OLYMPIC HISTORY

But for inclement weather in Athens, sailing would have been among the sports to join the Olympiad from the start. However, Paris in 1900 is where it all began.

Paul Elvstrom, of Denmark, is one of the sport's greatest names. He won four straight Olympic gold medals from 1948 to 1960 - one in the Firefly and three in the Finn, a single-handed dinghy. Elvstrom is one of only three athletes in any sport to win four consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same event. He came out of retirement to be placed fourth in Tornado class with his daughter in 1984, then competed in his eighth Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988 at age 60. However, Lawrence Lemieux, of Canada, won perhaps the biggest honour at Seoul. He received a special award after leaving the course to rescue a sailor being swept away from his capsized boat.

Sailing is the holder of a unique record in Olympic history; between 1964 and 1996, Hubert Raudaschl, of Austria, competed in nine Olympic Games, more than any other competitor ever has across all sports.

The nature of the sport is such that age appears no barrier to long-term success. Magnus Konow, of Norway, Elvstrom, and Durwood Knowles, of the Bahamas, share the record for the longest Olympic careers - 40 years - with Ivan Osiier, the Danish fencer.