Power ranking every single sport at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics
By Nick Villano
39. Sailing
Like some of the other sports at the bottom of the list, this isn’t to say the feats involved aren’t impressive, but sailing just doesn’t bring that excitement that most Olympic sports bring. There is a disconnect with the fairweather sports fan and what the sport of sailing entails. Maybe it’s the fact that not many fans are in a position to enjoy the sport, or it’s possible they just don’t have a place to actually be a spectator.
Sailing involves moving a boat simply using the power of wind. It should have the honor as one of the few sports to last since the return of the Games in 1896, but bad weather caused organizers to cancel the sailing events.
The sport’s popularity also isn’t helped by the international federations, which keep changing the rules. Classes are organized by monotype, like the size and weight within the competition. We usually appreciate a sporting body that knows it has to change with the times, but this sport changes too much. Let us learn the rules for a few Olympic cycles.
At least keep the same scoring system. When there is a separate Wikipedia page just for scoring changes from year to year, then there’s an issue with your sport.