61 athletes racing at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Sailing to represent Team USA at Paris 2024

by US Sailing Team 5 Jan 2024 05:21 AEDT January 6-13, 2023

Preview: January U.S. Olympic Team Trials © US Sailing Team

The most important qualifying regatta in the lead-up to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will take place January 6-13 out of Miami Yacht Club as 61 American athletes will race on the Atlantic Ocean.

"It's great to see over 60 athletes with the desire, drive, and talent to represent Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics," said Alan Ostfield, CEO of US Sailing. "As the National Governing Body of sailing, our role is to nominate the strongest athletes for the Games, and we're looking forward to seeing the top sailors in the country go head-to-head this week in five disciplines and then on to leading the US Olympic Team into Paris."

On January 13, following the competition and confirmation of the winners of the first set of 2024 US Olympic Team Trials - Sailing, US Sailing will announce its nominations for Team USA in five of the ten Olympic sailing classes.

"We are truly honored to be hosting America's top sailing athletes as they compete for the opportunity to represent Team USA at Paris 2024," said Mark Ingraham, Commodore of Miami Yacht Club. "Founded on a history of nearly 100 years of competitive sailing and located within the glimmer of downtown Miami, the Miami Yacht Club is proud to carry on this tradition as it hosts this patriotic event."

January U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Sailing by the numbers:

61 Athletes total
43 Boats / Boards total
11 Men's Formula Kites
8 49ers
10 Mixed 470s
9 Men's iQFOiLs
5 Women's iQFOiLs
6 Olympians competing

How do these Trials play into athletes punching their tickets to the Paris 2024 Games and the sailing competition held in Marseille this summer?

Representing Team USA in Sailing at an Olympic Games consists of two parts: a "country qualification" in each of the 10 disciplines or "classes," and "athlete selection" to decide who fills the earned spot in each class.

To qualify the country in each class, any American athlete must place high enough at qualifying regattas in the year leading up to the Olympic Games to "qualify their country" for a spot in their class at the Games.

As of December 31, 2023, the USA has qualified in 6 of the 10 classes: 49erFX, 49er, ILCA 6, Women's iQFOiL, Nacra 17, and Women's Formula Kite. The USA will work to earn the final four qualifications in early 2024 in the Mixed 470, Men's Formula Kite, Men's iQFOiL, and ILCA 7 classes. You can find more information regarding the country qualification system here.

The Trials events happening in January and February in Miami serve as the "athlete selection" for those classes. The athletes that win these regattas in the classes that have already earned country qualification will immediately earn their ticket to represent Team USA in Marseille this summer. Athletes in classes that do not yet have country qualification will reserve their selection but will still need to work together to qualify the country to complete the second of their two-part process.

Which classes fall into which category at the January Trials?

Winners of these classes will earn their spot at Paris 2024: 49er, Women's iQFOiL
Winners of these classes still require a USA country qualification to confirm participation at the Paris Games: Mixed 470, Men's Formula Kite, Men's iQFOiL

Schedule