World Sailing must do better at Olympics

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
It was not a massive surprise how Marseille offered little wind at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and a mystery why the reliable winds along France’s Atlantic coastline were not utilized. When athletes commit their life to an Olympic pursuit, shouldn’t providing the best possible conditions be a priority?

“World Sailing have always had problems selecting good Olympic sailing venues,” reminded 2-time medalist Mitch Booth. “Qingdao, Savannah, Athens, even Sydney Harbour (beautiful but not for good racing), and now Marseille. All these venues severely compromised the racing.”

Most major championships are typically held over enough days, but half the Sailing events at Paris 2024 had just four days to complete the Opening Series which advances the top ten to the medal stage. With painfully light winds, which curtailed racing on most days, only three of the ten classes completed their scheduled races.

“Four days of fleet competition with no reserve day in an unreliable wind venue is just crazy,” remarked Booth. “Due to tight scheduling in Marseille, the race committees pushed for marginal racing and frustrated on-water umpires working overtime in light wind conditions. World Sailing signs off on each Olympic bid and is ultimately responsible.”

The 2032 Olympics will be in Brisbane, to the north of Sydney along Australia’s Sunshine Coast. Concerns are already being voiced for that location, but what are the odds it will get moved from a host city that has water access?

Thankfully, the Los Angeles 2028 Sailing venue of Long Beach was successful for the 1984 Olympics and is a well-known breezy racing hub in California. With flat water under an outer breakwater and big swell conditions beyond it, the next four years will be muy bueno!

UPDATE: While Hyères would have been a better venue in the Mediterranean, we have learned that among the Paris 2024 venue selection variables was backdrop beauty for the images, and Marseille scored high in that category. Also, as Marseille is the second most populous city in France, it had the political connections to sway selectors and gain the $47.8m facility built for the competition.

Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Program:
Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7
Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Skiff – 49er
Women’s Skiff – 49erFX
Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17

Venue: Marseille, France
Dates: July 28-August 9

Details: https://paris2024.sailing.org/