Sailing

The name yacht comes from the Dutch word "jachtschip," meaning "hunting ship," because these small, fast vessels were originally developed for hunting pirates. They were also ideal for racing. Competitive sailing debuted in 1851 with the Hundred Guineas Cup (now the Americas Cup), an international race. Sailing has been an Olympic sport since 1920 and a Pan American sport since 1951.

The sailing field of play consists of four waterways, which are used to define the competition course. These courses are indicated with marker buoys that are laid daily for the duration of the Games. These buoys must be repositioned with every shift in wind strength or wind direction. Officials at sea monitor the weather and lay the buoys accordingly. The object of yachting is to complete the course marked by buoys using sail power in the shortest possible time.

Sailors must find the most efficient way to make use of the available wind. Since a boat cannot sail directly into the wind, sailors must "tack" back and forth at an angle when sailing into the wind. Positioning is also crucial during the race, since a boat to the windward side of another (that is, between the other boat and the wind) will literally take the wind out of its opponent's sails. The closer a boat sails to the wind, the better it is able to follow a tight course, and the sooner it will cross the finish line.

Different classes feature particular styles of boats: Mistral (windsurfing), Finn and Laser (single-handed dinghies), 470 and 49er (double-handed dinghies), Tornado (multihull open) and Star and Yngling (keelboats).

After several races, the winner is the crew with fewest number of points accumulated.

Athletes

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