Changes made for Olympic windsurfing

When World Sailing sought modern equipment for the Paris 2024 Olympic windsurfing events, the iQFOiL was intentionally designed and chosen in a selection process. However, after one Olympic cycle, significant changes proved necessary… here’s the update:

Starting in January 2025, the women’s and men’s iQFOiL fleets will adopt new sail sizes that encourage greater accessibility and smoother transitions between youth and senior categories. Under the newly approved changes:

• Women and Youth Women will transition from the 8m² sail to a 7.3m² (new design) sail.
• Men will switch from the 9m² sail to an 8m² (current Women and Youth design) sail.
• Both categories will adopt the existing 490 (4.90m) mast to align with the revised sail sizes.

These updates reflect a commitment to making the iQFOiL Class more inclusive for athletes of all body sizes. The new equipment supports a more level playing field, providing a competitive platform for sailors of a greater diversity of builds from different nations and continents.

“The decision aims to further align the equipment with the intended weight targets that guided the selection of the iQFOiL for the Olympic Games to meet the needs of a diverse, global athlete base,” explained Jaime Navarro, World Sailing Director of Technical and Offshore.

“These changes come at a pivotal moment, following their first Olympic cycle where we’ve gathered extensive data on performance and athlete development whilst also offering athletes stability and clarity as we move into the next cycle.”

The switch also aims to create a better progression for younger athletes moving up from youth to senior categories. With the new senior sails matching those used in the youth fleet, the transition will be smoother, reducing additional costs and minimizing training adjustments.

The new equipment has been tested by iQFOiL athletes and approved by World Sailing, with a focus on ensuring compliance with the highest standards of performance and reliability. Athletes will debut the updated configuration at the 2025 iQFOiL International Games on January 27-February 2 in Lanzarote, Spain.

Los Angeles 2028 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: Long Beach, CA
Dates: July 21-August 6

* World Sailing voted to keep the Paris 2024 Sailing Program for Los Angeles 2028, but the program is not final until the IOC approves all events, which usually occurs between December 2024 and January 2025. At that time, the IOC will also confirm the quota for sailing and how many medals.

Source: World Sailing