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Up to 3,000 categories of sailboats reportedly exist around the world, each class with its own set of rules and specifications. At the Olympics, 11 events are contested in nine different types of boats. Boats compete in fleet races, with each regatta lasting a series of days.
Of the 11 events at the Olympics, men compete in four, women compete in four and three classes are open to both. Crew sizes range from single-handed to three-person boats. Each class is a different size and shape, requiring certain skills of the sailors in order to operate the boat successfully. Below are all the Olympic classes:
|
Event |
Type |
|
Men's Star |
Two-person keelboat |
|
Men's 470 |
Two-person boat |
|
Women's 470 |
Two-person boat |
|
Open class Finn |
Single-handed dinghy |
|
Men's RS:X |
Single-person boardsailing |
|
Women's RS:X |
Single-person boardsailing |
|
Women's Yngling |
Three-person keelboat |
|
Men's Laser |
Single-handed dinghy |
|
Women's Laser Radial |
Single-handed dinghy |
|
Open class Tornado |
Two-person catamaran |
|
Open class 49er |
Two-person high-performance dinghy |
