Spain, Netherlands Win Skiff Golds; First Olympic Sailing Medal For USA Since Rio - In Pics

In what sailors termed as the first “normal wind” day of the Paris Olympic Games 2024, Spain and the Netherlands won gold medals in the men’s and women’s skiffs on Friday (August 2), while the United States claimed its first Olympic sailing medal since Rio in 2016. Fickle winds forced medal races for the skiffs known as 49er and 49erFX — powerful, bird-like two-person boats — to be abandoned on Thursday in Marseille. On Friday, the women’s race started on time just after noon and had a wild finish for the Dutch team of Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz, who entered with the second-best score. Sweden got the silver and France took bronze.

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Updated on: 3 August 2024 2:56 pm

2024 Paris Summer Olympics Sailing women's skiff race medal ceremony | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Netherlands' Odile van Aanholt, center left and Annette Duetz, jump in the air together to join the podium and receive their Olympic gold medals, next to Sweden's Vilma Bobeck, far left, and Rebecca Netzler, wearing their silver medals, and France's Sarah Steyaert, and Charline Picon, at far right, wearing their bronze medals, during the medal ceremony for the women's skiff sailing event, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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2024 Paris Summer Olympics Sailing men's skiff race medal ceremony | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

From left, silver medal winners Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie of New Zealand, gold medal winners Diego Botin Le Chever and Florian Trittel Paul of Spain, and bronze winners Ian Barrows and Hans Henken of the United States, take a group selfie with their Olympic medals during the men's skiff medal ceremony at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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Gold medal winners Diego Botin Le Chever and Florian Trittel Paul during men's skiff medal ceremony | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Olympic gold medal winners Diego Botin Le Chever, left, and Florian Trittel Paul of Spain, hold up their medals during the men's skiff medal ceremony at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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Silver medal winners Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie during men's skiff medal ceremony | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Olympic silver medal winners Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie of New Zealand, wave after receiving their Olympic medals during the men's skiff medal ceremony at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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Bronze medalists Ian Barrows and Hans Henken during men's skiff medal ceremony | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Olympic bronze medalists Ian Barrows and Hans Henken of the United States, playfully bite their medals after being awarded their Olympic medals during the men's skiff medal ceremony during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz celebrate winning the gold medal in women's skiff race | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz of the Netherlands celebrate winning the gold medal in the women's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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Rebecca Netzler and Vilma Bobeck celebrate winning the silver medal in women's skiff race | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Rebecca Netzler and Vilma Bobeck of Sweden celebrate after clinching the silver medal in the women's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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Florian Trittel Paul and Diego Botin Le Chever celebrate clinching the gold medal in the men's skiff race | Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin

Florian Trittel Paul and Diego Botin Le Chever of Spain celebrate clinching the gold medal in the men's skiff race, at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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United States sailing team during men's skiff race | Photo: AP/Daniel Cole

United States sailing teammates cheer on Ian Barrows after he and teammate Hans Henken won the bronze medal in the men's skiff race at the Olympic marina during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Marseille, France.

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