The 49er made its debut at the 2000 Olympic Games, appropriately in that the skiff design by Julian Bethwaite was deeply rooted in the history of sailing at the venue of Sydney, Australia. While skiff class racing was prevalent down under, the 49er broke barriers with its international status.
The double handed twin trapeze 49er continues its Olympic history, having been selected for the 2016 Games as the equipment to be used for the Men's Skiff event. This week's video takes you onboard the 49er with two of the U.S. teams: