The men and women’s iQFOiL events will open the racing for the sailing events at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday 28 July.
The iQFOiL is the replacement for the RSX board in the windsurfing events, upgrading it with a foiling board and adding considerably to the speed and excitement of the event.
Britain has never won gold in the windsurfing event despite ten attempts.
In the women’s event Britain’s Bryony Shaw won bronze in Beijing 2008 and Emma Wilson bronze in Tokyo 2020. Wilson will be competing again this year, having successfully switched to the new foiling board and won silver at the 2024 Worlds.
Wilson finished second to Sharon Kantor of Israel in the Worlds and will face her again in the Paris Olympics.
Other top competition will come from from Sara Wennekes NED, Pilar LaMadrid ESP, Marta Maggetti ITA, Zheng Yan CHN, Mina Mobekk of Norway.
In the men’s event Sam Sills represents Britain in another event where we have failed to win gold, despite the fantastic efforts of Nick Dempsey who won two Olympic silver (2012, 2016) and a bronze (2004).
Sills has yet to hit those heights, but has the chance to upset the rankings in Marseille.
The leaderboard is likely to be led by World Champion Nicolo Renna ITA, with other major performers Sebastien Koerdel (GER), Luuc van Opzeeland (NED), Nicolas Goyard FRA, Pawel Tarnowski POL , Tom Reuveny ISR and Grea Morris AUS.
The windsurfer events comprise an opening series and then a medal series. The opening series may comprise of course or a sprint slalom races and a marathon race which will be scored as two races in a series.
The medal series for the top ten competitors comprises of quarterfinal, semifinal and a three board final.
The Medal finals are scheduled for Friday 2 August.
Paris 2024 Olympic Event Schedule
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British Sailing Team at Paris 2024 – The events, the selections and the medal prospects
