After seven months of competition around the world, qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is almost complete.
There are 260 athlete places in 199 boats already qualified for the Games but, before this chapter comes to a close, there is one more qualifier still to come where the final quota places will be decided.
The Last Chance Regatta, held during the 55th edition of Semaine Olympique Française from 20-27 April in Hyères, France, is as it says – the last chance. There will be 66 athlete places across 49 boats at the Olympic Games up for grabs across all 10 events.
Seven spots are available in the Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing in the iQFOiL, and five for Men’s and Women’s Kite, with four in the 470 for the Mixed Dinghy, and four in each of the Men’s Dinghy in the ILCA 7 and Women’s Dinghy in the ILCA 6, four 49ers in the Men’s Skiff and five 49erFXs in the Women’s Skiff and the four Nacra 17 Mixed Multihull.
This allocation makes the Last Chance Regatta the largest Olympic qualifier in the cycle outside of the 2023 Sailing World Championships.
Alongside the Last Chance Regatta will be a competition in Hyères Harbor for those Qualified Nations already qualified in the respective event.
In total, nearly 1000 athletes from 90 countries will be represented, three times the numbers which will feature at the Games.
With just two months to go until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, all the major national teams will be competing, looking to gain valuable experience in a format that mirrors the Olympic Sailing Competition in the last major multi-class meeting before the Games get under way.
The Olympic Sailing competition gets underway on 28 July until 8 August at Marseille Marina where 330 sailors – with equal distribution between men and women – will compete in all 10 events. The Kite will make its debut this year as kiteboarding enters the Olympic Games, and iQFOiL will be used for the first time in the windsurfing events.
Text and Photo Credits: World Sailing for Last Chance Regatta & Semaine Olympique Française
