World Sailing had the arduous task of creating a sailing program for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 that met the new criteria of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the volunteer committees had to make changes to current events. There was no choice and it was going to hurt.

When a one-person mixed dinghy event was billed as one of ten events, it was intended as a way to keep the Finn in the Olympics. However, it was this perfect solution that no one could describe.

Yes, that filled the gender balance, but that was about it. Two people, one boat? With this problem in percolation, an alternative was confirmed… the mixed two-person keelboat event at sea.

Although this idea had holes to fill, people could see it, but with a lot of logistics to sort out, there was a lot of work to be done. And then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, eliminating the possibility of testing and presenting the concept of a night distance race at the Olympics.

While the IOC approved nine of the ten events, but now falters on the offshore idea, World Sailing has sailed through its rulebook to come up with three alternatives to preserve the tenth medal at the 2024 Olympics. They are:
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• Men’s and women’s individual kitesurfing events
Currently approved is a Mixed Kiteboard event, a new idea that had a team format with a man and a woman. The concept has proven successful, but this new proposal will do away with the mixed event and in its place will be a separate male and female competition. Details.

• Individual two-person dinghy events for men and women
Currently approved is a mixed two-person dinghy event that would have a male and female sailing together in the 470 class boat. In previous Olympics, there was a separate male and female competition in the 470, and this proposal would void the mixed event in favor of two separate events. Details.

• Mixed team racing event
Team races are well established in many forms, and this proposal foresees a 2-person national team consisting of a man and a woman competing in a 2v2 team racing event using Laser Radials (aka ILCA 6 ). Details.
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World Sailing will review these three options at its 2021 mid-year meeting in May and select their two favorites, rank them in order and prepare them if the IOC arms the offshore event for the Paris 2024 Olympic sailing program.