Unpredictable winds continued to impact the first medal races for sailing at the Paris Olympics on Friday. Officials aimed to fit four races in between the calm and hot morning and the strong thunderstorm expected later in the day.
The women’s skiffs race began right after noon, with fans cheering after waiting for hours the day before under the intense sun in Marseille.
The gold medal went to the Netherlands’ Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz, while Sweden’s Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler took second place. France’s Sarah Steyaert and Charline Picon finished third.
Later in the day, Spain’s Diego Botín and Florián Trittel won the gold in the men’s skiff category. New Zealand’s Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie came in second, and Ian Barrows and Hans Henken of the United States took bronze, marking the first U.S. medal in Olympic sailing since Rio 2016.
Both the men’s and women’s skiffs, known as 49erFX, were initially scheduled for Thursday but were postponed due to a lack of wind.
The women’s race ended with some confusion, as the Netherlands team waited to find out if they had won gold. “When we crossed the finish line we thought we won gold, but we didn’t hear the horn,” van Aanholt said. The week had been challenging with shifting winds and conditions.
Picon’s partner, Jean-Emmanuel Mestre, who had their daughter Lou, 7, on his shoulders, said the stress was evident but their main focus was supporting the athletes. “We try to maintain our routine,” said Mestre. “It’s the same for everyone.”
The men’s skiffs race started twice on Thursday in Marseille but was abandoned after the light wind disappeared, leaving the athletes in the heat on the water for several hours. “It was an emotional roller coaster,” McHardie said before the medal race finally took place.
After the skiffs races, the schedule for Friday includes the windsurfing men’s and women’s medal races. If they cannot be held, they might be rescheduled for another day.
Also starting on Friday was a new sailing event, the mixed-gender dinghy called 470. This event was introduced this year to create more equal medal opportunities for men and women.
The men’s and women’s dinghies races are also continuing, adding to the busy scene in Marseille’s picturesque bay.
Officials are preparing backup plans for the medal races if the weather doesn’t cooperate, as it has not since the sailing competition began on Sunday. Races have frequently been delayed, and a windsurfing “marathon” was also canceled more than an hour into it.
In sailing, points are collected over several regattas over multiple days, with the medal races usually earning double points. Due to the unpredictable conditions, no one in the skiffs has a clear idea of the podium placements yet.
In windsurfing, the rules are slightly different, and two athletes have moved high enough in the rankings to guarantee a medal — Emma Wilson of Britain and Grae Morris of Australia. Everyone else is still uncertain about their standing.
The delays and canceled races are especially frustrating, and the heat also adds to the physical strain.
