Paris 2024 Day 6: five things we learned

Windsurfing Medals guaranteed for Britain and Australia

All regatta Emma Wilson (GBR) has been winning races or at least finishing in the top few. Her reward: a guaranteed place in the three-rider final so a medal is assured. It’s been a much tighter battle in the men’s windsurfing but it’s 20-year-old Grae Morris from Australia who has booked the spot in the final thanks to edging his closest rival, Israel’s Tom Reuveny, by three points. 

Anne-Marie in good shape after injury

Reigning Olympic Champion Anne-Marie Rindom might have slipped from third to seventh in today’s opening Women’s Dinghy race, but at least she’s got a counter. And at least the Dane is fit and healthy for the week to come. “Back in April I picked up an overuse injury to my right wrist, some tendonitis. Actually the tendon was, yeah, destroyed. So I needed a bit of help to get it fit again, not surgery but a month off in May to recover. It wasn’t the best timing but I’m happy it didn’t come closer to the Olympics and I had no problem today, so happy with that.”

Peru beating the Big Guns!

Stefano Peschiera from Peru has beaten all the big name favourites on the opening day of competition in the Men’s Dinghy. Stefano is an acolyte of World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Programme, so this is a massive start to his regatta.

Dutch still got it

While the three-time 49er World Champions are unable to win a medal, Bart Lambriex and Floris van de Werken are determined not to go out with a whimper. In the Men’s Skiff Medal Race the Dutch nailed the committee boat end of the start, immediately tacked over to the right-hand side of the course and stretched out to a big lead. Unfortunately for them the Medal Race was abandoned but at least they had managed to reignite the magic we have come to expect from them.

Man overboard for Croatia

Around the top mark of the Men’s Skiff Medal Race (before it was abandoned), Olympic gold medallist helmsman Sime Fantela of Croatia fell off the back of his 49er. Fortunately brother Mihovil ran to the leeward wing to stop the boat capsizing. Sime hauled himself back on board, and the brothers picked up where they left off, still in third, no harm done. They were even within a sniff of a skiff medal at the time. Let’s see what the brothers can do on Friday for the third attempt at getting the Medal Race away.