Education Caribbean

Sailing first became an Olympic sport in Paris in 1900, where time handicaps were used to adjudicate the race. The race format and the classes of competing boats have changed frequently since then. Olympic racing is now conducted with boats categorised into one-design classes based on similar weights and measurements.

	Windsurfer men / women - Mistral one design This event became an Olympic discipline at the 1996. The Mistral type boats are 3.72 metres long and 0.635 metres wide. At the 1996 Games in Atlanta the Greek champion Nikos Kaklamanakis won the gold medal.
Single-handed Dinghy Women - Europe The smallest of the boat taking part in the Olympics, with a length of just 3.35 metres (11ft) and a crew of one.
	Single-handed Dinghy men - Finn Finn boat made their competition debut in 1949. Finn was first included in the competition programme of the Olympic Games in 1952, in Helsinki. The boats are 4.54 metres (14ft 10in) long and 1.5 metres (4ft 11in) wide.
Single-handed Dinghy open - Laser Laser boat, first designed in 1969, are for a crew of one. They are 4.24 metres (13ft 11in) long and 1.3 metres (4ft 3in) wide. Men and women both compete in this event.		.
	Double-handed Dinghy men / women - 470 The 470s event was first included in the Olympic Games in 1976, in Montreal for men and in 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul for women. This event is named after the boat's length, which is 470 centimetres (15ft 5in); it is 1.68 metres (5ft 6in) wide. This class is for a crew of two.
Double-handed Dinghy open - 49er These two-person boat made their debut at the 2000 Olympic Games, in Sydney. They are 4.9 metres (15ft 1in) long and 2.9 metres (9ft 6in) wide. In this category the crew may be of two men, of two women, or mixed.
	Multihull open - Tornado The Tornado is the fastest boat competing in the Olympics. It measures 6.09 metres (20ft) long and can reach speeds of 30 knots. A crew of two athletes competes in this Olympic category ever since the 1972 Games in Munich. This category is open to both men and women.
Keelboat men - Star This boat has a crew of two. Boats of this type were first used in the 1932 Olympic Games, in Los Angeles. This event has been on the Olympic programme ever since, except for the 1972 Games in Munich. Star boats are 6.922 metres (22ft 9in) long and 1.734 metres (5ft 8in) wide.
	Keelboat women - Yngling Yngling boat are 6.35 metres (20ft 10in) long and 1.73 metres (5ft 8in) wide. They were first designed in 1968. Following the ISAF's decision in November 2000, this event will be included in the Olympic programme for the first time in Athens, in 2004.