Sailing
Olympic history (pre London 2012)
The first Olympic sailing (or yachting, as it was known until 1996) events were conducted in Paris in 1900. After a break from Olympic competition in 1904 due to problems transporting boats and equipment from Europe to inland United States of America, sailing commenced its unbroken run as an Olympic Games sport in London in 1908. Since then, the classes of competing boats and scoring systems have seen many changes. Women have always been permitted to sail in the Olympic regatta but events exclusively for women sailors were introduced in Barcelona in 1992. Women's match racing makes its Olympic start in 2012.
Summary of past Australian Olympic team results
- The first Australian Olympic sailors were Alexander “Jock” Sturrock, Len Fenton and Robert French in London in 1948.
- In Montreal in 1976, John Bertrand (Finn class) and Ian Ruff with Ian Brown (470) won bronze medals. Outside the Olympics, Bertrand also skippered the wing-keeled Australia II in its successful America’s Cup victory in 1983.
- Australia returned to golden form on Sydney Harbour in Sydney in 2000 with victories to Tom King and Mark Turnbull (470) and Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell (470).
- At the Beijing Games, Tessa Parkinson and Elise Rechichi overcame a difficult lead-up to the Games to win the women's 470. On the same day, Malcolm Page and Nathan Wilmot won the gold medal in the men’s 470 class.
Sporting organisation
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| Yachting Australia |
