The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) has selected nine one-design classes for the eleven Olympic sailing events to be contested at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece
(Click on the equipment to link to its description):

The first women's event was raced in 1988 in the 470 class. In 1992, two additional women's events were added, sailed in Europes and the Lechner Division II. In 1996 the Lechner was replaced by the Mistral for both the women and men's windsurfing events.

In 1996 the Olympics introduced another new class, the Laser, which replaced the Flying Dutchman in the Open Centerboard Dinghy discipline. The addition of the Australian designed 49er skiff in 2000, brought the number of Olympic sailing events to 11.  Striving to meet the International Olympic Committee recommendation of parallel events for men and women, a women's triplehanded keelboat event will debut in 2004 utilizing the Yngling, which replaces the three-man Soling.  The Finn, 470, Star and Tornado are all long-time Olympic class boats.

The Meaning of One Design

All nine classes are ISAF-approved for Olympic competition; have international organizations and controlled racing rules; and represent the best competition in the sport. The term "one-design" refers to a class boats' strict standards for materials and methods used in construction. Ultimately, each Olympic boat -- built only by ISAF licensed boat builders to precise size and weight specifications -- is identical to another in its class. The purpose of one-design class racing is to allow the best sailor -- not the best boat -- to win.

EUROPE (Women's Singlehanded Dinghy)

Designed in Belgium in 1960 by Alois Roland, the Europe is often called the small Finn because of the two boats' similarity of design, both one-man centerboards with many controls. Though technically open to any sailor, because it's size is ideal for sailors weighing 100 to 170 lbs., the Europe has attracted international women's competition almost since it was first marketed to the sailing world.

Boat handling! The key attraction of the Europe. Its slick trimming design makes it practical and efficient to adjust the boat to the sailor's height, weight and experience. This provides a wide range of options for the most economic way of hiking, regardless of the height of the sailor. Hiking is the sailor's maneuver of hooking his or her feet under seat belt-type webbing on the floor of the boat and hanging over the side, thereby adding weight to keep the boat upright.

The mast and sail are selected and adjusted to the sailor's height and weight. This encourages sharper competition and ease of handling without the common use of weight jackets for added ballast, considered a potentially dangerous means of weight compensation.

The 99-lb. Europe's 16'6" mast supports 76 square feet of sail. The boat's small, light frame makes it easily transportable, another reason why more than 20,000 Europe sailors compete in local, regional, national and world cup competition.

The Europe class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committee is Krysia Pohl. 
Email her at: kvpohl@aol.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International Europe Class at: www.europedinghy.org 

FINN (Men's Singlehanded Dinghy)

A high-performance, refined sailboat, the Finn ranks as one of the world's great boats. Because each rig is tailored to each individual's style, sailing ability is key and superior sailing ability wins!

A one-man centerboard dinghy, the Finn requires tremendous physical exertion and mental concentration. This combination of excellent craft with sophisticated competitor makes Finn racing unique.

Finn sailors are strong, fit and tolerant of long periods of concentration and physical exertion. Averaging more than 6' in height, they weigh in at 175+ lbs. and are unusually tough.  Finn sailors train hard for competition and are known as well-rounded athletes with proven general sailing skills.

Sailing the Finn is perhaps the purest athletic experience in world class sailing today, equalled perhaps only by the windsurfer. Because the 115-square-foot sail is fully adjustable, and its shape bears directly on performance and boat speed, the Finn is extremely responsive. Mastery of the craft is never quite fully achieved. Finn sailors may have sailed the craft for years, yet find some small nuance of tactics, weight or other adjustment yielding a greater result and luring them to a lifelong love of the boat.

Designed by Swedish sailor Rickard Sarby in 1949, the boat was the winner of a design competition to provide the best possible singlehanded boat for the 1952 Olympics in Finland. The new Finn challenged the sailor to the maximum, which immediately attracted many competitors. The Finn remains today as the oldest continuous class in Olympic sailing. Over 12,000 of the boats have been built worldwide and at least 65 nations have active Finn fleets.

The Finn class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committe is Bryan Boyd
Email him at:  cestlevent@aol.com
Visit the web page for the International Finn class at: www.finnclass.org

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470 (Men and Women's Doublehanded Dinghy)

The everyman boat of competitive racing, the 470 is sailed by young or old, experienced or beginning sailor. In 1963, French architect Andre Cornu designed the two-handed centerboard boat as a modern high performance fiberglass planing dinghy which could be sailed by anyone. And the craft so influenced European sailing that the 470 is directly credited with drawing new sailors to the sport during the 1960s and '70s.

An Olympic class boat since 1976, 470s are sailed today for both family recreation and superior competition by more than 30,000 sailors in 42 countries worldwide. The 470 is so popular that its annual World Cup event is considered one of sailing's major international regattas attended by sailors and spectators from around the world.

A light and narrow boat (length 15'6" and beam 5'6" with a weight of 264 lbs.), the 470 responds easily and immediately to body movement. Thus, the sailors' teamwork and tactics complement one another. The skipper is smaller and lighter (5'5" to 5'10" and 125-140 lbs.), and the crew is long and light (5'10" to 6'2" yet only 135-150 lbs.). The crew's build lets him or her hang far out on the trapeze to keep the boat level in all conditions.

In 1988, women officially entered Olympic sailing competition with the first-ever 470 Women's event. This boat is especially well-suited to women's competition because of its light weight, maneuverability and light crew weight requirement. The United States won the first 470 Women's gold medal.

Email the 470 class representatives to the Olympic Sailing Committee:
470 Men - James Appel appel@attglobal.net
470 Women - Louise Van Voorhis Gleason LouiseVV@aol.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International 470 Class at: www.470.org
or the homepage for the U.S. 470 Class:  http://sailingsource.com/470na/

49er (Open Doublehanded High Performance Dinghy)

This Australian designed 16-foot double-trapeze skiff is high-tech and ultra-fast. Retractable wings in slider tracks allow different wing extension lengths to suit varied crew weights; the wings spread to nine feet and allow the crew to leverage their weight in order to keep the dinghy from heeling over too far. The adjustment of the wing is fixed by crew weight to a formula which ensures that heavier crews do not have a greater advantage in heavy winds, or conversely, lighter crews do not have an advantage in lighter winds. With a huge sail area for such a small boat -- 639 sq. feet -- the 49er can sail faster than the speed of wind.

The relationship between skipper and crew is critical on the 49er, perhaps more so than on any other Olympic boat. Going so fast on the edge of control means that one slip can mean a flip. The boat attracts competitors looking for speed and excitement. Made of fiberglass and carbon fiber to be strong and light, the 49er weighs 275 pounds when fully rigged. With durable construction, and a price around $16,000, the 49er appeals to sailors who live on the edge.

The 49er class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committee is Andy Mack. 
Email him at andrewmack@home.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International 49er Class at: www.49er.org

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LASER (Open Singlehanded Dinghy)

The Laser has been called the world's premier one-man racing sailboat. With 150,000 Lasers sailing in 85 countries, this boat has motivated more sailors--from juniors to masters--to excel in the sport than any design in the history of sailing. It's fast, responsive, lightweight (cartoppable), and virtually maintenance free. The Laser's accessibility and modest price make it an Olympic sailor's dream. An added bonus is the 1,000 worldwide regattas held each year by the Laser Class Association.

Designed by Bruce Kirby in 1969 and first produced in 1970, the Laser caught on during a boom period for recreational sailing. However, the design has proven its ability to survive more trying times as well, reaching its current level of popularity with minimal backpedaling over the years. Perhaps it is because every sailor seems to come in contact with the Laser at least once in his or her sailing career, and the boat is so endearing that many cannot continue racing without getting back to their Laser roots at least once in a while.

Though the Laser is offered with three different rig sizes for different weights and skill levels, it is the International Laser that made its Olympic debut in 1996. With 76 sq. ft. of sail and a hull that measures 13'11", the International Laser is ideal for the singlehanded sailor of 150 pounds and over.

The Laser class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committee is Tim Landt. 
Email him at :  timc3@gte.net
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International Laser Class at: www.laserinternational.org
or the homepage for the North American Laser Class:  www.laser.org

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MISTRAL IMCO (Men and Women's Windsurfer)

Windsurfers are the fastest monohull sailing crafts in the world today. It is believed that there are more windsurfers worldwide today than all other sailboats combined, and their popularity continues to grow. This is due to the craft's small size, low cost, portability and the excitement of "flying" over the water as if there were no craft below. The sensation of speed is further enhanced by the sailor's close proximity to the water.

Debuting at the 1984 Summer Games, the windsurfing event utilized the Lechner II-brand board in competition for three Olympiads, including the first women's Olympic windsurfing event which was introduced in 1992. In 1996, the Mistral replaced the Lechner for both the Men's and Women's divisions. Measuring in at 12' 2", this popular fiberglass windsurfer is topped by a 7.4 square-meter sail. The IMCO (International Mistral Class Organization) is the largest one-design windsurfing class in the world, making the Mistral a very practical choice for the Olympics in terms of accessibility.

Windsurfers are great athletes, navigators, and sailors. Physically, the best windsurfing sailors are tall, lean and agile. Standing while sailing, these athletes utilize tremendous upper body strength to support and control their rigs. As the wind increases, the sailors' strength often governs. Yet, it is common to see a 105-lb. woman complete a race in the same time as a 150-lb. man, thereby proving that balance and sensitivity to the windsurfer are equally critical.

Contact the Mistral class representatives to the Olympic Sailing Committee:
Mistral Men - Mike Gebhardt mwgebi@yahoo.com
Mistral Women - Laura Chambers Lewandowski lalewando@cfl.rr.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International Mistral Class at:  www.imco.org

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STAR (Men's Doublehanded Keelboat)

Requiring the best technical and racing skills, and, in return, giving the most fun! That's how Star sailors describe their boat which has competed in Olympic sailing since 1932, with the exception of 1976.

Much of the secret to the Star's success is the philosophy of keeping young while growing old. This means the competitiveness of the existing boats is assured while innovation and progress are encouraged. Thus, the Star class has pioneered many refinements now used as standard equipment on all racing sailboats. Supported by a worldwide association, the Star as a class is well-organized, with approximately 7,500 boats built over its 80 year history. Today, over 2,000 Stars are raced actively.

The oldest one-design craft, the Star's 1910-design by American Francis Sweisguth responded to the need to create a bigger, more comfortable and drier "Bug," which was a 17-foot keelboat popular at the time. The first one-design class, the Star revolutionized construction and racing rules. Sweisguth's hull design was ingenius. It has withstood the test of time and the application of new technology to remain at the forefront of international competition. Star World champions acknowledge their win by permanently changing their red mainsail star to gold.

Raced worldwide in over 170 fleets, the Star is a two-handed keelboat, with a sleek fiberglass hull and aluminum spars. Often called "The Torture Rack" because of the enormous 285-square-foot sail area, long boom and narrow waterline, this is a challenging boat to sail in heavy seas. The skipper and crew must be big (average combined weight of 420 lbs.), very fit and strong.

Bahamian Durward Knowles, a Star gold-medalist and eight-time Olympian, was awarded the "Olympic Medal" in 1988, the most prestigious honor given by the International Olympic Committee. Other international Star greats include America's Cup skippers Dennis Conner, Rod Davis and Buddy Melges, Pelle Peterson, Bill Buchan, Tom Blackaller, and three-time Olympian Mark Reynolds.

The Star class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committee is George Iverson. 
Email him at giverson@us.ibm.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International Star Class at:  www.starclass.org

TORNADO (Open Doublehanded Multihull)

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 at the gun at top speed!  Tornado skippers, adept at controlling the boat's quick response to wind and waves, are often called "daredevils" because of the incredible boat speed and dangerous ease of capsizing, Tornado sailors are tall and lean in order to hang far out on the trapeze.

Designed in 1966 in England, specifically to be the Olympic class catamaran, the Tornado entered Olympic competition in 1976. Since then, the Tornado has undergone refinement of shape and construction techniques, allowing the boat to go faster and faster. More than 1,300 Tornados are sailed worldwide. The simplicity of the Tornado design allied to its excellent performance has produced a boat of outstanding quality that delivers exciting competition and challenge, the sailing ultimate.

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 in Greece.

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.

The Tornado class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committee is Michael Grandfield. 
Email him at:  mgrandfield@sailingwind.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International Tornado Class at: www.tornado.org

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YNGLING (Women's Triplehanded Keelboat)

The Yngling (pronounced "ING-ling") will make its debut as an Olympic-class boat at the 2004 Olympic Regatta in Athens.  The small keelboat was inspired by the then 14-year old son of Norway's Jan Herman Linge.  Yngling, which means 'youngster' was developed by Linge in 1967, shortly after his previous design, the Soling, had been through the selection trials to be chosen an Olympic boat.  Although similarities exist between the two designs, the Yngling is not a scaled down version of the Soling as many have suggested.  With more beam, higher freeboard and fuller body-lines, the Yngling is a smaller, lighter and more easily handled boat.

Designed for a crew of three with an optimal overall weight between 400-500 lbs. makes the Yngling suitable for average-sized people, and enhanced it's consideration as the equipment for the three-person women's keelboat event.  Costing approximately $25,0000 with sails, it is priced less than similar-size racing keelboats.  Over 4,000 boats are sailing worldwide.

The Yngling class representative to the Olympic Sailing Committee is Suzy Leech. 
Email her at s@leechline.com
Click here to link to the class' ranking system for the 2003 US Sailing Team:
Visit the web page for the International Yngling Class at:  www.yngling.org