The ILCA class events concluded last week in Marseille, marking the end of an exciting chapter for sailing in Paris 2024. This year’s Games represented the eighth appearance for the ILCA 7 (formerly Laser Standard) and the fifth for the ILCA 6 (formerly Laser Radial) at the Olympics.
Men’s Dinghy class – ILCA 7
The ILCA 7 made its Olympic debut at the 1996 Atlanta Games and has been a staple in the Olympic sailing program ever since, with no major changes to its format. The event quickly gained popularity due to the large global fleet of Laser/ILCA sailors and the boat’s emphasis on tactical racing and physical fitness.
ILCA 7 highlights – Paris 2024
Australian sailor Matthew Wearn AUS continued his dominance by securing his second consecutive gold medal, making him the second most successful ILCA 7 sailor in Olympic history, just behind Brazil’s Robert Scheidt BRA.
Top ILCA 7 sailors in history at the Olympics:
1 – Robert Scheidt BRA, 3 medals (G-S-G)
2 – Matthew Wearn AUS, 2 medals (G-G)
3 – Ben Ainslie GBR, 2 medals (S-G)
4 – Pavlos Kontides CYP, 2 medals (S-S)
4 – Tonci Stipanovic CRO, 2 medals (S-S)
6 – Vasilij Zbogar SLO, 2 medals (B-S)
Wearn’s victory also marked Australia’s fourth consecutive gold in this class, further solidifying their lead in the Olympic ILCA 7 medal count.
Top ILCA 7 nations in history at the Olympics:
1 – AUS, 5 medals (B-G-G-G-G)
2 – BRA, 3 medals (G-S-G)
2 – GBR, 3 medals (S-G-G)
4 – CRO, 2 medals (S-S)
4 – CYP, 2 medals (S-S)
6 – SLO, 2 medals (B-S)
7 – NOR, 2 medals (B-B)
8 – AUT, 1 medal (S)
9 – ITA, 1 medal (B)
9 – NZL, 1 medal (B)
9 – PER, 1 medal (B)
9 – SWE, 1 medal (B)
When analyzing medals by continent, Europe leads overall, though Oceania dominates in gold medals;
Top ILCA 7 continents in history at the Olympics:
1 – Europe, 14 medals (2G-7S-5B)
2 – Oceania, 6 medals (4G-2B)
3 – South America, 4 medals (2G-1S-1B)
Pavlos Kontides CYP of Cyprus earned his second Olympic silver medal in Paris, continuing to be a national hero as Cyprus’ only Olympic medalist.
Stefano Peschiera PER of Peru claimed bronze, marking his first Olympic medal and the first-ever sailing medal for Peru.
The Paris 2024 ILCA 7 podium featured sailors from three different continents, with the top 10 including two from Oceania, six from Europe, and two from South America, highlighting the global reach of the ILCA class.
ILCA 6 – Women’s Dinghy class
The ILCA 6 made its Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Games, providing a platform for women to compete at the highest level. The class is identical to the ILCA 7 except for a smaller sail, making it more suited for lighter sailors.
ILCA 6 highlights – Paris 2024
Paris 2024 marked the third consecutive Olympic Games where European sailors swept the ILCA 6 podium, showcasing their dominance in the women’s class:
– NED-DEN-NOR in Paris 2024
– DEN-SWE-NED in Tokyo 2020
– NED-IRL-DEN in Rio 2016
Dutch sailor Marit Bouwmeester NED claimed her fourth Olympic medal (Gold-Silver-Bronze-Gold), becoming the most successful ILCA 6 sailor and the most decorated female sailor in Olympic history, surpassing Great Britain’s Hannah Mills.
Danish sailor Anne-Marie Rindom DEN took Silver, completing her Olympic medal set and securing her place as the second most successful ILCA sailor behind Bouwmeester, surpassing Lijia Xu CHN of China.
Norwegian sailor Line Flem Høst NOR earned her first Olympic bronze, marking Norway’s first ILCA 6 medal.
Top ILCA 6 sailors in history at the Olympics:
1 – Marit Bouwmeester NED, 4 medals (S-G-B-G)
2 – Anne Marie Rindom DEN, 3 medals (G-B-S)
3 – Lijia Xu CHN, 2 medals (B-G)
Bouwmeester and Rindom’s successes have propelled their countries to the top of the Olympic ILCA 6 rankings;
Top ILCA 6 nations in history at the Olympics:
1 – NED, 4 medals (S-G-B-G)
2 – DEN, 3 medals (G-B-S)
3 – CHN, 2 medals (B-G)
4 – USA, 1 medal (G)
5 – IRL, 1 medal (S)
5 – LTU, 1 medal (S)
5 – SWE, 1 medal (S)
8 – BEL, 1 medal (B)
8 – NOR, 1 medal (B)
Europe’s dominance in the ILCA 6 class is evident, with European sailors winning 12 out of 15 Olympic medals;
Top ILCA 6 continents in history at the Olympics:
1 – Europe, 12 medals (3G-5S-4B)
2 – Asia, 2 medals (B-G)
3 – North America, 1 medal (G)
Youth sailing – First Olympic appearances
Last but not least, Paris 2024 saw several young sailors making their Olympic debuts with impressive results. Chiara Benini Floriani ITA finished 5th, just 16 points from the podium, while Eve McMahon IRL placed 13th. Other notable first-timers included Omer Vered Vilenchik ISR and Florencia Chiarella PER, all of whom are part of the next generation of sailors aiming for the top in future Olympic Games.
For further information about ILCA sailing at the Olympics, you can visit any of the following links:
Keep smiling, keep sailing!
The EurILCA Team
Report by Agustín Argüelles – EurILCA | Photos by World Sailing / Lloyd images / Sander van der Borch / Jean-Louis Carli.
