The Equipment - Speed! Speed! Speed! The Tornado catamaran is the fastest Olympic class boat.  With 15-20 knots average speed, at maximum, Tornados reach 30 knots.

The clean, stiletto-shaped 20'-long hull and large sail to low weight ratio explain Tornados' aerodynamics. 272 square feet of sail area over the catamaran's 9'11" beam give incredible acceleration. Five seconds before the gun and motionless at 50' from the start, Tornados will cross the line top speed!  While the skipper is controlling the boat's quick response to wind and waves, the crew is trimming the sails and anticipating conditions.  Each must use his weight to continually adjust to the center of gravity. 

Designed in 1966 in England, specifically to be the Olympic class catamaran, the Tornado entered Olympic competition in 1976. In early 2001, ISAF (International Sailing Federation) announced that class rule changes had been approved, introducing a new standard rig for the Tornado which combines a 25m/sq asymmetric spinnaker and a second trapeze with a modern square-top mainsail and high aspect ratio jib. The changes were mandated at the November 2000 ISAF annual meetings at which the Tornado, with spinnaker and double trapeze, was selected as the equipment for the doublehanded multihull event at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Renowned for its strict one-design racing, superb balance and ability to be raced at great speeds in open water, the Tornado has long been acknowledged as "an almost perfect boat." There is no boat of its size that can match a Tornado going to windward in extreme wave conditions. Now, with state of the art changes to its sailplan, the Tornado is shifting gears from high performance to extreme performance.

A common tactic -- trapezing -- occurs when both sailors hold lines and extend full-length over the water from an elevated hull. The dramatic shift of weight keeps the canted boat trimming without stalling or, worse, flipping. During a tack, the damp trapeze artists scramble to the other side, all the while anticipating the next move.

The Entrants - There will be a total of 16 entries for the Open Multihull (Tornado) event.  The following countries have qualified to send an entrant:  ARG, AUS, AUT, BRA, CAN, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, GRE, ITA, NED, POR, PUR, RUS, SWE, USA. 

The Competition - Notable foreign competition will include 2004 Tornado World Champions Santiago Lange and Carlos Espinola (ARG); 2000 Tornado Olympic Gold Medallists Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT); and 2000 Tornado Olympic Silver Medallists Darren Bundock and John Forbes (AUS), who were third overall at the 2004 Tornado World Championship.

The Schedule -