Wassaw Sound, 29 July 1996, Games of the XXVI Olympiad: Torben GRAEL (at the helm) and Marcelo FERREIRA of Brazil in action in the mixed keelboat Star race. Credit: Getty Images

Sailing first became an Olympic sport in Paris in 1900, where time handicaps were used to adjudicate the race. The race format and the classes of competing boats have changed frequently since then. Olympic racing is now conducted with boats categorised into one-design classes based on similar weights and measurements.

(BOCOG)