Breaking down the new Olympic format

Matt Sheahan reports for Yachting World on the new Olympic sailing format, which see the Medal Race replaces with a new system (and not the winner-takes-all options so decried by many):

Most of us are off the water and counting down the weeks to the start of the new season as the northern hemisphere delivers this season’s offering of short days, long nights and hardcore weather systems that slide across the Atlantic. But for some, the training programme continues as they focus on the road to the next Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

Many have headed to warmer locations to train where they often buddy up with some of their arch rivals to compete as if the Games were on in a few weeks. It’s a mark of just how important the summer of 2028 is. But also the importance of how one specific day could play out.

And while the Olympic medal race day is more than two and a half years away, it’s not just their performance that’s important either, the specific details as to how the competition will be run is crucially important. Not only do athletes and coaches need to know how gold, silver and bronze medals will be decided, but they also want to ensure they can maximize their chances of getting to that point. – Full report

Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Sailing Program (July 16-28):
First Week – July 16-20
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class – Long Beach, CA
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class – Long Beach, CA
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL – Long Beach, CA
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL – Long Beach, CA

Second Week – July 23-28
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7 – Los Angeles, CA
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 – Los Angeles, CA
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470 – Los Angeles, CA
Men’s Skiff – 49er – Los Angeles, CA
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX – Los Angeles, CA
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17 – Los Angeles, CA

For more details, click here.