Olympic sailing classes explained

The Olympic sailing classes have been used in the sport of Sailing/Yachting during the Olympic Summer Games since 1896. Since then, 46 different classes have been used.

History

Over a period of more than 112 years, in a sport that uses complex technical equipment, classes will be discontinued for use at the Olympics. Reasons for discontinuation of a class varied from economical, logistical and technological to emotional and even political. Some of the discontinued classes remain very strong International - or National classes. Others filled a niche in a specific area like sailing schools or local club racing. Some faded away.

The "Former Olympic Sailing Classes", together with their crews form an important and significant part of the history of sailing in general and Olympic Sailing in particular. These tables give an overview of the classes and when they were used for Olympic sailing.

Current Olympic Classes

Category	Class													2024
Dinghy	470	•	•	•	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F	Mix
	49er							P	P	P	P	M	M	M
	49er FX											F	F	F
	Laser Standard(ILCA7)						•	•	•	M	M	M	M	M
	Laser Radial (ILCA6)									F	F	F	F	F

Multihull												Mix	Mix	Mix

Sailboard														M&F

Kiteboard	Formula Kite													M&F

Discontinued Olympic Classes

Pre-WWII games (1900–1936)

Category	Class								1936
Ton classes	Ton	•
	–1 Ton	•
	1–2 Ton	•
	2–3 Ton	•
	3–10 Ton	•
	10–20 Ton	•
	Open	•

	30m				•
	40m				•

Jauge chemin de fer classes	6.5 Metre				•
Jauge chemin de fer classes	8.5 Metre				•

Metre classes	6 Metre		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
	7 Metre		•		•
	8 Metre		•	•	•	•	•	•	•
	9 Metre				•
	10 Metre			•	•
	12 Metre		•	•	•
	15 Metre				•

Monotype classes	12 foot dinghy				•		•
	18 foot dinghy				•
	French National Monotype 1924					•
	Snowbird							•
	O-Jolle								•

Keelboat	Star							•	•

Post-WWII games (1948—2020)

Category	Class																			2020
Dinghy	Firefly	M
				•
	Flying Dutchman				•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•
													F	F	F	F
	Finn		•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	H	H	H	H	HM	HM	HM	HM

Keelboat	6 Metre	M	•
	Swallow	M
	5.5 Metre		•	•	•	•	•
	Dragon	M	•	•	•	•	•	•
	Elliott 6																	Fm
	Soling							•	•	•	•	•	C	C	C
	Star	M	•	•	•	•	•	•		•	•	•	•	•	•	M	M	M
	Tempest							•	•
	Yngling															F	F

Multihull	Tornado								•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•

Sailboard	Windglider										M
												M
	Lechner A–390												M+F
	Mistral One Design Class													M+F	M+F	M+F
																	M&F	M&F	M&F	M&F

Legend

( • ) Open Class event (Male and Female)
( M ) Male event
( F ) Female event
( Fm ) Female Matchrace event
( Of ) Open with a minimum of one female
( C ) Combined open event (Fleetrace and Matchrace)
( Mix ) Mixed (e.g. One Male & One Female Crew)
( H ) Heavyweight Dinghy event
( P ) High Performance Dinghy event
( VIP ) Vintage Inter Pares event (sailoff between the winners of each Vintage Yachting event)

References

International Sailing Federation