One Person Dinghy (ILCA 6), Women

Formerly known as Laser, the ILCA (International Laser Class Association) small single-handed dinghy is the world’s most popular boat due to it being lightweight, easy to set up, and simple to sail. It has been used at the Olympics since 1996, when it was an open event, but, since 2008, men and women have had their own separate competitions. Being a one-design boat means that all competitors use the same craft, which is built by the same manufacturer. At the Olympics, men currently use the ILCA 7, while women use the ILCA 6, an identical boat but with a smaller sail which is more suitable for lighter sailors.

The 2024 Olympic regatta consisted of 43 entrants taking part in an opening series of up to ten races spread over six days, with the 10 best going through to a medal race, where double points were awarded and added to the opening series scores to establish final positions. Only nine races took place at Marseille in the opening series, however, because race 10 was cancelled due to a lack of wind.

All three Tokyo 2020 medalists were taking part in 2024. Denmark’s Anne-Marie Rindom was the reigning Olympic champion and a bronze medal winner from Rio 2016. Tokyo silver medalist Josefin Olsson of Sweden was hoping to increase her tally, while Marit Bouwmeester was looking at winning her fourth consecutive medal. Bouwmeester and Rindom were the two favorites for gold, despite the world No. 1 at the time being Hungary’s reigning European Champion Mária Érdi, who was also the 2023 World champion and 2015 Youth World champion. Other medal contenders included Matt Wearn’s Belgian wife Emma Plasschaert, who was the 2018 and 2021 World champion and runner-up in 2024. Switzerland’s Maud Jayet could not be ignored as a possible medal-winner either, after second place finishes in the 2022 and 2023 Worlds.

With nine World and European titles to her credit, Bouwmeester had been winning World Championship medals since 2010 and had four gold and four silvers to her name. She went to the Paris Games as world rank No. 3. Rindom also had four world titles to her credit and was the reigning world champion, and No. 2 ranked behind Érdi at Paris 2024. Rindom had not been able to sail for the three months leading up to the Games, however, due to an injured hand.

France’s Louise Cervera, the bronze medalist at the 2024 ILCA 6 European Championships, won the opening race at Marseille on her full Olympic début, having previously competed in the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. Bouwmeester, however, who finished fourth in the opening race, soon asserted her superiority and never finished lower than fourth in the first seven races, as she led from Rindom, who did her best to keep up with the leader but could not make inroads into Bouwmeester’s big lead. After the cancellation of race 10, the three-time Olympic medalist was 21 points ahead of Rindom, and had guaranteed herself that fourth Olympic medal even before the commencement of the medal race. Rindom was assured of the silver medal as she was 20 points ahead of third-place Line Høst of Norway.

Despite Italy’s Chiara Benini Floriani winning the medal race, Bouwmeester and Rindom finished fourth and fifth, while Høst finished second to make sure she held onto the bronze medal. Europeans dominated the podium just as they had done at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Marit Bouwmeester’s victory and fourth Olympic medal made her the most decorated female in Olympic sailing history, overtaking Great Britain’s Hannah Mills’ total of three medals. After the Tokyo Games, Bouwmeester had taken time away from the sport to give birth to her daughter. In winning her third medal, Rindom became the second most successful ILCA woman Olympian after Bouwmeester, while Norway’s Line Høst’s bronze was her country’s first ILCA 6 medal.