by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The Sailing Program at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games begins July 28 in Marseille, France, which begs the question every four years: who can handle it?

Success requires maintaining routine, managing distractions, and executing ability, but this is no ordinary event. After massive sacrifice, amid mountains of rules and requirements, treating it like “another event” is naive. All elements to succeed are strained.

As I reported at Rio 2016, the ten events are staggered during a two-week period, so the challenge to maintain routine varies, and will be greatest for the Men’s and Women’s Kiteboard which will have waited nine days from the Opening Ceremony on July 26.

Here is the competition schedule, with each event having reserve day(s) at the end of their schedule:
July 28-August 3 – Men’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
July 28-August 3 -Women’s Windsurfing – iQFOiL
July 28-August 3 – Men’s Skiff – 49er
July 28-August 3 – Women’s Skiff – 49erFX
August 1-8 – Men’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 7
August 1-8 – Women’s One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
August 2-9 – Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 470
August 3-9 – Mixed Multihull – Nacra 17
August 4-9 – Men’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class
August 4-9 – Women’s Kiteboard – Formula Kite Class

US Sailing reports that the sailing events will have live broadcast coverage in the USA through NBC’s Peacock streaming service for $5.99 a month, with the programming on at 6:00am-1:00pm ET (details). For non-USA broadcast information, click here.

Based on competition history, there aren’t any medal favorites from the North American teams, but double gold medalist Shirley Robertson has seen history tilted. “There’s less boats and so much more pressure. Ignore the pecking order because there’s always upsets at the Olympic Games, always.”

Event details – Entry list – Notice Board