Sailing

Sailing

Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...

 at the 2008 Summer Olympics

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

in Beijing

Beijing

Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

 was held from August 9 to 21. The competition took place in Qingdao

Qingdao

' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...

, at Qingdao International Marina.

The events consisted of four classes for men, four for women, and three mixed classes that were open to both men and women. Since the 2004 Games, three events were changed to new equipment. The Neil Pryde RS:X was selected to replace the Mistral

Mistral

Mistral commonly refers to the Mistral in southern France and SardiniaMistral may also refer to:* Mistral, various ships of the French Navy, including:** Mistral class amphibious assault ship of the French Navy...

 for both Men's and Women's sailboard, and the Laser Radial

Laser Radial

The Laser Radial is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy, originally built by Laser Performance. It is a singlehanded boat, meaning that it is sailed by one person. The Laser Radial is a variant of the Laser Standard, with shorter mast and reduced sail area, allowing light sailors to...

 replaced the Europe

Europe (dinghy)

The Europe is a one-person dinghy designed in Belgium in 1960 by Alois Roland as a class legal Moth dinghy. The design later changed into its own one-design class....

 as the Women's single-handed dinghy.

Competition format

Races in all events were sailed in a fleet racing

Fleet racing

Fleet racing is a form of competitive sailing that involves sailboats racing one another over a set course. It is the most common form of sailboat racing and contrasts with match racing and team racing....

 format of ten regular series races (fifteen for the 49er

49er (dinghy)

The 49er is a double handed twin trapeze skiff type sailing dinghy. The two crew work on different roles with the helm making many tactical decisions, as well as steering, and the crew doing most of the sail control. The design, by Julian Bethwaite, the son of Frank Bethwaite , is revolutionary...

), followed by a Medal Race. The contestants raced around the course in a group, and each boat earned a score equal to its finishing position. The nine (thirteen for the 49er) best scores for each boat were summed up for the regular series of races.

The Medal Races were 30 minutes long, limited to the ten boats with the lowest series scores in each event, and were scored double points based on finish position. The medals in each event were decided based on the overall total points (series plus medal), with ties being decided based on the Medal Race finish order.

These scoring rules were new for the 2008 Olympics, and were criticized as an ill-advised attempt to make sailing more attractive as a live event for television viewing.

Medal summary

Medal table

1		4	1	1	6
2		2	1	0	3
3		1	1	0	2
		1	1	0	2
5		1	0	1	2
6		1	0	0	1
		1	0	0	1
8		0	2	0	2
9		0	1	2	3
10		0	1	1	2
		0	1	1	2
12		0	1	0	1
		0	1	0	1
14		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
Total		11	11	11	33

Men's events

Sailboard RS:X (sailboard) thumb RS:X is a windsurfing discipline selected by the ISAF replace the Mistral One Design Class class for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The discipline has similarities to formula windsurfing - mainly in that the equipment used was designed to allow windsurfing in low and moderate wind conditions with...
Laser class Laser (dinghy) The International Laser Class sailboat, also called Laser Standard and the Laser One is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes...
470 class 470 (dinghy) The 470 is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. The name is the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with integral buoyancy tanks. The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to...	Nathan Wilmot Nathan Wilmot Nathan Wilmot is a member of the Australian Sailing team sailor. He and team mate Malcolm Page have won five world titles in the 470 class... Malcolm Page Malcolm Page (sailor) Malcolm Page is an Australian sailor. He was educated at St. Andrew's Cathedral School in Sydney. He and team mate Nathan Wilmot have won five world titles in the 470 class...	Nick Rogers Joe Glanfield	Nicolas Charbonnier Nicolas Charbonnier Nicolas Charbonnier is a French sailor and Olympic athlete who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*... Olivier Bausset Olivier Bausset Olivier Bausset is a French sailor and Olympic athlete who won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-External links:*...
Star class Star (sailboat) The International Star is a 6.9 m one-design racing keelboat for two people.The boat must weigh at least 671 kg with a maximum total sail area of 26.5 m . It is sloop-rigged, with a mainsail larger in proportional size than any other boat of its length...	Iain Percy Iain Percy Iain Bryden Percy OBE is a British sailor and double Olympic champion.-Sailing competitions:Percy competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he won a gold medal in the Finn class... Andrew Simpson Andrew Simpson (sailor) Andrew James Simpson MBE , nicknamed Bart Simpson, is a British sailor. He won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, as crew for skipper Iain Percy in the Star class...	Robert Scheidt Robert Scheidt Robert Scheidt is a renowned Brazilian sailor, having won two gold medals and two silver medals from four Olympic Games... Bruno Prada Bruno Prada Bruno Prada is a Brazilian sailor.In June 2006, he and Brazilian Robert Scheidt won the silver medal in the two-person racing keelboat Star Class at the 2006 Kiel Week in Germany, behind American Mark Mendelblatt and crewman Mark Strube...	Fredrik Lööf Fredrik Lööf Fredrik Lööf Fredrik Lööf Fredrik Lööf (born 13 December 1969 in Kristinehamn, Sweden is a Swedish professional sailor who has participated in five Summer Olympics, winning two bronze medals... Anders Ekström Anders Ekström Anders Ekström is a Swedish sailor who has participated in two Summer Olympics. He and Fredrik Lööf sailed together in the Star class, winning the Star world championship, the Star European championship, finishing 14th at Athens in 2004, and winning the bronze medal at Beijing in 2008.-External...

Women's events

Sailboard RS:X (sailboard) thumb RS:X is a windsurfing discipline selected by the ISAF replace the Mistral One Design Class class for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The discipline has similarities to formula windsurfing - mainly in that the equipment used was designed to allow windsurfing in low and moderate wind conditions with...
Laser Radial class Laser Radial The Laser Radial is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy, originally built by Laser Performance. It is a singlehanded boat, meaning that it is sailed by one person. The Laser Radial is a variant of the Laser Standard, with shorter mast and reduced sail area, allowing light sailors to...
470 class 470 (dinghy) The 470 is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. The name is the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with integral buoyancy tanks. The 470 is equipped with spinnaker and trapeze, making teamwork necessary to...	Elise Rechichi Elise Rechichi Elise Rechichi OAM is an Australian sailor from Perth, Western Australia. Rechichi and crewmate Tessa Parkinson represented Australia in the 470 class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Qingdao, China, winning the Gold Medal.- References :...   Tessa Parkinson Tessa Parkinson Tessa Parkinson OAM is an Australian sailor from Perth, Western Australia. Parkinson and skipper Elise Rechichi represented Australia in the 470 class at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Qingdao, China, winning the Gold Medal....	Marcelien de Koning Marcelien de Koning Marcelien de Koning is a Dutch sailor. She is a three-time World Champion in the 470-class.De Koning sails since 1990 and since 2001 she participates in the 470-class alongside Lobke Berkhout. Together they became World Champion in 2005 in San Francisco. This performance earned them the title of...   Lobke Berkhout Lobke Berkhout Lobke Berkhout is a Dutch sailor. She is a five-time World Champion in the 470-class.Berkhout sails since 1990 and since 2001 she participates in the 470-class alongside Marcelien de Koning. Together they became World Champion in 2005 in San Francisco. This performance earned them the title of...	Fernanda Oliveira Fernanda Oliveira Fernanda Oliveira is a Brazilian sailor. She won a bronze medal in 470 class at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Oliveira also competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and 2004 Olympics in Athina.- References :...   Isabel Swan Isabel Swan Isabel Marques Swan is a Brazilian sailor. She won a bronze medal in 470 class at the 2008 Summer Olympics.-See also:*...
Yngling class Yngling (keelboat) thumbA Yngling is a sailing boat which the International Yngling Association call an "agreeable cross between a planing dinghy and a keelboat." It can be regarded as a smaller version of the Soling although there are differences in sailing characteristics, proportion, and tuning requirements,...	Sarah Ayton Sarah Ayton Sarah Lianne Ayton Dempsey OBE is an English professional sailor.She won a gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, together with Shirley Robertson and Sarah Webb, and another gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing,... Sarah Webb Sarah Webb Sarah Kathleen Webb Gosling OBE is a British professional sailor and two-time Olympic gold medalist.-Sailing career:... Pippa Wilson Pippa Wilson Philippa Claire Wilson MBE is an English professional sailor.She won a gold medal in the Yngling sailing class in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, together with Sarah Webb and Sarah Ayton....	Mandy Mulder Mandy Mulder Mandy Mulder is a Dutch sailor.Mulder started sailing in 1995 and competes in international level since 2001 where she started in the Optimist class. At the European Championship in Gran Canaria she finished on a 10th position. She took part in the 2002 Laser 4.7 World Junior Championship where...   Annemieke Bes Annemieke Bes Annemieke Marileen Bes is a Dutch sailor.Bes started sailing in 1990 and competed at Olympic international level since 1999 where she started in the Europe class...   Merel Witteveen Merel Witteveen Merel Witteveen is a Dutch sailor.Witteveen started sailing in 1995 and competes in international level since 1999 where she started in the Optimist class...	Sofia Bekatorou Sofia Bekatorou Sofia Bekatorou , is a Greek sailing champion.She has participated in over 470 main class events including 2004 Summer Olympics sailing competition, where she won gold medal in the women's double-handed dinghy event in the 470 with her pair Emilia Tsoulfa...   Sofia Papadopoulou Sofia Papadopoulou Sofia Papadopoulou is a Greek sailor. She won the bronze medal in the women's yngling class with Sofia Bekatorou and Virginia Kravarioti at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-References:...   Virginia Kravarioti Virginia Kravarioti Virginia Kravarioti is a Greek sailor. She won the bronze medal in the women's yngling class with Sofia Bekatorou and Sofia Papadopoulou at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-References:...

Open events

Finn class Finn (dinghy) The Finn dinghy is the men's single-handed, cat-rigged Olympic class for sailing. It was designed by Swedish canoe designer, Rickard Sarby, in 1949 for the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki...
49er class 49er (dinghy) The 49er is a double handed twin trapeze skiff type sailing dinghy. The two crew work on different roles with the helm making many tactical decisions, as well as steering, and the crew doing most of the sail control. The design, by Julian Bethwaite, the son of Frank Bethwaite , is revolutionary...	Jonas Warrer Jonas Warrer Jonas Warrer is a Danish sailor in the 49er class who sails with Martin Kirketerp. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, they stood to win the gold medal before the final round, but their mast broke shortly before start. The Croatian team lent the Danes their boat, and the Danes went on to finish seventh... Martin Kirketerp Martin Kirketerp Martin Kirketerp Ibsen is a Danish sailor in the 49er class who sails with Jonas Warrer. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, they stood to win the gold medal before the final round, but their mast broke shortly before start...	Iker Martínez de Lizarduy Iker Martinez Iker Martinez de Lizarduy Lizarribar is a Spanish sailor and olympic champion... Xabier Fernández	Jan-Peter Peckolt Jan-Peter Peckolt Jan-Peter Peckolt is a German sailor. He won a bronze medal in 49er class at the 2008 Summer Olympics.- References :... Hannes Peckolt Hannes Peckolt Hannes Peckolt is a German sailor. He won a bronze medal in 49er class at the 2008 Summer Olympics.- References :...
Tornado class Tornado (sailboat) The Tornado is an two person multihull class recognised as an International Class by the International Sailing Federation. It was used for the Olympic Catamaran discpline for over 30 years.-Background:...	Antón Paz Fernando Echavarri Fernando Echavarri Fernando Echavarri Erasun is a professional yachtsman in the Olympic Tornado Class. Teaming with crew Antón Paz Blanco, he became Spanish, European, World Champion, ISAF Sailor of the year in 2005, Olympic Gold Medalist at the Beijing Games held in Qingdao.- Origins :Born and raised in Santander,...	Darren Bundock Darren Bundock Darren Bundock is an Australian sailor from Gosford, New South Wales. He won a silver medal in the Tornado class at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Bundock and current crewmate Glenn Ashby are the 2007 world champions in the Tornado class and ranked number one in the event going into the 2008... Glenn Ashby Glenn Ashby Glenn Ashby is an Australian sailor from Bendigo, Victoria. He and skipper Darren Bundock are the 2007 world champions in the Tornado class and ranked number one in the event going into the 2008 Summer Olympics. However, they were beaten by the Spanish team and won silver. He has also won 8...	Santiago Lange Santiago Lange Santiago R. Lange is an Argentine Olympic sailor.Lange has competed in five editions of the Olympic Games, in 1988, 1996, 2000, and 2004. He won bronze in the latter in the Tornado class, along with teammate Carlos Espinola. He also represented represent Argentina again at the 2008 Summer... Carlos Espínola Carlos Espínola (sailor) Carlos Mauricio Espínola is an Argentine windsurfer.Nicknamed Camau, Espínola started training at the Club Náutico de La Totora in his home province, to obtain his first achievement of importance, a silver medal, during the Pan American Games held in 1991 in La Habana...