World Sailing announced that Starboard’s iQFoil has been recommended as the official windsurfing equipment for the Paris 2024.
In the early October water trials, the governing body for the sport of sailing analyzed five classes and equipment – Formula Foil, Glide, iQFoil, RS:X, and Windfoil 1.
Later, the Paris 2024 Windsurfer Evaluation Working Party released a report with a recommendation to World Sailing’s Equipment Committee.
The document considers that foil windsurfing offers the most suitable equipment and event option for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
“A new foiling windsurfer event for 2024 can best utilize its strengths and appeal to elite windsurfers and the broader windsurfing community, the youth, media, and general public,” the Working Party states.
“The goal is to ensure that if and when the IOC reviews the windsurfing event, it stands on its own merit and can be distinguished from the other sailing events.”
“We believe that delaying the decision to introduce foiling in the 2028 Olympics would constitute a missed opportunity, and retaining the current equipment would jeopardize the Olympic windsurfing events.”
Foiling is the Future
Furthermore, 17 out of the 19 sailors that took part in the trials preferred foiling equipment for 2024.
World Sailing’s Working Party considers that the Starboard iQFoil ticks all criteria boxes, including affordability, easy transportation, quality of the product, support for emerging countries, youth appeal, a media-friendly image, and a close connection with the windsurfing community.
After debating the report, the World Sailing Equipment Committee voted to recommend the Starboard iQFoil to the Council as the equipment for Paris 2024.
The final ratification was made by the Council in early November.
The iQFoil will put an end to the RS:X era, which has been the official Olympic windsurfing equipment since Beijing 2008.
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