Marseille wind lulls stall Olympic sailing, setting up high-stakes medal races

Light winds once again frustrated sailors in Marseille on day ten of the Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing competition, delaying crucial Medal Races for the Men’s and Women’s Dinghy events. Competitors and organisers alike will be looking to the forecast, hoping for more favourable conditions on Wednesday.

Men’s kite challenges and optimism

In the Men’s Kite event, Connor Bainbridge from Halifax faced disappointment with two mediocre race results in the light winds, causing him to slip to eighth overall. Despite this setback, Bainbridge remains confident in his ability to secure a spot in the Medal Series planned for Thursday. His focus is now on positioning himself for a strong final day performance.

Medal races delayed in men’s and women’s dinghy events

Micky Beckett, currently in fourth place overall, faces another day of waiting to see if he can convert his position into a medal. Insufficient breeze thwarted the Medal Races for both the ILCA 7 and ILCA 6 events, pushing the schedule back yet again. Organisers are optimistic about trying again on Wednesday, but the variable weather in Marseille has kept everyone on their toes.

Mixed multihull sees progress

Despite the challenging conditions, John Gimson and Anna Burnet successfully completed their three scheduled races in the Nacra 17 class. Their efforts were rewarded with a victory in one of the races, propelling them into third place overall as they head into their Medal Race on Wednesday. Anna Burnet reflected on the day, noting the importance of focusing on details amidst the light winds, which ultimately led to their first race win of the regatta.

Women’s kite event sees shifts in leadership

Ellie Aldridge found herself promoted to overall leader in the Women’s Kite event overnight due to a successful protest against her Swiss rival's redress. However, her celebrations were short-lived as fickle winds caused her to miss the first race of the day, dropping her kite into the water. As the competition nears its conclusion, Aldridge is now tied in points with French rider Lauriane Nolot, setting up a tense penultimate day.

Mixed dinghy fleet ftruggles

The Mixed Dinghy (470) fleet had three races scheduled but managed to complete only two due to the light winds. Vita Heathcote and Chris Grube of Team GB finished the day in 11th place overall, missing the cut for the Medal Race by just one point. Reflecting on their performance, Heathcote and Grube expressed their pride in their efforts despite the disappointing outcome.

Quotes from the Athletes

Micky Beckett, from Solva, Pembrokeshire, shared his thoughts:

"I've got nothing to lose. I can go backwards a bit, but more importantly than that, I can get up to bronze and possibly even silver. These medal races, they're always chaotic. They're fast, and kind of anything can happen. So, I'm quite looking forward to it. I've really got nothing to lose."

Anna Burnet, from Shandon, Argyll and Bute, commented on their race win:

"It was a really good day. It was more of the same for us in terms of our approach. It was quite light winds again, so you just have to really focus on details and we did that. I think by the second race we finally won a race, the first one of this whole event, we felt like it was coming to us a bit more and it could be our day. I think confidence grew from there."

Connor Bainbridge, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, spoke about his day:

"It was definitely a blow today for me, but the beauty of our racing is that it isn't over until the last day and I'm confident that I can beat anyone in this fleet in the final series in a four-boat regatta. What I'm focusing on now is putting myself in the best position so I can attack that final day."

Ellie Aldridge, from Poole, Dorset, emphasised the importance of each race:

"We normally have quite a lot of discards, so we can drop for quite a few races, but because we don't have enough races we won't have as many discards, so it just means that every race is really important. I need to not make any mistakes tomorrow."

Vita Heathcote, from Lymington, Hampshire, reflected on their campaign:

"It is hard but at the same time we know that we put our best foot forward and did the best preparation we could. We wouldn’t change anything. So that’s all you can say really, all you can think, and it just wasn't our week. It wasn't to be."

Chris Grube, from Hamble, Hampshire, expressed his sentiments:

"Taking the positives from the year, to finish second in the Worlds, I think we take quite a lot of pride in that. We’re sorry we couldn't do it for Team GB and everyone at home. But we tried."

Stay updated on Team GB’s sailing journey

For the latest information on Team GB’s sailors at the Paris 2024 Olympics, including the competition schedule, live tracking, and viewing options, visit the British Sailing Team’s Paris 2024 hub. Follow real-time updates on their social media channels.

The Paris 2024 Olympic Sailing Competition continues until Thursday, 8 August. Keep an eye on the weather forecasts and updates from Marseille as the competition enters its final stages.

Image credits go to World Sailing. Additional images from the Paris 2024 sailing competition are available from World Sailing’s image library with the password P2024. These images are free for editorial use with proper credit.