Paris 2024 Olympics – On a wing and a prayer

British Sailing made it to the finish of the Paris 2024 Olympics on a wing and a prayer.

A brilliant final day victory by Ellie Aldridge lifted Team GB sailing into exclusive gold medal territory and maintained their 24-year record.

It was a close-run thing, but the windsurfer and kite medals stretched the GBR gold medal win record to seven Olympics, although with the lowest total medal win number since Atlanta 1996.

Not on a par with Tokyo 2020, with five medals (three golds, one silver, one bronze) and below the UK Sport target (3-5 medals) but it maybe put off some difficult conversations.

Paris Olympic Medal Table 2024 Crop — *Paris Olympic Medal Table 2024 – Gold Medal Leaders*

It is perhaps ironic that the medals came in the two newest ‘sailing’ events – the iQFoil and the Formula Kite – both foiling board events, not involving any of the traditional in-water dinghy designs.

Basically, sailing as traditionally sailed in the Olympics was reduced to six events and if it is to remain past Los Angeles 2028 will most likely be further tweaked to include other forms of on water activity.

Watching sailing is primarily a media event, with minimal on course audience involvement.

Olympic QFOIL Emma Wilson — *QFOIL Bronze Emma Wilson*

The short, fast action of the foiling boards, especially the small fleet Medal Series to decide the medals, is very much in line with the requirements of the IOC in a streaming media world.

For the British Sailing Team, they now have to take a close look at their organisation to justify these latest results with the £22 million funding, plus APAs* that the sport receives.

Sailing received the second highest award of 33 Sport UK funded sports, the same as Athletics, only Rowing receives more (£29M).

Strangely Team GB sent 327 athletes, and 42 rowers to Paris for similar money to that required for Sailing to send 14 competitors !

And despite all that funding, in a very short time British Sailing has managed to turn the clock back to the desperate pre-funding days.

Los Angeles is the host for the 2028 Games. The last two USA hosted Games were dire times for British Sailing, we surely do not want a repeat of Los Angeles ’84 ?