The largest and most diverse fleet in the 2024 Paris Olympics' sailing events kicks off Thursday in Marseille: the one-person dinghy. Competitors will helm boats known as the ILCA 6 for women and ILCA 7 for men, small white-sailed dinghies highly regarded for the pure essence of sailing they represent. The event involves almost two times more boats than the other Olympic sailing categories, at more than 80.
Australia's Matt Wearn and Denmark's Anne-Marie Rindom aim to defend their Tokyo Olympic golds. "It's all about the sailor in the boat," said Rindom, who started sailing as a toddler. The boats, provided only a week before the Games, ensure a level playing field where the slightest tactical edge can determine the winner, according to Britain's Micky Beckett.
Notably, these versatile, nearly unsinkable boats contend in any weather, leading to both physically taxing and mentally demanding races. Marseille's current conditions of low winds and intense heat have posed a different kind of challenge, highlighting the athletes' adaptability and endurance.
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Beyond the competition, the event underscores the accessibility and global appeal of this sailing class, as the boats are relatively cheap and easy to transport. That puts them front and center in World Sailing's development program, which is pushing the sport in countries that haven't traditionally competed in Olympic sailing, like El Salvador and Mozambique. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)