Sailing at the Summer Olympics

• For the scoring system used for sailing events during the Olympics look at: Scoring systems for Sailing at the Summer Olympics
• A directory page to all Olympic sailors is given at: List of sailors at the Summer Olympics
• Information about the Sailing at specific Summer Olympics or the used equipment can be found using [|the table below:]
• Gender - Until 1988, sailing was a gender neutral 'open' sport where male and female sailors competed together. Even in 1900, several women participated at the Olympic sailing regattas. The exception to this is the post WWII 1948 Olympics where the IOC decided the events should only be open to male sailors. In 1988, the first exclusive women's sailing event was introduced. Sailing was also one of the first sports to introduce a compulsory mixed gender events in 2016 the Mixed Multihull was introduced.
• Discipline - Most of the Olympic sailing competitions were done in what is called a fleet race format. At some Olympics, however, was also the match race format, or a mixed fleet/match race format.
• Classes - Over time, different classes of boat featured at the Olympics. Initially, the classes were specified in tons, then later in meters, feet or generic names. For the discontinued classes, the Vintage Yachting Games were introduced in 2008.
• Medal Tables - Great Britain leads the Olympic sailing medal ranking table.

  Timeline

• 1896: A regatta of sailing boats was on the program for in Athens. However this event had to be given up since there were no boats available from Greece and no foreign entries.
• 1900: Two venues were used to host the 1900 Sailing events. One in Meulan till for the inshore races on the river Seine. And one in Le Havre till for the Offshore races on the English Channel. In Meulan six classes were used over several days. About 55 boats and a little less than 150 sailors are documented, included the first female gold medalist Hélène de Pourtalès. In Le Havre two classes were used for the offshore event. About 10 boats made the competition. Crewmembers were not documented, just the owners and/or helmsmen.
• 1904: Sailing was not a part of the Olympic program.
• 1908: At the 1907 The Hague Conference of the IOC Ryde at the Isle of Wight was appointed to host the sailing regattas, for all classes, of the games of the IVth Olympiad. However, when there were only two British entries for the 12 Metre matches, and both yachts were located at the Firth of Clyde, the decision was made to use Hunters Quay as a second venue. In 1906 international meetings were organized to solve the problem of the differences in the performance of the different yachts. Finally in Paris, October 1907 the first International Rule was ratified. During the meeting in 1907 the IOC made the decision to use the International Rule classes for the Olympic regattas.
• 1912: When Sweden was assigned to host the 1912 Olympic Games two cities wanted to be the venue for the sailing program. Gothenburg and Stockholm. Gothenburg claimed that it was a much shorter passage for the overseas entries than it was to Stockholm. Stockholm however got the sailing program because of then all Olympic events should be in the same vicinity. As specific location Nynäshamn, about from Stockholm was chosen. Also the decision was made to use the International Rule classes again for the Olympic regattas.
• 1920: When Antwerp was assigned to host the 1920 Olympic Games, Ostend was appointed for the sailing contests. Ostend - "The Queen of the Belgian sea-side resorts" - offers fair condition for sailing on the North Sea. Although there are tidal conditions the current is reasonable predictable. Local knowledge does not have too much influence on the races. The wind conditions are also good for sailing. In the case of the 1920 Summer Olympic regatta's the prevailing breeze did not show. Most races had to be sailed under light air conditions. The competition was open for a total of sixteen classes. Two classes had a "No show".
• 1924: After the massive amount of classes used four years earlier only three classes were selected for the 1924 Olympics. Again there was a one design class. The two other classes were construction classes of the International Metre type. Two locations were used: Meulan was the venue for the Olympic regatta's in the French National Monotype. The host club for the 1924 Olympic Sailing at Meulan was the Cercle de la Voile de Paris. The race conditions at Meulan during the Olympic regatta were not ideal. The light breeze during the first elimination series could hardly make the sailing interesting. Le Havre was the venue for the Olympic regattas for the 6 and 8 Metre. The host club for the 1924 Olympic Sailing at Le Havre was the Société des Régates du Havre. Due to the Easterly winds the courses at Le Havre were mostly reaches. Sailing a windward leg was not really tested. This however was more or less custom for that era. Furthermore, this was the first Olympic regatta were just one competing team per class per country was allowed.
• 1928: Like in the 1924 Olympics only three classes were chosen. There was the revival of the 12' Dinghy from the 1920 Olympics and again the proven 6 and 8 Metre classes. This Olympic sailing regatta can be considered as the first Olympic regatta with a high quality of racing since there were: Well selected classes that represented sailing; Sufficient competitors per class and good and fair sailing conditions. The only disadvantage was the daily passing of the :nl:Oranjesluizen|Oranjesluizen.

  Olympic classes (equipment)

• M = Male - Fleet Racing
• W = Female - Fleet Racing
• Wm = Female - match race
• Mx = Male and Female - Fleet Racing
• O = Male and/or Female - Fleet Racing
• Oc = Male and/or Female - Fleet racing qualification with matchracing to determine the winners
• 1907 = 1907 version of the IYRU Metre Class Rules
• 1919 = 1919 version of the IYRU Metre Class Rules
• 1933 = 1933 version of the IYRU Metre Class Rules

  Race types

Olympic sailing venues

Medal table

Nations

Sailing medal leaders (by Summer Olympiad)

Multiple medalists