sailboat racing olympics

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Everything you need to know about the Olympics Sailing 2024

From this year's "hectic"  Olympics sailing venue to medal hopes to watch out for, new-for-2024 classes and where best to watch all the action, here is your all-you-need -to-know guide to this year's sailing Olympics.

Sailing at the 2024 Olympic Games will take place on the waters of the Marseille Marina in the South of France and will run from 28 July - 8 August 2024.

The combination of Marseilles’ narrow shaped bay, surrounding mountains, hot Mediterranean climate and dry winds from the Sahara is likely to test the most experienced sailors, a fact recently confirmed by ILCA 7 sailor and two-time Trofeo Princesa Sofia winner Michael Beckett. "Marseille is an incredibly hectic place," said Beckett. "It’s an incredibly tough place to sail - very unpredictable, very hot, very hectic on and off the water."

Freya Black, silver medallist in the women's 49er FX sailor added her thoughts."Marseille is a challenging venue and I think it will definitely reward a versatile sailor," she said. "You can get any kind of conditions on any given day here which I think is really cool."

Not every Olympic sailing sport will be held in Marseille, though. Setting the record for the furthest medal competition outside a host city, the surfing events will be taking place at Teahupo'o on the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia, renowned for its world-class waves. The competition venue has been designed to blend in with the island’s extraordinary natural surroundings, with the Olympic Village made up of modular homes which will later be relocated and redeployed as social housing.

Where to watch in Marseille

Not surprisingly, on-water viewing will be limited in Marseille, which means an ideal way to watch the sailing from a yacht is via charter. This summer, several brokers will have charter boats in the area, including Y.CO , with Whisper and Halo , and Burgess , with Silvertip , Atalante , Maltese Falcon , La Luna and Norfolk Star . When it comes to French Polynesia, Y.CO will also have Sea Eagle and Windrose of Amsterdam .

On land, Marseille’s newly revamped Roucas-Blanc Marina, renamed Marseille Marina for the games, will transform into the competition venue catering for 14 thousand spectators. Tickets are available on the Olympics site and there are various options available, from standing only (limited tickets available) to bigger hospitality packages. There are other VIP packages for sale, including the ones by the official hospitality provider, On Location.

Even if you bring the longest-range binoculars, watching from the shore can be tricky as racing can be fast and therefore hard to follow. If you want to avoid the crowds but soak up the atmosphere, take your iPad, stroll along The Corniche Kennedy, an expansive, three-kilometre-long boulevard that runs along the coast, past several local beaches including the Plages du Prado and Catalan beach and try to find a quiet spot to log in to the coverage online. Marseille will also be hosting some of the Olympic football matches at the city’s Stade Vélodrome.

What are the Olympic sailing classes?

All boats compete in a fleet race format, where all the boats and athletes, classified by category, compete simultaneously on the same course. The boats sail a triangular course, marked by buoys, with the aim of reaching the finish line as quickly as possible.

• Women's Windsurfing (iQFoil): 22 opening series races, 1 quarter final race, 1 semi final race,  1 medal race*
• Men's Windsurfing (iQFoil):  22 opening series races, 1 quarter final race, 1 semi final race,  1 medal race*
• Women's Skiff (49er FX) 12 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Men's Skiff (49er): 12 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Men's One Person Dinghy (ILCA 7): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Women's One Person Dinghy (ILCA 6): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Mixed Two Person Dinghy (470): 10 opening series races, 1 medal race*
• Mixed Multihull (Nacra 17): 12 opening series races, 1 medal race
• Women's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite):  16 opening series races, 12 semifinal races, 6 medal races*
• Men's Kiteboarding (Formula Kite): 16 opening series races, 12 semifinal races, 6 medal races*

* New to 2024

The Olympic classes explained

All competitors in an event use the exact same model of boat, with no differences in design. The ILCA 6, ILCA 7 and 470 class all use dinghies. Another type of dinghy used in competition is known as a "skiff" which is a faster and more dynamic kind of dinghy, with a flat, narrow hull. There are two types of skiffs used at the Olympics, the 49er and 49erFx.

Dinghies at the Olympics

This is the original rig that has been used at the Olympic Games since 1996. Ben Ainslie won his first two Olympic medals in this boat. The ILCA 7 is used as the men’s dinghy and it uses the Standard Laser rig with a sail area of 7.06m². The ILCA 6 and 7 tend to be among the slower Olympic boat classes.

The ILCA 6 uses a more flexible and slightly shorter lower mast than the ILCA 7 and has 18% less sail area. It is used at the women’s dingy.

This double-handed dinghy is rigged with a mainsail, jib, and spinnaker. Unlike the ILCA 6 and 7, the 470 is sailed with trapeze at the Olympic level. In 1988, it was divided into separate men’s and women’s classes but for Paris 2024, it will be a mixed event.

Skiffs at the Olympics

The 49er and 49erfx.

The 49er, named after its hull length of 4.99 metres, is a two-handed skiff. It is rigged with three sails: a main sail, a jib, and an asymmetrical spinnaker.

The two sailors on board take different roles; the helm generally makes the tactical decisions and steers the boat, while the crew undertakes more of the physical work and controls the sails.

The 49erFX was introduced as a women’s skiff from Rio 2016 onwards, made to better suit the weight of all-female crews.

Multihulls at the Olympics

The nacra 17.

This 13.7-metre catamaran was first added to the Olympic programme at Rio 2016 as a mixed event. It flies above the water on a foil.

The Olympic sailing program also features four board events.

Formula kite .

Capable of speeds up to 40 knots (46mph), kiteboarding, new for Paris 2024, sees athletes using a hand-controlled kite to navigate across the water on a board. A total of 40 riders (20 men and 20 women) will compete for gold, silver and bronze medals.

This is a new Olympic iQFOil windsurf class which will replace the RS:X class. The board appears to fly as hydrofoils lift the board completely out of the water. It will include three different racing formats: slalom, course and marathon.

How do you score in the Olympic sailing system?

Classes will sail numerous races (up to three per day depending on weather conditions). After each race of the opening series, a boat is given a score based on when it crosses the finish line (first = one point, second = two, third = three, etc.). Teams can discard points from their worst race performance.

After the opening series races, the ten boats ranked highest compete in the medal race. Points scored are doubled and added to the opening series’ scores to decide the top ten positions. The boat with the lowest total score will be crowned Olympic champion.

How to qualify for the Olympics

There are 330 quota spaces for sailing at Paris 2024, spread across the 10 events. Each National Olympic Committee can qualify up to 14, but only one boat per event. Qualification period has now ended. Now there are 330 athletes competing across 10 events and eight boat classes.

Olympic sailing courses vary slightly depending on the class, but will generally follow a "trapezoid", "windward-leeward" or "slalom" format, aiming to test each point of sail. Boats are usually sent upwind for the first leg of the course, with the finish downwind.

Athletes to watch in 2024

Britain (GB) has won 30 gold medals in Olympic sailing, more than any other country, but the France, People's Republic of China and Spain teams are also ones to keep an eye on.

GB’s 10-strong team for Paris includes Olympic medallists Emma Wilson (iQFOiL), John Gimson and Anna Burnet (Nacra 17) as well as two-time Olympic veterans Chris Grube (Mixed Dingy) and Saskia Tidey (49er). 

Brazilians Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze (49erFX) will try to become the first duo to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals. Snapping at their heels will be the Dutch team, led by Odile van Aanholt, who partnered with Annette Duetz to win the 2022 World Championships.

Other names to watch are Croatian Tonci Stipanovic (ICLA 7), who is aiming for a third straight medal, as well as Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (Nacra 17) from Italy. 

European gold medallist Ellie Aldridge is set to be Britain's first representative in kiteboarding, but it's Lauriane Nolot  from the French team who pundits are lining up for the podium. World number one and reigning kitefoil world champion, she has a good chance of winning a medal.

Sailing terminology, explained

"stuck in irons".

This means the bow of the boat is pointed directly into the wind and therefore the wind cannot help the boat move forward.

The main purpose of tacking is to change the direction of a sailboat when sailing upwind (against the wind) and avoid the boat getting "stuck in irons". Changing the side of the boat that faces into the wind will help the boat make progress towards a destination by a series of zigzagging manoeuvres.

GYBING/JIBING 

Gybing or jibing is a sailing manoeuvre where a boat turns its stern (the back of the boat) through the wind, causing the boom (located at the bottom of the mainsail) to swing across from one side of the boat to the other. In racing a triangular course, a jibe is often the most effective way to round a buoy.

This term refers to leaning as far to the windward side of the boat as possible in order to keep the boat from capsizing.

The trapeze is a wire connected from up on the mast to a hook on a sailor’s harness, near waist-level. This system allows the crew to lean further out beyond the boat. The purpose of using a trapeze is to help keep the boat from capsizing while allowing the sail to be pulled in tightly to maximise speed. Some boats have only one trapeze, but with the 49er, both the crew and the skipper use a trapeze.

The heel of the boat refers to how far the boat is leaning to one side. Crew members hike or trapeze in order to control the heel and prevent it from capsizing.

In sailing, a protest is a claim by one boat that another has broken a rule. A protest can be resolved on the water by the guilty party doing a specified number of penalty turns, depending on the offence.

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Current results and scheduling for sailing at the Paris 2024 Olympics

Related Articles

Sailing at the 2024 Olympics: What to know, rules, schedule

Here's all the information you need to know about sailing, which returns to paris this summer at the 2024 olympics., by logan reardon • published june 26, 2024 • updated on june 26, 2024 at 12:25 pm.

One of the oldest Olympic sports is returning to its roots at the 2024 Summer Games .

Sailing made its debut as an Olympic event at the 1900 Games , which were held in ... Paris . France won the most sailing medals that year, and the sport has been a mainstay ever since.

Now, with the Olympics returning to Paris , sailing will again be in the spotlight this summer. Here's all the info you need to know about the sport:

24/7 New York news stream: Watch NBC 4 free wherever you are

What is sailing?

Sailing is the art of moving a boat using only waves and the wind. While it used to be the way that people traveled and traded, now it's mainly used for sporting and leisure.

2024 Paris Olympics: See dates, sports, how to watch and more

Here are the rules for the 2024 Olympics in Paris

Get to know Team USA Olympians ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.

How does sailing work at the Olympics?

There are 10 different sailing events that will be contested at the 2024 Olympics, with medals handed out for each competition. Here's a brief look at each:

Men's events

IQFoil: One person windsurfing where the athlete stands up and guides the single sail.

Formula Kite: One person kitesurfing featuring a foil kite and a board with a hydrofoil.

ILCA 7: One person using a standard rig (singlehanded dinghy).

49er: Two people, one at the helm making tactical decisions and steering and one doing most of the sail control.

Women's events

IQFoil: Same as the men's event.

Formula Kite: Same as the men's event.

ICLA 6: Same as the men's event with a smaller rig.

49erFX: Same as the men's event with a slightly different rig.

Mixed events

470: Two people (one man, one woman) guiding a 470 cm boat.

Nacra 17: Two people (one man, one woman) using a performance catamaran.

Where is sailing being held at the 2024 Olympics?

All sailing events for the 2024 Olympics will be held at Marseille Marina . The venue is located in southern France on the Gulf of Lion , which is part of the Mediterranean Sea.

What is the schedule for sailing at the 2024 Olympics?

Sailing events will take place from July 28 through Aug. 8 , with series races and medal races taking place each day. Here's a day-by-day breakdown:

July 28: Men's and women's IQFoil (series races), men's 49er (series races), women's 49erFX (series races)

July 29: Men's and women's IQFoil (series races), men's 49er (series races), women's 49erFX (series races)

July 30: Men's and women's IQFoil (series races), men's 49er (series races), women's 49erFX (series races)

July 31: Men's 49er (series races), women's 49erFX (series races)

Aug. 1: Men's and women's IQFoil (series races), men's 49er (medal race), women's 49erFX (medal race), men's ICLA 7 (series races), women's ICLA 6 (series races)

Aug. 2: Men's and women's IQFoil (medal races), men's ICLA 7 (series races), women's ICLA 6 (series races), mixed 470 (series races)

Aug. 3: Men's ICLA 7 (series races), women's ICLA 6 (series races), mixed 470 (series races), mixed Nacra 17 (series races)

Aug. 4: Men's and women's Formula Kite (series races), men's ICLA 7 (series races), women's ICLA 6 (series races), mixed 470 (series races), mixed Nacra 17 (series races)

Aug. 5: Men's and women's Formula Kite (series races), men's ICLA 7 (series races), women's ICLA 6 (series races), mixed 470 (series races), mixed Nacra 17 (series races)

Aug. 6: Men's and women's Formula Kite (series races), men's ICLA 7 (medal race), women's ICLA 6 (medal race), mixed 470 (series races), mixed Nacra 17 (series races)

Aug. 7: Men's and women's Formula Kite (series races), mixed 470 (medal race), mixed Nacra 17 (medal race)

Aug. 8: Men's and women's Formula Kite (medal races)

What countries are the best at sailing?

When it comes to sailing, two nations are traditionally dominant: Great Britain and the United States.

Great Britain leads all nations in sailing gold medals (31) and total medals (64), while Team USA has the most silver medals (23) and second-most total medals (61).

Norway is third in gold medals with 17, trailing only Great Britain and the U.S. France, meanwhile, is third in total medals with 49.

In recent years, Great Britain has only gotten better at sailing. The country has won the most sailing medals at five of the last six Olympics, only losing out to Australia in 2012. The Brits won three golds and five total medals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while the U.S. was shut out.

This article tagged under:

Racing in the Olympic Sailing Competition at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place from 28 July 2024 to 8 August 2024; the 9 August 2024 is a reserve day.

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What Sailboats Are Used In The Olympics?

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

May 19, 2023

‍ Key Takeaways

• Laser is the most popular Olympic sailboat brand in the world
• Men and women compete with similar sailboats in the Olympics
• Olympic sports have evolved over time and so have the types of boat classes
• iQFoil and kiteboarding are making their first appearance in Olympic sailing
• Sailors have to adapt to certain boat types and be used to a course

‍ Various types of sailboats are specifically used for Olympic sailing. But what sailboats are used in the Olympics?

The Laser Radial, RS:X, and Nacra 17 are a few of the sailboats used for Olympic games. These are used in different sailing competitions such as dinghy, high performance skiff, and mixed multihull. The Olympic sailing classes will vary and so will the boats being used.

Upon closer analysis, the Laser Radial is arguably the most popular boat when it comes to olympic sailing. A lot of these boats are also great for other activities on the water, not just Olympic competition.

Table of contents

‍ The Types of Sailboats Used in the Olympics

Each time the Olympics occurs the types of races slightly change. This also changes the type of boat that is going to be used. The International Sailing Federation chooses the types of sailboats used in each Olympic games.

For the following boats we will look at the 2024 Olympics taking place in Paris . Men and women will use different boats. There will also be two new events for the first time ever known as iQFoil and kiteboarding so they will be making their Olympic debut.

Men’s Boat Types

The men’s class will be using the following boat types:

• Single handed or one person dinghy sailing: ILCA 7
• Men’s skiff boats: 49er
• Windsurfer (new) – iQFoil and kiteboarding

Women’s Boat Types

The women will compete with very similar boat types as follows:

• Single handed dinghy: ILCA 6
• Skiff: 49er FX (lighter and slightly smaller than the 49er)
• Windsurfer (new): iQFoil and kiteboarding.

Mixed Class

When looking at the mixed class of Olympic sailing they showcase:

• Mixed multihull for both men and women: Nacra 17 Foiling
• Mixed Two Person Dinghy for both men and women: 470

Boat Classification for Olympic Sailing

As mentioned, the boat types vary based on men’s and women’s racing events for Olympic classes. Each year the classification might change so sailors must be prepared to do their best for a medal race. But what do the boat classifications mean for Olympic world sailing?

Dinghy Sailing

Dinghy sailing uses a small boat meant for one individual to sail and is present in all events across the board for Olympic games. The most common dinghy boat that is raced for Olympic sailing is the ILCA 7 and was used recently in the Tokyo Olympics. The main difference is that the mixed class features a two person sailing competition or referred to as two person dinghy racing.

Windsurfing

Windsurfing requires strong winds in order to be successful. With a combination of strong wind conditions and the waves sailors must utilize both in order to succeed. For the first time ever in the Olympic games the men’s windsurfer and women’s windsurfer will be racing with iQFoil .

Skiff Racing

Skiffs are a flat bottom boat that are withered powered by sails or you can use oars. The women’s skiff uses the 49er FX which is slightly smaller and less weight than the men’s skiff. This allows easier handle for the women’s skiff races since there is less crew weight on board.

Multihull Racing

In multihull races it means that boats with more than one hull are competing. The Nacra 17 Foiling is a catamaran that uses a foil to help race. Depending on the type multihull race that is being ran will determine the type of multihull being used.

Boat Features That Make a Great Olympic Sailboat

A racing boat that is used for a sailing competition on the water is only as good as the person sailing it. However there are boats that are designed to go faster than others and make the difference in gold medals or none at all.

Types of Sails

The perfect combination of sails that are optimized for Olympic games are a bermuda sail and gaff sail. This allows the sailor to utilize more sailing area since there is limited pole space.

Since you have the combination of both sails, it allows you to powerfully sail without having the drawbacks from a longer pole such as difficulty maneuvering and strength needed to change direction. This means you can control the boat more efficiently.

Types of Rigging

Bermuda is the most common sail but gaffs are a close second. With a combination of both this means the rigging setup is likely different the just one or the other. Depending on the rig setup it might be best to operate a few different types in order to see which rigging is best for you.

Easy to Use

The best sailing boats in the Olympic games are ones that sail the fastest but are also the easiest to use. With proper training the boat might not matter a lot if you are experienced but every second matters. You want boats that allow you to execute a sailing plan and remain steady while using in medal events.

What is Olympic Sailing?

Olympic sports have had a variety of changes since the 1900’s. Sailing was introduced during this time and has been a part of the Olympics around 1908. Women were allowed to compete in 1988 for sailing and two Americans won a gold medal.

The phrasing was originally called yachting and then sailing in the 2000’s to help mirror the common way to describe boats on the water with sails. There have been many variations of sailboats that are used as well as the race types conducted. The boat types have grown into specific monotypes due to their size and weight.

How to Be an Olympic Sailor

In order to compete for the 2024 Paris Olympics sailors must compete in a variety of events in order to earn quotas such as the 2023 Sailing World Championships. There are certain qualifications that you must meet before applying.

Sailing World Championships

In August 2023 sailors will compete in the Netherlands to try to earn quotas for various racing events. The following events will take place and the amount of quotas will be given:

• Windsurfing: 11 for both men and women
• Kite: eight for both men and women
• Dinghy: 16 for both men and women and eight for mixed
• Skiff: 10 for both men and women
• Mixed Multihull: Nine

ILCA World Championships

Men and women that are not yet qualified for the Sailing World Championships can qualify for the dinghy events. The highest rated in the National Olympic Committee can compete for this in 2024 if they are not able to land a spot in the 2023 Sailing World Championships.

Continental Qualification

Sailors that have not yet qualified for the Sailing World Championships and the ILCA can receive quotas among various regions. There are 74 quotas in total that will be awarded which are going to be used for:

• 31 for women
• 12 for mixed

Last Chance

The highest ratings in the National Olympic Committee that are not yet qualified from the previous events can receive 34 quota places in the Last Chance Regatta. This event will take place some time in 2024 and include:

• Windsurfing: Five for both men and women
• Kite: Five  for both men and women
• Dinghy: Three for both men and women and four for mixed
• Skiff: Three for both men and women
• Mixed Multihull: Three

Emerging Nations and Universality

Those that are part of the World Sailing Emerging Nations Program who have not yet qualified must compete in the Last Chance Regatta. Based on those results one man and women each per windsurfing and dinghy sailing can earn quotas.

In Universality places there will be four quotas total. Two are for the men’s while the other two are for the women’s. These are only for the dinghy races and are accounted for by the Tripartite Commission once the Last Chance Regatta has been completed.

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I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Home  News  Paris 2024 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Roster Finalized

Paris 2024 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Roster Finalized

BRISTOL, RI (17 May 2024) – US Sailing has confirmed the names of the 13 sailors who will represent the United States at the Paris Olympic Games this coming July and August in Marseille, France. The team hails from seven U.S. states and territories including California, Florida, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Wisconsin.  

“We’re very proud to bring this group of 13 to Marseille this summer,” said Marcus Lynch, High Performance Director. “It’s been an inspiring, impressive Trials season with a deep lineup of talented athletes across all disciplines who have fought hard to represent the US on the Olympic stage. With our roster now finalized, the Team is dialed in on fine-tuning skills to perform at their best.”  

The Games of the XXXIII Olympiad will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and the sailing events will be based in Marseille on the Mediterranean in the south of France. The largest sporting event in the world, the Olympic Games will feature approximately 10,500 athletes from over 200 countries competing in 329 medal events. The sailing events will feature up to 330 athletes competing in ten classes.  

All nominations to the Paris 2024 U.S. Olympic Team are subject to approval by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. 

Paris 2024 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team Nominees:

Listed in Order of Date of Selection 

Women’s Formula Kite (Women’s Kite):  Daniela Moroz

Six-time consecutive world champion Daniela Moroz (Lafayette, CA) will compete in her first Olympics in the kiteboard’s debut appearance at an Olympic Games. Moroz is a four-time US Rolex Yachtswoman of the year and a two-time finalist for Rolex World Sailor of the year. She’s a four-time European Champion and the reigning Pan American Games champion.

49er (Men’s Skiff):   Ian Barrows & Hans Henken  

Ian Barrows (St. Thomas, USVI) and Hans Henken (San Francisco, CA) teamed up in pursuit of the Paris 2024 Olympics following campaigns with other partners and won selection together for their first Olympic Games this summer. The pair won a gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games, took home a silver medal from the 2022 Princesa Sofía Trophy, two top 10 finishes at the 2023 Olympic Test Event and 2023 World Championship, have won numerous North American Championships in the 49er , and most recently took 5 th from the 2024 European Championship.  

Women’s iQFOiL (Women’s Windsurfer):   Dominique Stater  

Dominique Stater (Miami, FL) will represent the United States in the long-beloved women’s windsurfing category but will debut the discipline’s shift to foiling equipment at her first Olympic Games. Stater won a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games and is a four-time winner of the U.S. Open Sailing Series.

ILCA 6 – Radial (Women’s One-Person Dinghy): Erika Reineke

Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, FL) is a Pan American Games gold medalist, US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, multiple World Cup medalist , and top 10 finisher at the 2022 ILCA 6 World Championship . Reineke will compete in her first Olympic s after a 15-year pursuit of representing the USA on the Games stage with an impressive resume in tow .

Mixed 470 (Mixed Two-Person Dinghy): Stu McNay & Lara Dallman-Weiss

Stu McNay (Providence, R.I.) and Lara Dallman-Weiss (Shoreview, Minn.) make up the most returning Olympic experience on the US Team. They joined forces when their respective men’s and women’s 470 classes became one mixed-gender discipline for Paris 2024. McNay will compete in his fifth consecutive Olympics and Dallman-Weiss will take the water for her second. Stu and Lara have found individual success before becoming a team with podium finishes at the national, World Cup, and Continental levels.  

49erFX (Women’s Skiff):   Stephanie Roble & Maggie Shea

Stephanie Roble (East Troy, Wis.) and Maggie Shea (Wilmette, Ill.) have been on the 49erFX campaign trail together since the fall of 2016, earning several medals at major events including the 2023 and 2019 Pan American Games, 2022 French Olympic Week, 2020 49erFX World Championship, and the 2019 Hempel World Cup Series–Genoa. Paris 2024 will be their second consecutive Olympic Games appearance as a team.  

Men’s iQFOiL (Men’s Windsurfer): Noah Lyons

Noah Lyons (Clearwater, FL) will head to Marseille fresh off a week of dominant racing at the Last Chance Regatta where he secured qualification for his first Olympic Games. Lyons is a 2023 Pan American Games bronze medalist, winner of the 2023 iQFOiL Games Cadíz, and two-time winner of the U.S. Open Sailing Series. Lyons will join Dominique Stater in the debut of foiling equipment for the windsurfing discipline on the Olympic stage.    

Men’s Formula Kite (Men’s Kite):  Markus Edegran  

Markus Edegran (Ossining, NY) will compete in his first Olympic Games in the kiteboard’s debut appearance. A versatile sailor in a range of boats, Edegran made the commitment to the Formula Kite equipment in 2019 and went on to win three editions of the 2023 U.S. Open Sailing Series.  

Nacra 17 (Mixed Two-Person Multihull) : Sarah Newberry Moore & David Liebenberg

Sarah Newberry Moore (Miami, FL) and David Liebenberg (Richmond, CA) will compete in their first career Olympics together on the Nacra 17. The pair won a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games and secured their Olympic qualification at the Nacra 17 World Championship on French waters in early May 2024.  

The U.S. will not compete in the ILCA 7 event after missing national qualification in that class.  

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US Sailing Team Contact – Olympic Games Allison Chenard US Sailing Team Media and Communications [email protected] +1 704-657-2822 (USA and Overseas)  

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See the best moments from the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

From celine dion's iconic return to the stage to the flying olympic cauldron and more, here were some of the top moments from a historic olympics opening ceremony., by eric mullin • published july 26, 2024 • updated on july 26, 2024 at 9:59 pm.

Let the Games begin!

The 2024 Paris Olympics had its ceremonial kickoff on Friday with the Opening Ceremony . Despite arson attacks on the French rail system just hours before the event and persistent rain throughout the day in Paris, the show still went on -- and what a show it turned out to be.

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In a historic first, the Opening Ceremony took place on water rather than inside a stadium. Thousands of athletes from hundreds of participating countries traveled down the Seine River in boats for the Parade of Nations . That was followed by the lighting of the Olympic cauldron and an iconic return performance from Celine Dion on the Eiffel Tower .

Here's a full look back at some of the top moments from a memorable Opening Ceremony in France's capital city:

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Parade of Nations begins with plume of French-themed smoke

As a giant plume of blue, white and red smoke in the colors of the French flag rose over the top of Austerlitz Bridge, it drew a huge roar from the crowd gathered along the riverbanks. Giant jets of water spurted up from the river as the Greek delegation — as always — was the first boat under the bridge and along the 3.7-mile parade route.

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Among the Greek athletes was two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who became the country's first Black flagbearer .

Lady Gaga sings in French for ceremony's first musical act

Lady Gaga was the first of two global superstars to deliver a surprise performance. The 13-time Grammy Award winner kicked off the event's musical acts with a rendition of "Mon Truc En Plumes" (“My Thing With Feathers”) along the Seine River in honor of French singer, dancer and actor Zizi Jeanmaire.

Following her performance, the New York native shared the "special connection" she feels with French people and music.

"I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year," Lady Gaga wrote on X . "I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organizing committee to sing such a special French song — a song to honor the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.

"Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music — I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth — Paris."

Masked torchbearer ziplines across Paris skyline

The Olympic flame was in the possession of a masked torchbearer for a good portion of the ceremony. At one point, the mysterious figure ziplined across the Seine River to the Notre Dame cathedral.

The torchbearer's costume was inspired by several masked figures who have left their mark on French culture, including the Phantom of the Opera and Ezio from the video game series "Assassin's Creed." But their identity was never revealed.

Coco Gauff, LeBron James lead Team USA in Parade of Nations

Team USA had a long wait before joining the Parade of Nations. As host of the 2028 Olympics , the United States was second-to-last in the order of 200-plus countries ahead of 2024 host France.

When Team USA's time finally came, 2023 U.S. Open winner Coco Gauff and four-time NBA champion LeBron James held the American flag together on a boat featuring nearly 600 American athletes .

The 20-year-old Gauff became the youngest U.S. flagbearer in Olympic history .

Epic Eiffel Tower light show

Among the ceremony's several great spectacles was an Eiffel Tower light show.

After French President Emmanuel Macron declared that the Games were open, the iconic monument lit up the Paris night in a dazzling display.

Serena Williams, Carl Lewis, Rafael Nadal help deliver Olympic flame to the cauldron

The Olympic flame was passed off between several sports legends in the final moments of its monthslong journey to the cauldron. At the Eiffel Tower, Zinedine Zidane passed off the torch to Rafael Nadal, who then hopped on a boat with Serena Williams, Carl Lewis and Nadia Comăneci.

The star-studded group took the flame down the Seine River and passed it off to Amélie Mauresmo, who was back on land, for the French portion of the relay. Mauresmo, Tony Parker and several other French Olympians and Paralympians then traveled with the flame to the site of the cauldron at the Tuileries Garden.

Olympic cauldron takes off into air after being lit

The mystery as to who would be lighting the Olympic cauldron was revealed to be French Olympians Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec . Pérec is a three-time Olympic champion sprinter, while Riner owns three golds and five total medals in judo.

Pérec and Riner both received the flame from Charles Coste, the oldest living French Olympic champion at 100. After the duo of Pérec and Riner lit the cauldron, the ring of flames surprisingly took off into the Paris sky via hot-air balloon in a breathtaking moment.

The ring of flames spans around 23 feet in diameter and the balloon is about 100-feet tall. The flying cauldron is a nod to the first hydrogen-powered flight of a balloon that departed from the Tuileries Garden back in 1783.

According to Paris 2024 , the cauldron will remain suspended nearly 200 feet in the air from sunset to 2 a.m. Paris time each day throughout the Games. The cauldron will be positioned on the ground and available to be seen up close from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Celine Dion closes out ceremony with iconic return performance

Like Lady Gaga, Celine Dion was also rumored to be part of the Opening Ceremony lineup . But that didn't take anything away from her performance.

After the Olympic cauldron was lit, Dion sang a rendition of “L’Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”) by the French singer Édith Piaf from the Eiffel Tower. It marked the legendary French-Canadian singer's first live performance since 2020 due to an ongoing battle with stiff-person syndrome .

Three-time Grammy winner Kelly Clarkson, who was part of the NBC broadcast, was among those who were moved by Dion's triumphant return to the stage.

"If you know anything about what she's going through right now ... I'm so sorry I'm trying to hold it together. But that she got through that [performance] -- that was incredible," an emotional Clarkson said . "And in my field, she is the gold winner for vocal athletes. She's incredible."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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