’ve covered a lot of sailing for television, written for print and spoken in front of many audiences and each discipline has its challenges and rewards. Making sense out of the uber-competitive racing and the raw emotions that are inevitably attached some 4,000 miles away from the venue added to the complexity.

Consider these statistics: my role was to keep track of 330 sailors who were racing on 250 boats from 65 nations in 10 classes. Thirty medals were presented to 19 different countries, including one bronze medal to Americans Ian Barrows and Hans Henken in the men’s skiff 49er class.  I spent two weeks living in the French time zone, which meant being in my booth in Stamford at 0500 every morning.  Unfortunately, wind delays held the start of racing an average of two hours on 12 out of 13 days of scheduled racing.

“Consider these statistics: my role was to keep track of 330 sailors who were racing on 250 boats from 65 nations in 10 classes. Thirty medals were presented to 19 different countries, including one bronze medal to Americans Ian Barrows and Hans Henken in the men’s skiff 49er class.  I spent two weeks living in the French time zone, which meant being in my booth in Stamford at 0500 every morning.  Unfortunately, wind delays held the start of racing an average of two hours on 12 out of 13 days of scheduled racing.” —Gary Jobson

Once the program got underway, however, I covered the races of one or two classes each day that extended for three to four hours. Being a solo commentator for many continuous hours is an exhausting mental exercise. The information I had to work with included the live world feed images that were provided by OBS.  When racing was delayed, OBS added a graphic that said, “Racing delayed due to weather.”

At times they added a time of day of a possible scheduled start.  I had information on a laptop that gave me the scores going into each race, the position and timings after each mark rounding and a link to a biography of each athlete. In preparation for the following day’s races, I partnered with two NBC researchers, Emily Schumacher and Nicholas Bruce, who worked 12-hour shifts, and were able to add information to my list of biographical information.

I also kept on hand a Racing Rules of Sailing booklet, the Sailing Instructions and technical information on each class. I wrote up an extended outline on racing tactics and speed enhancing techniques to help viewers understand the vagaries of racing sailboats. I explained how sailors read the wind, how they deal with overcoming adversity, the role of umpires, and the emotions involved while racing.  It is a tricky balance explaining sailing simultaneously to skilled racers and novices.

The OBS was able to include cameras on each racing boat and on the helmets of the kiteboard sailors and windsurfers. A special feature was being able to listen to the sailors that wore microphones.  We heard many languages and during starts and tight maneuvers viewers could hear the elevated voices. I tried to be quiet while sailors were talking or yelling. Often the only sound coming from the boats was the wind, waves and heavy breathing.

The production facility was fully engaged throughout the Games covering the 32 summer Olympic sports. The work list included coordinating all 28 announce booths, producing studio shows from control rooms, lots of busy people in edit suites producing features and interviews, research studios, internet reporting, coordinating satellite feeds, feeding everyone with a stocked cafeteria that was open 24 hours, employing janitorial services that kept everything spotless and providing an endless supply of snacks. I found the work force to be focused, friendly and enthused. People cared about their product.

The primary reason racing was postponed was the location of the racecourse close to land. OBS needed the course to be near land to be able to relay their many signals from the camera boats, drones, race boats and helicopters back to the broadcast center.  The wind was persistently stronger only 1-2 miles further off the Marseille Marina. Often the classes that raced further offshore were able to get their races completed. Future venues need to consider a suitable location where lack of wind does delay racing.            

NBC took great care to give the production team guidance. The fundamental premise what NBC termed the “five rings” of good storytelling:

• Make them care.
• Explain your sport.
• Tell it like it is
• Let the moment happen.
• Emphasize Joy, Excitement, Emotion, and Stories

NBC executives held a series of three online seminars that asked announcers to be “clear and concise, make complex subjects understandable and to be welcoming.” One suggestion I took to heart was to “talk with your audience not to them.”  At the completion of the on-line seminars each participant was presented with a diploma. It was a nice touch.

The NBC compound operated with great efficiency that any military commander would appreciate.  Almost all workers were housed in local hotels. I stayed 4 miles away in a new hotel just one mile from the Riverside YC. I was able to race in three twilight races during my stay: On two of the days racing was abandoned due to lack of wind, and on the third day we had one good blow. Racing on a friend’s IC37 seemed a world away from the Olympic Games, and yet the sailing on those evenings related perfectly to the races I was watching in Marseille. 

At the end of each day, I would write up a report for the NBC Olympics website on the highlights of the day.  Luckily, I was able to communicate with people in Marseille and get some helpful insight on the dynamics around the sailing venue. A special moment at the conclusion of racing in each class was the formal medal ceremony. An International Olympic Committee member would present the medals, and a World Sailing board member would issue a diploma in a nifty box. The Paris 2024 music theme played while several hundred spectators watched from a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The classes and the formats used for sailing in the Olympic Games seems curious to me. I believe the Games should reflect a sport as it is played around the world. For example, the height of a basketball net is exactly 10 feet for all players whether professional or amateur.  In Olympic sailing, five of the 10 classes featured foiling craft. The International Olympic Committee seems focused on presenting sports that are exciting for a younger audience. I’m not convinced foiling achieves that goal. 

If Olympic class selection was up to me, this would be my slate of ten sailing disciplines:

One would be Team Racing – three boats per country with mixed crews, a round-robin series followed by an elimination series. Another would be a doublehanded mixed crew long distance race of about 400 miles. Viewers could watch the races 24 hours per day using onboard GPS trackers. There should be men’s and women’s singlehanded classes, men’s and women’s skiff classes, a keelboat mixed crew class, a foiling multihulls class (mixed), a mixed doublehanded class, and continued experimentation with foiling (Formula) kiteboarding.

Olympic sailing is challenging for competitors and fascinating to watch, especially with the 3D graphics, on board cameras, microphones on sailors, aerial images, water level views, compelling personalities and intriguing storylines. When the racing is close, the lead changes are frequent, and competitors give it their best. We can appreciate the dedication required to excel at the top level of the sport. Showcasing sailing on television is great fun and while I was thrilled to be part of it once again, I’m happy to be out of the booth and back on the water.

• More: Olympic Sailing
• More Racing

Regatta Series Delivers The Goods

Resolute Cup Draws Amateur Teams From Coast to Coast

INEOS Britannia Steps Up and Wins Louis Vuitton Cup Round Robins

A Swell Round Robin Day For INEOS Britannia

A Dynamic and Proving Day 6 of Louis Vuitton Cup

America’s Cup Match Racing at High Speed

Alinghi Red Bull Racing Bags First Louis Vuitton Cup Point on Electric Day in Barcelona

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

8 bite-sized lessons I needed to understand how Olympic sailing works

• Jenny Jasper
• August 1, 2024

Do you fancy watching Olympic sailing but are worried you might not understand it? As a relatively new spectator to this sport, I researched answers to my questions so you can know what you're looking at.

What I love about the Olympics is that I find myself leaning forward in anticipation when watching sports I wouldn’t usually do. The Olympics is like a buffet with food from lots of different cultures; we can try things to see if they’re to our taste. And if something doesn’t keep us wanting to return for more, we can try digesting something else. After sitting down to absorb Olympic sailing, I questioned the ingredients of these sports.

So, here are some queries I had and their answers for those who want to get their teeth into Olympic sailing.

Photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch

How does the start work in Olympic Sailing?

All races have a 5 minute countdown to the start. During this time, competitors slowly jockey for position, aiming to reach the most favourable spot. Depending on conditions, it may look like the boats will not make it to the start line in time! However, I discovered how quickly the sailors can prepare themselves when the timer runs low.

The start is a crucial part of the Olympic Sailing competition.

Typically the startline is at a 90 degree angle (perpendicular) to the wind with one end called the ‘pin end’ and the other the ‘committee boat end’ or simply ‘boat end’. The ‘boat end’ will have a vessel with flags o, which officials raise as they count down to the start. Whereas the ‘pin end’ is just a small floating buoy or mark.

Sailing boats can’t sail straight into the wind, so they start zig-zagging towards the first mark, which is directly upwind of the start. At the start, sailors choose whether to be on the course’s left or right side and pick their spot on the startline accordingly.

The startline may be ‘biased’, with one end slightly closer to the first mark than the other end. Understandably, this bias factors into competitors’ position decision-making.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing in Marseille, France on 1 August, 2024. Photo: World Sailing / Sander van der Borch

Why might Olympic Sailing be delayed?

Sailing is fairly unusual as a sport in that it relies heavily on the wind. Perhaps Olympic surfing is the only other sport at that Games that relies so much on the weather. Due to this symbiotic relationship with the wind, occasionally, organisers delay Olympic sailing events.

Both wind direction stability and wind force can affect whether sailing events occur. Very little wind will mean no one makes a start due to organisers postponing the race. At the other end of the scale, extreme wind is another cause for sailors to wait longer before crossing the starting line. If the wind isn’t flowing in a steady direction, race officials aren’t able to set a course for competition as they require the wind to come from one way. So, wind frequently changing direction causes race delays.

Thankfully for sailing fans, wide-ranging conditions can allow these races to happen.

Article continues below…

How to watch Olympic sailing Multihull and Mixed Dinghy Medal Races

As is often the case for sailing at the Olympics, the sailing is actually taking place away from the main…

Olympic Sailing boats: Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing events explained

There have been many changes to the Olympic Sailing boats – or Olympic sailing classes – since the last, Covid…

How much is enough Knots for a sailing race?

Sailors typically measure windspeed in Knots. One knot is equal to one nautical mile per hour, which is roughly 1.15 miles per hour (mph) or 1.85 kilometers per hour (kph).

Different boat types can sail in various weather conditions. However, a rough rule for racing is that a wind below 5 knots is too light, and above 30 knots is too windy.

What does wind “filling in” mean?

The wind is a fickle force. It doesn’t flow consistently everywhere, meaning the wind is stronger in certain sailing course areas than others. And these strong wind patches will change.

With the strongest wind comes the potential for boats to sail the fastest. And as sailing races work on a first-to-finish basis, the strong wind is where sailors want to be.

Part of the skill of Olympic Sailing is spotting and anticipating where the best wind is. Sailors analyse wind conditions by looking at the water as darker coloured water means more wind, lighter less.

Photo: World Sailing / Lloyd Images

When a commentator says the wind is ‘filling in’, they usually mean the wind is increasing in a certain section or evening out across the course. So the phrase ‘the wind is filling in where they are on the left of the course’ refers to the wind becoming stronger there (and therefore, the sailors there will be moving faster).

Perhaps slightly confusingly, sailors often refer to the wind as ‘pressure’. So you might hear a commentator mention, ‘they are sailing in more pressure here,’ which is saying the competitors are sailing in more wind and, therefore, going faster.

Why are the boats always changing direction?

Boats can’t sail directly into the wind; they zig-zag to make their way upwind (towards the wind). Most races start with the boats zig-zagging upwind from the start to the first mark.

A boat will sail ‘close hauled’ and then tack by steering the boat through the wind before sailing ‘close hauled’ in the other direction.

After tacking, boats sail around a series of course marks. The course shape varies. However, usually, competitors sail upwind and then downwind (sailing in the direction the wind is blowing) for a few laps. When boats sail downwind, they usually zig-zag again to sail quickly.

Due to the zig-zagging, there is a lot of changing direction in Olympic Sailing. The sailors will mostly find their way to the next mark, choosing the best course area for sailing on. Sailors meet at the marks, all changing direction at the same time.

What is the sail that disappears?

Depending on the wind direction and the type of boat, you may see a colourful sail that is sometimes on the boat and gets pulled back in. This sail is called a spinnaker. At the Olympic Sailing events, the 49er, 49er FX, 470 and Nacra 17 boats all have a spinnaker.

This big balloon-shaped sail makes the boats go faster. However, sailors can’t use the spinnaker when the vessels sails upwind (close-hauled). So when athletes turn around a mark and start going downwind, one sailor pulls on a rope that yanks this sail up.

When the competitors reach the next mark and are about to go upwind again, they tug another rope to haul the sail back into its storage bag inside the boat. It reminds me of a disappearing magician’s handkerchief!

What is a layline?

In Olympic Sailing racing terms, a layline is an imaginary line extending from the mark closest to the sailors down the course. The layline indicates the point where it’s ideal for a boat to change direction to get to the mark the quickest.

When a boat is sailing close hauled while zig-zagging upwind (into the wind) they are at about a 45º angle from the wind. So a layline for a mark upwind extends away from an upwind mark at about 45º from the wind in either direction.

To reach the mark the fastest and most efficiently, sailors try to tack or gybe (change direction by zig-zagging) at the right point on the layline.

Competitors in the Women’s Skiff (49er FX) class both trapezing. Photo: World Sailing / Lloyd Images

What does trapezing mean?

Olympic Sailing classes require the athletes to counter balance the wind on their sails. On a yacht sailors do this with a big, heavy keel under the water. However, there are no yachts in Olympic Sailing, so none have this stability tool. Instead the competitors use their weight to balance against the wind’s force in the sails. The further out from the boat the sailors can get, the more wind they can counter-balance and therefore the faster they go.

There are three primary ways athletes counter-balance, which are:

• Trapezing – For this manoeuvre, sailors stand on the side of the boat, dangling off ropes from the mast (a vertical pole holding up the sails). Athletes have a special harness with a hook, which they attach to ropes hanging down whenever they change direction. Trapezing is a bit like hiking, however, the rope support allows sailors to get further away from the boat’s middle. Therefore, using this technique sailors can counter balance more wind.
• Hiking – Where the sailors lean over their vessel’s side with their feet hooked under a strap in the boat. This skill targets the stomach muscles and is highly tiring over lengthy periods. The position is like getting to a sit-up’s middle point and holding it for a long while.
• Direct counter balance – This isn’t a commonly used phrase. However, it is a sufficient summary for windsurfing and kitesurfing. Here the athlete attaches the sail, or kite directly to the athlete (either by handles or a harness) and the competitors lean against the sail forces. Again, the more the competitors lean, the more power they can counter balance and faster they travel.

If you enjoyed this….

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. Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

• Terms and Conditions
• Seth Rotherham
• du Cap Collection
• Café du Cap
• Media Packs / Advertising
• Anonymous Tips

2OV Throwback Thursday – The ‘Irish Sailing Commentary’ Viral Video

18 mar 2021 by jasmine stone in entertainment , throwback thursday , video.

Related Posts

• Thursday Throwback To When Goldfish Were Little Fish At Baraza
• Thursday Throwback To That 1999 Springbok Ad With Young Rassie Running Through The Surf [Video]
• Thursday Throwback To When The Kenyan President Called A Press Conference To Deny Having Side Chicks [Video]
• 2OV Throwback Thursday - The 'Search For Yebo Gogo' Viral Video
• 2OV Throwback Thursday - The 'Guy Goma' Viral Video

High fives all around – it’s Thursday.

Today, our throwback inspiration comes via two sources.

Firstly, yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day, so I hope the whiskey hangover is mild.

Secondly, the world’s foremost yacht race concluded yesterday, with Team New Zealand defending their 2017 victory and winning the 36th America’s Cup race.

In a first-to-seven series, things were tied at three apiece before the Kiwis claimed four on the trot, defeating Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli.

You can read more on that here .

So, what do you get when you combine boating and the Irish? Some classic commentary, as evident from this video focusing on sailing events from the 2012 London Olympics.

Stick around until the end for the real kicker:

Here’s the part I really like – the commentary is the work of Irish comedian Chris ‘The Viper’ Tordoff, although that fact passed many news outlets by when the video first went viral.

The Irish Olympic Council also failed to see the funny side, forcing Tordoff to take his video off YouTube.

Thankfully, other accounts stepped into fill the void, and now your Thursday is all the better for it.

[source: irishcentral ]

• ← Five Thought-Provoking Netflix Doccies To Watch Ahead Of The Oscars [Trailers]
• The Joe Biden / Green Screen Conspiracy Theory Explained [Video] →

• Throwback Thursday

Latest News

Cape Town’s Public Emergency Line Battles 153% Spike In Prank Calls

[imagesource:youtube] We all had a prank call moment when we were younger.  Me: Is ...

The Health Department Is Roping In Sangomas And Traditional Healers To Help Detect Chronic Illnesses

[imagesource:flickr] The Health Department said that it was enlisting the help of tradi...

Table Mountain National Park Issues Quicksand Warning For Noordhoek Beach

[imagesource:geograph] Table Mountain National Park management has issued a warning for...

South African Women Speak Out About Hidden Dangers Of Commuting By Minibus Taxis

[imagesource:wikimediacommons] Minibus taxis are often referred to as the  “pillars ...

NASA Announces Record-Breaking Number Of Humans In Space

[imagesource:goodfon] With this week’s successful ISS docking, humanity has shattered...

2oceansvibe Partners

• GOT A HOT STORY?
• 2oceansvibe Media
• du cap Collection
• Terms & Conditions
• Entertainment

2oceansvibe.com is part of the 2oceansVibe Media Group

What is the format of Olympic sailing?

All 10 Olympic sailing events are contested in fleet races – meaning a group of boats race against each other with the first boat to cross the finish line named the winner. For each of these classes, competition consists of an opening series and a medal race. A total of 190 races (including medal races) will take place.

• Women's Windsurfing (iQFoil) : 22 opening series races, 1 quarterfinal race, 1 semifinal race,  1 medal race 
• Men's Windsurfing (iQFoil):  22 opening series races, 1 quarterfinal race, 1 semifinal race,  1 medal race 
• Women's Skiff (49er FX) 12 opening series races, 1 medal race 
• Men's Skiff (49er): 12 opening series races, 1 medal race 
• Men's One Person Dinghy (ILCA 7): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race 
• Women's One Person Dinghy (ILCA 6): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race 
• Mixed Two Person Dinghy (470): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race 
• Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17): 12 opening series races, 1 medal race 
• Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite):  16 opening series races, 12 semifinal races, 6 medal races 
• Men's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite): 16 opening series races, 12 semifinal races, 6 medal races 

How do you score in the Olympic sailing system?

After each race of the opening series, a boat is given a score based on when it crosses the finish line (first = one point, second = two, third = three, etc.). At the end of the opening series, the 10 boats with the lowest scores advance to the medal race. Sailors may exclude their worst score from the opening series races.  After completing the opening series races, the top-10 boats with the lowest score go on to compete in the medal race. The points scored in the medal race cannot be excluded and are worth double.

Note: Some components of NBCOlympics.com may not be optimized for users browsing with Internet Explorer 11, 10 or older browsers or systems.

VIDEO: the funniest sailing commentary ever

This is possibly the best video we’ve seen this Olympics.

It’s commentary on “some boats in a race” from an Irish comedian named Francis “Fran” Higgins.

OK, so let’s be frank – sailing is not the most exciting sport to watch. But this may very well put it on the map.

Stick with it until the end. (And there’s a couple of swear words in there, so it might not be safe for work).

And then there’s this Olympic diving video which is also going viral today.

Not that we were laughing, but….

Still feel you haven’t had enough Olympic laughs for one day? Okay, ONE MORE. (Bossy…)

Here are some Olympians who were um, really, really happy, about their achievements. It doesn’t matter how good your poker face is – there is no covering up what the Lycra reveals.

• current-affairs
• Share via facebook
• Share via twitter
• Share via whatsapp
• SMS Share via SMS
• Share via e-mail

Top Comments

Sweet, the way commentary should be done! There's a dude in NZ who did alternative Games audio commentary for all kinds of events, I think he usually does rugby. Funny stuff, just toking up and smashing beer and calling sports. He's on www.youcommentate.com .. check it out. I think anyone can do it?

I love how the Olympics brings out the best skits! Very enjoyable

Diddy Pleads Not Guilty & Mums On Mushrooms: The Rise In Women Microdosing

Paulina Porizkova: The Supermodel Who Dared To Grow Old On Instagram

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Conservation and Philanthropy
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• BOATPro Home
• Superyacht Insight
• Global Order Book
• Premium Content
• Product Features
• Testimonials
• Pricing Plan
• Tenders & Equipment

Everything you need to know about the Olympics Sailing 2024

From this year's "hectic"  Olympics sailing venue to medal hopes to watch out for, new-for-2024 classes and where best to watch all the action, here is your all-you-need -to-know guide to this year's sailing Olympics.

Sailing at the 2024 Olympic Games will take place on the waters of the Marseille Marina in the South of France and will run from 28 July - 8 August 2024.

The combination of Marseilles’ narrow shaped bay, surrounding mountains, hot Mediterranean climate and dry winds from the Sahara is likely to test the most experienced sailors, a fact recently confirmed by ILCA 7 sailor and two-time Trofeo Princesa Sofia winner Michael Beckett. "Marseille is an incredibly hectic place," said Beckett. "It’s an incredibly tough place to sail - very unpredictable, very hot, very hectic on and off the water."

Freya Black, silver medallist in the women's 49er FX sailor added her thoughts."Marseille is a challenging venue and I think it will definitely reward a versatile sailor," she said. "You can get any kind of conditions on any given day here which I think is really cool."

Not every Olympic sailing sport will be held in Marseille, though. Setting the record for the furthest medal competition outside a host city, the surfing events will be taking place at Teahupo'o on the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, renowned for its world-class waves. The competition venue has been designed to blend in with the island’s extraordinary natural surroundings, with the Olympic Village made up of modular homes which will later be relocated and redeployed as social housing.

Where to watch in Marseille

Not surprisingly, on-water viewing will be limited in Marseille, which means an ideal way to watch the sailing from a yacht is via charter. This summer, several brokers will have charter boats in the area, including Y.CO , with Whisper and Halo , and Burgess , with Silvertip , Atalante , Maltese Falcon , La Luna and Norfolk Star . When it comes to French Polynesia, Y.CO will also have Sea Eagle and Windrose of Amsterdam .

On land, Marseille’s newly revamped Roucas-Blanc Marina, renamed Marseille Marina for the games, will transform into the competition venue catering for 14 thousand spectators. Tickets are available on the Olympics site and there are various options available, from standing only (limited tickets available) to bigger hospitality packages. There are other VIP packages for sale, including the ones by the official hospitality provider, On Location.

Even if you bring the longest-range binoculars, watching from the shore can be tricky as racing can be fast and therefore hard to follow. If you want to avoid the crowds but soak up the atmosphere, take your iPad, stroll along The Corniche Kennedy, an expansive, three-kilometre-long boulevard that runs along the coast, past several local beaches including the Plages du Prado and Catalan beach and try to find a quiet spot to log in to the coverage online. Marseille will also be hosting some of the Olympic football matches at the city’s Stade Vélodrome.

What are the Olympic sailing classes?

All boats compete in a fleet race format, where all the boats and athletes, classified by category, compete simultaneously on the same course. The boats sail a triangular course, marked by buoys, with the aim of reaching the finish line as quickly as possible.

• Women's Windsurfing (iQFoil): 22 opening series races, 1 quarter final race, 1 semi final race,  1 medal race*
• Men's Windsurfing (iQFoil):  22 opening series races, 1 quarter final race, 1 semi final race,  1 medal race*
• Women's Skiff (49er FX) 12 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Men's Skiff (49er): 12 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Men's One Person Dinghy (ILCA 7): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Women's One Person Dinghy (ILCA 6): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Mixed Two Person Dinghy (470): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race*
• Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17): 12 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite):  16 opening series races, 12 semifinal races, 6 medal races*
• Men's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite): 16 opening series races, 12 semifinal races, 6 medal races*

* New to 2024

The Olympic classes explained

All competitors in an event use the exact same model of boat, with no differences in design. The ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and 470 class all use dinghies. Another type of dinghy used in competition is known as a "skiff" which is a faster and more dynamic kind of dinghy, with a flat, narrow hull. There are two types of skiffs used at the Olympics, the 49er and 49erFx.

Dinghies at the Olympics

This is the original rig that has been used at the Olympic Games since 1996. Ben Ainslie won his first two Olympic medals in this boat. The ILCA 7 is used as the men’s dinghy and it uses the Standard Laser rig with a sail area of 7.06m². The ILCA 6 and 7 tend to be among the slower Olympic boat classes.

The ILCA 6 uses a more flexible and slightly shorter lower mast than the ILCA 7 and has 18% less sail area. It is used at the women’s dingy.

This double-handed dinghy is rigged with a mainsail, jib, and spinnaker. Unlike the ILCA 6 and 7, the 470 is sailed with trapeze at the Olympic level. In 1988, it was divided into separate men’s and women’s classes but for Paris 2024, it will be a mixed event.

Skiffs at the Olympics

The 49er and 49erfx.

The 49er, named after its hull length of 4.99 metres, is a two-handed skiff. It is rigged with three sails: a main sail, a jib, and an asymmetrical spinnaker.

The two sailors on board take different roles; the helm generally makes the tactical decisions and steers the boat, while the crew undertakes more of the physical work and controls the sails.

The 49erFX was introduced as a women’s skiff from Rio 2016 onwards, made to better suit the weight of all-female crews.

Multihulls at the Olympics

The nacra 17.

This 13.7-metre catamaran was first added to the Olympic programme at Rio 2016 as a mixed event. It flies above the water on a foil.

The Olympic sailing program also features four board events.

Formula kite .

Capable of speeds up to 40 knots (46mph), kiteboarding, new for Paris 2024, sees athletes using a hand-controlled kite to navigate across the water on a board. A total of 40 riders (20 men and 20 women) will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals.

This is a new Olympic iQFOil windsurf class which will replace the RS:X class. The board appears to fly as hydrofoils lift the board completely out of the water. It will include three different racing formats: slalom, course and marathon.

How do you score in the Olympic sailing system?

Classes will sail numerous races (up to three per day depending on weather conditions). After each race of the opening series, a boat is given a score based on when it crosses the finish line (first = one point, second = two, third = three, etc.). Teams can discard points from their worst race performance.

After the opening series races, the ten boats ranked highest compete in the medal race. Points scored are doubled and added to the opening series’ scores to decide the top ten positions. The boat with the lowest total score will be crowned Olympic champion.

How to qualify for the Olympics

There are 330 quota spaces for sailing at Paris 2024, spread across the 10 events. Each National Olympic Committee can qualify up to 14, but only one boat per event. Qualification period has now ended. Now there are 330 athletes competing across 10 events and eight boat classes.

Olympic sailing courses vary slightly depending on the class, but will generally follow a "trapezoid", "windward-leeward" or "slalom" format, aiming to test each point of sail. Boats are usually sent upwind for the first leg of the course, with the finish downwind.

Athletes to watch in 2024

Britain (GB) has won 30 gold medals in Olympic sailing, more than any other country, but the France, People's Republic of China and Spain teams are also ones to keep an eye on.

GB’s 10-strong team for Paris includes Olympic medallists Emma Wilson (iQFOiL), John Gimson and Anna Burnet (Nacra 17) as well as two-time Olympic veterans Chris Grube (Mixed Dingy) and Saskia Tidey (49er). 

Brazilians Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (49erFX) will try to become the first duo to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals. Snapping at their heels will be the Dutch team, led by Odile van Aanholt, who partnered with Annette Duetz to win the 2022 World Championships.

Other names to watch are Croatian Tonci Stipanovic (ICLA 7), who is aiming for a third straight medal, as well as Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (Nacra 17) from Italy. 

European gold medallist Ellie Aldridge is set to be Britain's first representative in kiteboarding, but it's Lauriane Nolot  from the French team who pundits are lining up for the podium. World number one and reigning kitefoil world champion, she has a good chance of winning a medal.

Sailing terminology, explained

"stuck in irons".

This means the bow of the boat is pointed directly into the wind and therefore the wind cannot help the boat move forward.

The main purpose of tacking is to change the direction of a sailboat when sailing upwind (against the wind) and avoid the boat getting "stuck in irons". Changing the side of the boat that faces into the wind will help the boat make progress towards a destination by a series of zigzagging manoeuvres.

GYBING/JIBING 

Gybing or jibing is a sailing manoeuvre where a boat turns its stern (the back of the boat) through the wind, causing the boom (located at the bottom of the mainsail) to swing across from one side of the boat to the other. In racing a triangular course, a jibe is often the most effective way to round a buoy.

This term refers to leaning as far to the windward side of the boat as possible in order to keep the boat from capsizing.

The trapeze is a wire connected from up on the mast to a hook on a sailor’s harness, near waist-level. This system allows the crew to lean further out beyond the boat. The purpose of using a trapeze is to help keep the boat from capsizing while allowing the sail to be pulled in tightly to maximise speed. Some boats have only one trapeze, but with the 49er, both the crew and the skipper use a trapeze.

The heel of the boat refers to how far the boat is leaning to one side. Crew members hike or trapeze in order to control the heel and prevent it from capsizing.

In sailing, a protest is a claim by one boat that another has broken a rule. A protest can be resolved on the water by the guilty party doing a specified number of penalty turns, depending on the offence.

Sign up to BOAT Briefing email

Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday

By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .

More stories

Most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.

Hall of Fame sailor, NBC commentator Gary Jobson previews Olympic sailing

by NICOLE MENNER, SPORTS TEAM 10

Jobson will call Olympic sailing on NBC, narrating every single race from the network's studio in Connecticut (PHOTO: WJAR).

NEWPORT (WJAR) -- A special guest was at the Newport Sailing Museum Thursday night. Hall of Fame sailor and TV commentator Gary Jobson gave a presentation on America's prospects in the upcoming Paris Olympics.

Jobson will call the Olympic sailing on NBC, narrating every single race from the network's studio in Connecticut.

This will be his tenth time covering the games.

"I feel quite lucky to be able to call the Olympics and promote the sport of sailing and promote our athletes," Jobson said. "One of the cool things about the Olympics is just how good everybody is when the games come."

The U.S. is sailing in nine of the 10 Olympic classes.

Rhode Islanders will be keeping a close eye on Providence's Stu McNay, who is competing in his fifth Olympic games.

"One of the best sailors in the country," Jobson said of McNay. "He's been at it for a long time. He's come close. He's at the age now with all that experience, he's not going to get too overwhelmed with the Olympic scene and opening ceremonies, and just focus on the job."

McNay is competing with Lara Dallman-Weiss in the mixed 470.

"I hope their experience in the past helps them get a medal this time around," Jobson said.

Aside from McNay, Jobson said some of the women have a strong chance to medal.

He mentioned Daniela Moroz (Formula Kite) and the team of Stephanie Roble and Maggie Shea (49erFX).

Jobson will be calling the races 12 days in a row on NBC/Peacock, and encourages everyone to tune in.

"Marseille on the south coast of France is a good place for sailing," Jobson said. "They do get good wind which is important in our game, and you'll want to cheer on the American team."

Olympics Sailing 'Commentator' Says What We're All Thinking (VIDEO)

It's confession time now. Although we love watching the Olympics on TV, we really don't have a clue about the rules or what's supposed to be going on in some of these sports. The worst offender? Sailing!

So we were more than a little tickled to stumble across this hilarious spoof Irish sailing commentary from Fran Higgins - via The Huffington Post - in which he says many of the things we've been secretly thinking over the past few days.

Our favourite bits? Well, no offence to Olympic champion Ben Ainslie, but we love it when the commentator refers to sailing as "essentially a very, very boring sport indeed".

He also questions the human rights records of some of the competing nations - and claims to have spotted Steven Spielberg and Tim Henman on board one of the yachts. Warning: he also occasionally uses sweary words.

Love it when real-life reporters and commentators mess up? Then we have a feeling you'll love our video slideshow, too...

More In Comedy

Irish Olympic Sailing Commentary Makes Everything Better (VIDEO)

Boats from Francis Higgins on Vimeo .

Women's sailing isn't exactly the event everyone's excited about come Olympic season, but thanks to this Irish commentator all that's about to change.

He's somehow able to take a horribly disorganized mess of boats on the verge of crashing and turn it into something you don't hate watching. It's like the Honey Badger of sports.

Don't take our word for it, though. Check out the full clip above.

You'll be like, "Who Phelps? Gabby Huh?"

Support Free Journalism

Consider supporting HuffPost starting at $2 to help us provide free, quality journalism that puts people first.

Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.

Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?

The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. We hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.

Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.

From Our Partner

More in comedy.

Irish commentary confuses international media with mock Olympic race

Long before the o'donovan brothers arrived on the scene, one irish "commentator" was confusing international media..

That time when Irish comedian Chris Tordoff's confused the media with his mock Olympic commentary. 

Long before the O'Donovan brothers arrived on the scene, one Irish "commentator" was sending international media and Olympic fans into convulsions of laughter at London 2012, with his very strange take on the Woman's Laser Radial. The very same sport in which our fantastic Annalise Murphy was to take silver in Rio in 2016.

Over in Ireland, mention Chris ‘The Viper’ Tordoff of the Hardy Bucks, and everyone immediately thinks comedy.

But when Tordoff’s mock-commentary of Olympic sailing went viral six years ago, most international media failed to get the joke.

With the hype and fame surrounding the Cork, silver medal-winning rowers Gary and Paul O'Donovan after the Summer Olympics in 2016, the video has once again resurfaced to the bemusement of many sports fans and brought another wave of confusion to those who can't quite believe we have commentary like this in Ireland—maybe because we don't.

Tordoff was widely referenced as simply an “Irish Commentator” at the time, or credited under his character name of Francis Higgins from the Hardy Bucks. Many sources didn’t realize Tordoff wasn’t serious, while Buzzfeed wrote, “I’m about 90 percent sure this is fake, but it’s just too funny to think it might not be.”

Read more:   Annalise Murphy sails to Ireland’s second silver medal of Olympic Games

With its resurgence, some YouTube commenters were horrified at what they heard. 

"They let idiot like that to to travel to Rio?" asked one, while another stated "and the commentator knew less than my friend who had never seen a sailing boat before."

Tordoff already knows that the line between reality and fiction can be a humorous place; ‘The Hardy Bucks’ is a mockumentary show which began as the mostly-improvised tale of five men from the west of Ireland attempting to reach the great metropolis of Galway.

It appears the Olympic Council didn't see the funny side, however, and The Viper's original video was removed, resulting in a foul-mouthed rant from Tordoff that would stir pride in Irish boxer Michael Conlan , who himself had strong words for Olympic judges with his shock, controversial defeat in the quarterfinals of his weight division in the 2016 Summer Olympics, even sending a tweet to Putin to ask how much the Russians had paid for their win.

Read more:   Irish boxer attacks Vladimir Putin who he says bribed Olympic judges

Thankfully someone succeeded in reposting and regardless of the media confusion, everyone’s in agreement about one thing: this clip is hilarious in ways you never thought sailing could be.

Read more:   GQ magazine says Irish silver-winning rowers are stars of the Olympics

*Originally published in 2012.

Related: Sports

Tá O’Connor agus Ciarraí ag ullmhú do theacht ar ais mór

"This Side of Paradise: F. Scott Fitzgerald, Judge Cohalan, and the Irish Revolution"

Connect with your Irish spirit: Learn the ancient language with this unique online course

Grace Kelly: Irish American Hollywood starlet who became Princess of Monaco

Irish diaspora: What country has the most people of Irish heritage?

The unsolved mystery of Ireland’s jumping church

4,500-year-old boat was among Galway Viking artifacts hoard discovery

Ireland's last witch trial, over 300 years ago, condemned eight innocent women

The amazing life of Michael Corcoran: From Sligo to Abe Lincoln's US Civil War Irish Brigade

Cycling life: Exploring Ireland's weather in the beautiful County Sligo

The Swede and the Finn who fought at the GPO in the 1916 Rising

What Sailboats Are Used In The Olympics?

‍ Key Takeaways

• Laser is the most popular Olympic sailboat brand in the world
• Men and women compete with similar sailboats in the Olympics
• Olympic sports have evolved over time and so have the types of boat classes
• iQFoil and kiteboarding are making their first appearance in Olympic sailing
• Sailors have to adapt to certain boat types and be used to a course

‍ Various types of sailboats are specifically used for Olympic sailing. But what sailboats are used in the Olympics?

The Laser Radial, RS:X, and Nacra 17 are a few of the sailboats used for Olympic games. These are used in different sailing competitions such as dinghy, high performance skiff, and mixed multihull. The Olympic sailing classes will vary and so will the boats being used.

Upon closer analysis, the Laser Radial is arguably the most popular boat when it comes to olympic sailing. A lot of these boats are also great for other activities on the water, not just Olympic competition.

Table of contents

‍ The Types of Sailboats Used in the Olympics

Each time the Olympics occurs the types of races slightly change. This also changes the type of boat that is going to be used. The International Sailing Federation chooses the types of sailboats used in each Olympic games.

For the following boats we will look at the 2024 Olympics taking place in Paris . Men and women will use different boats. There will also be two new events for the first time ever known as iQFoil and kiteboarding so they will be making their Olympic debut.

Men’s Boat Types

The men’s class will be using the following boat types:

• Single handed or one person dinghy sailing: ILCA 7
• Men’s skiff boats: 49er
• Windsurfer (new) – iQFoil and kiteboarding

Women’s Boat Types

The women will compete with very similar boat types as follows:

• Single handed dinghy: ILCA 6
• Skiff: 49er FX (lighter and slightly smaller than the 49er)
• Windsurfer (new): iQFoil and kiteboarding.

Mixed Class

When looking at the mixed class of Olympic sailing they showcase:

• Mixed multihull for both men and women: Nacra 17 Foiling
• Mixed Two Person Dinghy for both men and women: 470

Boat Classification for Olympic Sailing

As mentioned, the boat types vary based on men’s and women’s racing events for Olympic classes. Each year the classification might change so sailors must be prepared to do their best for a medal race. But what do the boat classifications mean for Olympic world sailing?

Dinghy Sailing

Dinghy sailing uses a small boat meant for one individual to sail and is present in all events across the board for Olympic games. The most common dinghy boat that is raced for Olympic sailing is the ILCA 7 and was used recently in the Tokyo Olympics. The main difference is that the mixed class features a two person sailing competition or referred to as two person dinghy racing.

Windsurfing

Windsurfing requires strong winds in order to be successful. With a combination of strong wind conditions and the waves sailors must utilize both in order to succeed. For the first time ever in the Olympic games the men’s windsurfer and women’s windsurfer will be racing with iQFoil .

Skiff Racing

Skiffs are a flat bottom boat that are withered powered by sails or you can use oars. The women’s skiff uses the 49er FX which is slightly smaller and less weight than the men’s skiff. This allows easier handle for the women’s skiff races since there is less crew weight on board.

Multihull Racing

In multihull races it means that boats with more than one hull are competing. The Nacra 17 Foiling is a catamaran that uses a foil to help race. Depending on the type multihull race that is being ran will determine the type of multihull being used.

Boat Features That Make a Great Olympic Sailboat

A racing boat that is used for a sailing competition on the water is only as good as the person sailing it. However there are boats that are designed to go faster than others and make the difference in gold medals or none at all.

Types of Sails

The perfect combination of sails that are optimized for Olympic games are a bermuda sail and gaff sail. This allows the sailor to utilize more sailing area since there is limited pole space.

Since you have the combination of both sails, it allows you to powerfully sail without having the drawbacks from a longer pole such as difficulty maneuvering and strength needed to change direction. This means you can control the boat more efficiently.

Types of Rigging

Bermuda is the most common sail but gaffs are a close second. With a combination of both this means the rigging setup is likely different the just one or the other. Depending on the rig setup it might be best to operate a few different types in order to see which rigging is best for you.

Easy to Use

The best sailing boats in the Olympic games are ones that sail the fastest but are also the easiest to use. With proper training the boat might not matter a lot if you are experienced but every second matters. You want boats that allow you to execute a sailing plan and remain steady while using in medal events.

What is Olympic Sailing?

Olympic sports have had a variety of changes since the 1900’s. Sailing was introduced during this time and has been a part of the Olympics around 1908. Women were allowed to compete in 1988 for sailing and two Americans won a gold medal.

The phrasing was originally called yachting and then sailing in the 2000’s to help mirror the common way to describe boats on the water with sails. There have been many variations of sailboats that are used as well as the race types conducted. The boat types have grown into specific monotypes due to their size and weight.

How to Be an Olympic Sailor

In order to compete for the 2024 Paris Olympics sailors must compete in a variety of events in order to earn quotas such as the 2023 Sailing World Championships. There are certain qualifications that you must meet before applying.

Sailing World Championships

In August 2023 sailors will compete in the Netherlands to try to earn quotas for various racing events. The following events will take place and the amount of quotas will be given:

• Windsurfing: 11 for both men and women
• Kite: eight for both men and women
• Dinghy: 16 for both men and women and eight for mixed
• Skiff: 10 for both men and women
• Mixed Multihull: Nine

ILCA World Championships

Men and women that are not yet qualified for the Sailing World Championships can qualify for the dinghy events. The highest rated in the National Olympic Committee can compete for this in 2024 if they are not able to land a spot in the 2023 Sailing World Championships.

Continental Qualification

Sailors that have not yet qualified for the Sailing World Championships and the ILCA can receive quotas among various regions. There are 74 quotas in total that will be awarded which are going to be used for:

• 31 for women
• 12 for mixed

Last Chance

The highest ratings in the National Olympic Committee that are not yet qualified from the previous events can receive 34 quota places in the Last Chance Regatta. This event will take place some time in 2024 and include:

• Windsurfing: Five for both men and women
• Kite: Five  for both men and women
• Dinghy: Three for both men and women and four for mixed
• Skiff: Three for both men and women
• Mixed Multihull: Three

Emerging Nations and Universality

Those that are part of the World Sailing Emerging Nations Program who have not yet qualified must compete in the Last Chance Regatta. Based on those results one man and women each per windsurfing and dinghy sailing can earn quotas.

In Universality places there will be four quotas total. Two are for the men’s while the other two are for the women’s. These are only for the dinghy races and are accounted for by the Tripartite Commission once the Last Chance Regatta has been completed.

Related Articles

Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

by this author

Learn About Sailboats

Most Recent

Affordable Sailboats You Can Build at Home

September 13, 2023

Best Small Sailboat Ornaments

September 12, 2023

Important Legal Info

Lifeofsailing.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.

Similar Posts

Discover the Magic of Hydrofoil Sailboats

December 11, 2023

Hunter Sailboats: Are They Built for Bluewater Cruising?

August 29, 2023

What Is A Furler On A Sailboat?

August 22, 2023

Popular Posts

Best Liveaboard Catamaran Sailboats

December 28, 2023

Can a Novice Sail Around the World?

Elizabeth O'Malley

June 15, 2022

4 Best Electric Outboard Motors

How Long Did It Take The Vikings To Sail To England?

10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

December 20, 2023

7 Best Places To Liveaboard A Sailboat

Get the best sailing content.

Top Rated Posts

© 2024 Life of Sailing Email: [email protected] Address: 11816 Inwood Rd #3024 Dallas, TX 75244 Disclaimer Privacy Policy

How to watch Sailing Olympics 2024: free live streams and key dates, 4 medal races set for final day

Sailing broadcasters, TV channels and free streams

• FREE live stream
• Watch any Olympics 2024 stream
• Watch sailing in USA
• Watch sailing in Europe
• ROW broadcasters

Watch Sailing at Olympics 2024 for a sport that requiring huge technical skill in a real battle between athletes and the elements. Below we have all the information on how to watch sailing at the 2024 Paris Olympics Game from anywhere in the world with details on worldwide TV channels, broadcasters and free streams.

The action on the water has been incredible, despite some disturbances thanks to the weather. It means that Thursday should be the final day of the competition, with 4 medal races set to take place. The first is the mixed dinghy, a new event for Paris 2024. This will be followed by the mixed multihull medal race. This race features two-time Olympic silver medallist Anna Burnett and John Gimson in the Team GB boat. The pair are two-time World Champions already so will fancy there chances of being top of the podium by the end of the day.

The last races will be the men's and then the women's kite, another class making its Olympic debut. Any kind of surfing is always dramatic to watch so is well worth checking out as the athletes battle the elements. French kiteboarder Lauriane Nolot led the men's field by 18 seconds during qualifying so could end the competition with gold for the hosts. Annelous Lammerts of the Netherlands is also a strong performer.  For the women, Brit Eleanor Aldridge and American Daniela Moroz are the ones to watch. 

Here's where to watch sailing and 2024 Olympics live streams online from anywhere – including FREE options.

Watch sailing at Olympics 2024 Quick Guide

• Event dates: July 28 – August 8
• Daily start: 6.05am ET / 11.05am BST
• Finals dates: 6 – 8 August

Best free streams

• Channel 9 and 9Now  (AUS)
• BBC TV and BBC iPlayer (UK)
• Use NordVPN to watch from anywhere

FREE sailing Olympics 2024 live stream broadcasters

You can watch sailing at Olympics 2024 for free with English language commentary on the BBC and iPlayer in the UK, RTE in Ireland, CBC in Canada and Channel 9 in Australia.

Channel 9 and the 9Now streaming service in Australia have the most comprehensive Olympics 2024 free-to-air coverage of all .

You can watch almost every session from every single 2024 Olympic event live and on demand through dedicated channels on the 9Now streaming service, including Olympic sailing.

• 9Now – Australia
• CBC – Canada
• BBC iPlayer – UK
• RTE – Ireland

Other, non-English language Olympics free streams can be found on ORF (Austria), RTBF (Belgium), VRT (Belgium), RDS (Canada), Chilevision (Chile), Caracol (Colombia), DR (Denmark), France TV (France), RAI (Italy), Yle (Finland), ARD (Germany), ZDF (Germany), RUV (Iceland), JioCinema (India), TV3 (Lithuania), NOS (Netherlands), NRK (Norway), TVP (Poland), SABC (South Africa), RTVE (Spain), SNRT (Morocco), Canal 5 (Mexico) and the SRG SSR channels (Switzerland).

Use a VPN to watch Olympic sailing for free on your usual streaming service above if you are away from home.

Use a VPN to watch any Olympics 2024 stream

NordVPN – try it risk-free for 30 days Use NordVPN to watch your usual Olympics 2024 free stream from abroad. We test all the providers and we rate Nord as the best VPN . There's 24/7 support available, a money-back guarantee and, best of all, there's currently over 60% off with this deal.

How to watch sailing Olympic 2024 live streams in the US

The sailing live stream from Olympics 2024 is on just Peacock in the USA.

Broadcast rights to the 2024 Paris Olympics belong to NBC. All Olympics 2024 sessions are available to watch on Peacock. Select events will also be on the NBC, USA and MSNBC cable channels.

If you don't have cable, Peacock is the best option. You'll need a subscription to the ad-supported Peacock Premium which is $7.99 per month, or ad-less Peacock Plus which is $13.99 per month.

How to watch sailing Olympic 2024 live streams in the UK and Europe

While many public and national TV broadcasters have the TV and live stream rights to the Paris Olympic Games in the UK and Europe, it's the Discovery Plus subscription service that offers comprehensive coverage across the region.

Plans start at £6.99 per month, or the local equivalent, with 3,800 hours of live coverage across 55 channels. There's also a special offer running until 10 August where new subscribers pay £3.99 per month until the end of 2024.

The BBC and RTE are the places for free Olympics 2024 live streams in the UK and Ireland. You can find a list of other public broadcasters with Olympics 2024 broadcast rights across Europe in the Rest of the World section below.

Official Olympic sailing broadcasters by region

Click to see more sailing streams▼

The Paris Olympics broadcast rights for Africa are largely split between BeIn Sports and SuperSport.

Residents of the following African countries can watch Olympics 2024 live streams with a BeIn Sports subscription:

Algeria, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Republic of the Sudan, Republic of South Sudan, Somalia and Tunisia.

Satellite TV provider SuperSport has the Olympics 2024 TV rights across these regions in Africa:

Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, St Helena and Ascension, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

• South Africa

National broadcaster SABC will host 2024 Olympic Games coverage on SABC Sport and the SABC Plus streaming service.

There will also be coverage on the SuperSport satellite channels.

CBC has the rights to broadcast the Paris Olympics 2024. You can watch free-to-air events on CBC and the Olympics 2024 streams live and on-demand on CBC Gem.

CBC's Olympics 2024 coverage is one of the most comprehensive worldwide.

• Latin America

América Móvil has the broadcast rights to the 2024 Paris Olympics across Latin America.

A number of public broadcasters across Latin America will also air some free Olympics 2024 TV coverage and free live streams, including the following:

Commercial television channel Bolovision will show the 2024 Olympic Games on TV in Bolivia.

Grupo Globo has the rights to air the 2024 Olympic Games in Brazil and will show coverage of the games on TV Globo.

Chilevision has exclusive free-to-air rights to broadcast the 2024 Olympics on Chile with 200 hours of coverage. Digital coverage is on Pluto TV.

National broadcaster Caracol Televisión will show the Paris Olympic Games to sports fans in Colombia. You can watch Olympics 2024 free live streams at Caracoltv.com.

TelevisaUnivision is the TV rights holder for the Paris Olympics 2024 in Mexico. 

Olympic events will be available to watch on the free-to-air Canal 5 TV channel as well as on the TUDN pay TV channel and Vix subscription streaming service.

You can watch the Olympics 2024 on Canal 10 in Nicaragua.

National television network Canal 5 will show free coverage of the 2024 Paris Games on TV and Olympics live streams too.

Warner Brothers have the broadcast rights to stream all Olympics 2024 events across Europe. That means that you can watch Paris 2024 on Discovery Plus in all European countries except Russia.

Many countries across Europe will also have some free Olympics 2024 coverage on their public national broadcasters, although, in most cases it will not be full comprehensive. The national broadcasters with rights to air the Paris Olympics on TV in Europe are as follows:

ORF in Austria will show free coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games.

National broadcasters RTBF and VRT will stream coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic games.

• Bosnia and Herzegovina

You can watch some of the 2024 Olympic games on BHRT in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bulgarian National Television (BNT) has the rights to show events from the 2024 Olympic Games on television in Bulgaria.

You can watch the Olympics 2024 free on public broadcaster HRT in Croatia.

Some Paris 2024 coverage will be hosted on CyBC in Cyprus.

Public broadcaster CT has the rights to air Olympics 2024 live streams in Czechia.

Danes can watch free 2024 Paris Olympics Games coverage on DR and TV 2.

Duo Media Networks will air coverage of the Olympic Games 2024 on its Duo TV channels in Estonia.

The Finish Broadcast Company (Yle) will air the 2024 Olympic Games on TV in Finland.

There will be free coverage of events from the 2024 Paris Olympics Games on public broadcaster France TV in France.

Germany's two major public broadcasters, ARD and ZDF, will both show the 2024 Olympics on TV in Germany.

State-owned public television broadcaster ERT will show the 2024 Olympic Games on TV in Greece.

State media station MTVA has the rights to air some Olympic 2024 events in Hungary.

RTE in Ireland will broadcast free coverage of the 2024 Olympics Games.

Viewers in Italy can watch the 2024 Olympics Game for free on RAI.

RTK will broadcast the Paris 2024 Games on TV in Kosovo.

Latvia's LTV will host free coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games.

People in Lithuania can watch some of the Olympics Games 2024 for free on TV3.

• Moldova and Romania

TVR is the broadcaster for coverage of Paris 2024 on TV in both Romania and Moldova.

• Netherlands

NOS has the rights to host Olympics 2024 live streams in the Netherlands.

Public broadcaster NRK will show the Olympics Games on TV in Norway.

You can watch the Olympics 2024 in Poland free on TVP.

National channel RTP has the rights to air Paris 2024 events in Portugal.

RTS will show free coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games in Serbia.

Warner-owned Kanal 5 is the place to watch the Paris Olympic Games in Sweden.

• Switzerland

Switzerland's SRG SSR group will show free coverage of the 2024 Olympics in four languages across SRF (German), RTS (French), RSI (Italian) and RTR (Romansh).

TRT in Turkey will host some coverage of the Olympics 2024.

National broadcaster Suspilne will have coverage of the Paris Olympics in Ukraine.

• United Kingdom

The BBC will show Paris 2024 on its TV channels as well as hosting Olympics live streams on iPlayer and the BBC website. Comprehensive coverage can be found on Discovery Plus.

State media division CCTV will show coverage of the 2024 Olympics in China. There will also be sports from the Paris Games aired through Migu, Douyin, Kuaishou and Tencent.

There are plenty of options for watching the 2024 Olympics to Hong Kong, including public broadcaster RTHK as well as HOY TV, PCCW and TVB.

Viacom18 has the rights to Paris 2024 in India. That's great news because it means that people in India can watch Olympics 2024 for free on JioCinema on their mobile phones.

There will be 18 simultaneous feeds to choose from which will mean very comprehensive Olympics 2024 live stream coverage.

Viacom also has the TV rights across subcontinental India with Olympics TV coverage and streams in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Indonesia's Emtek media company has the broadcast rights for the 2024 Olympic Games.

National broadcaster NHK has the rights to show Olympics 2024 live streams in Japan.

Kyrgyzstan's public broadcasting channel KTRK will show free-to-air coverage of the Paris Olympic Games.

Public broadcaster TDM has the rights to show the Paris Olympic Games on TV in Macau.

Central TV will show the coverage of the Paris Olympics on TV in Mongolia.

The ARY digital network will show Olympics 2024 live streams across its channels in Pakistan.

• Philippines

Viewers in the Philippines have plenty of options for watching 2024 Olympics Games with Cignal TV, PLDT, Smart ad TV5 all airing coverage from Paris.

State-owned Mediacorp network has the TV rights to the 2024 Olympics in Singapore.

• South Korea

South Korean national broadcaster KBS will show free coverage of the 2024 Olympics. You can also watch the Paris Games on MBC and SBS.

Viewers in Thailand have a number of options for watching the 2024 Olympics Games live streams and on TV with events aired across AIS, TrueVisions, T Sports 7, MCOT, 7HD and PPTV.

Nine Network will have comprehensive coverage of the Games from Paris. Viewers can watch Olympics 2024 live streams free on 9Now .

Paid subscription service, Stan will also cover all 329 events, ad-free, live and on-demand and in 4K resolution too.

• New Zealand & Pacific Islands

Sky Sport is the 2024 Olympic Games TV rights holder in New Zealand and across the Pacific Islands, including: Cook Islands, Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Middle East

BeIN Sports MENA is the primary Olympics 2024 broadcaster across the Middle East.

You can watch the Paris Olympics 2024 live streams with a subscription to BeIn Sports in the following Middle East countries:

Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Sports Channel / Sport 5 will host coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games in Israel.

Can I watch 2024 Olympic sailing for free?

Check your local broadcaster above but people in the UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland and many other nations listed have free Olympics 2024 coverage as well as subscription broadcasters.

Those in Australia and Canada can watch almost every session of every Olympics 2024 event for free on 9Now and CBC. That will very likely include sailing free live streams.

Remember that, if you're traveling away from home, you can use a VPN to watch the 2024 Olympics free from abroad on your usual streaming service.

When is the sailing at the 2024 Olympics?

The 2024 Olympic sailing takes place between July 28 – August 8. Start times are at approximately 5:43am ET / 11:43am BST each day.

The next session is on Saturday, August 3 at 6:05am ET / 11:05am BST. It is available on Peacock in the USA and Eurosport 1 and Discovery Plus in the UK.

The 2024 Olympic sailing medal days and finals are on 6 – 8 August.

Can I watch 2024 Olympic sailing on my mobile?

Of course, most broadcasters have streaming services that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone's browser.

You can also stay up-to-date with all 2024 Olympic Games events on the official social media channels on X/Twitter ( @Olympics ), Instagram ( @Olympics ), TikTok ( @Olympics ) and YouTube ( @Olympics ).

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox

Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.

Charlotte Henry is a journalist who has covered all things tech and media for a number of years for various publications. She reported in-depth as tech companies became media companies and vice versa. In her newsletter, The Addition , she focuses on the ever-changing streaming ecosystem as the likes of Netflix, Apple TV+ and Disney+ fight for supremacy. Charlotte is also a close follower of sport (she’s a Spurs fan…) watching everything from Premier League football to Major League Baseball. Charlotte’s first book “Not Buying It: The Facts Behind Fake News” was published in 2019. Away from work, she can often be found at heavy metal concerts and festivals.

How to watch Tulsa King season 2 online from anywhere

How to watch England vs Australia: live stream 3rd T20 2024 from Old Trafford

NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, September 15 (game #196)

Most Popular

• 2 NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Sunday, September 15 (game #462)
• 3 NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, September 15 (game #196)
• 4 Pico 4 Ultra VS Meta Quest 3: the battle of the best mid-range VR headsets
• 5 How to use a Chromebook

Published on September 16th, 2024 | by Editor

Nearly 100 teams for J/70 World title

Published on September 16th, 2024 by Editor -->

The 2024 J/70 World Championship has attracted 96 entrants from 25 nations for the 10-race series on September 17-21 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

The favorites in the competition include the defenders of the title, Charles Thompson’s BRUTUS II (GBR), and the North American team Richard Witzel’s ROWDY (USA), past J/70 World Champion Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT (USA), Douglas Rastello’s GOOD TO GO (USA), and Brian Keane’s SAVASANA (USA).

From South America, the main favorites are Guillermo Parada’s NILDO (ARG) and the Brazilian teams Selmo Nissenbaum’s HIGHLANDERS and Ralph Vasconcellos’s MINDSET, Haroldo Holberg’s OCEANPACT, and Renato Faria’s TO NESSQ.

The host country Spain is fielding a remarkably strong contingent of teams with World and European Champion credentials. Those teams include Luis Albert’s PATAKIN, Luis Martinez Doreste’s MONJO, Luis Bugallo Arriola’s MARNATURA, Luis Martin Cabiedes’s NOTICIA, and the Canal family (Jorge Perez’s ABRIL ROJO & Luis Perez’s ABRIL VERDE).

The top titles on offer are the J/70 Class World Championship and J/70 Corinthian Class World Championship with trophies also for the top One-Pro, Mixed, and Youth teams depending on the number of entries.

Event information – Race details – Results

Tags: J/70 , J/70 World Championship

Related Posts

Promoting women and youth in sailing →

Consistency key at J/70 Corinthians →

Brazil wins 2024 J/70 Corinthian Worlds →

Corinthians to (finally) rule J/70 Worlds →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.