Sailing became a part of the summer Olympic games in 1900. With the exception of the 1904 games, there has been a sailing competition at every Olympics since 1900.
The sport has changed throughout the years. Originally a men’s only sport, the competition now includes women. The craft have changed dramatically. For the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the events are:

470 – Two Person Dinghy – Men
Laser – One Person Dinghy – Men
RS:X – Windsurfer – Men
Star – Keelboat – Men
470 – Two Person Dinghy – Women
Laser Radial – One Person Dinghy – Women
RS:X – Windsurfer – Women
Yngling – Keelboat – Women
49er – …read more

I actually tried pronouncing his name out loud. Yes, I hard a difficult time doing it. I can’t even do it fast enough or even in a casual way. Heh. But enough about that. I reckon it’s more important that we take a look at who he is and what his connection is to the Olympics.
Kaklamanakis is a Greek Olympian. His event is held on water, Sailing. He’s a three-time Mistral class windsurfing world champion and a gold medalist at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Sailing. And he was the one who lit the Olympic torch during the opening ceremony …read more

It’s not a common practice here in Light the Torch but I thought I’d share some of the things — from rowing to sailing, triathlon to skiing —that’s online right now.
A SINGLE-MINDED PURSUIT OF GLORY
Irish Rowing team to compete in opening World Cup regatta
ISAF World Sailing Rankings
FIS releases 2007-08 sport calendars
Triathlete Robertson to return in Madrid
It’s all about the athletes and the sports in World Cups, World Championships and, of course, the Olympic Games.

Miami, Fla. (January 21, 2007) – It will be crowded on Biscayne Bay tomorrow when 855 athletes from 48 countries begin competition at US SAILING’s 2007 Rolex Miami OCR, an annual event now in its 18th year. The turnout has broken the attendance record once held by the event’s 1996 running, which preceded the Olympic Games in Atlanta and saw an overwhelming surge in American entrants. This time around; however, the scales have been tipped by a three-quarters majority of sailors hailing from foreign countries — all of them Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls charting their courses to Beijing, China in …read more

Adding to the impressive 2008 roster of the Finn Gold Cup, 470 Mens and Womens World Championships, ISAF Grade 1 Sail Melbourne International Regatta has been chosen to host the 29er and 49er World Championships, which will be held at the flat waters of Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club.
The venue also features beach launching, unrestricted racing areas, excellent prevailing sea breezes and a perfect climate.
The article also mentioned a few of the expected sailors competing in the Worlds:

With the 2008 Beijing Olympics looming, Sail Melbourne management expects all the top 49er sailors such as the Olympian SIBELLO brothers Pietro and …read more

One of the two sporting events to mark the test run of organisation elements for the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Qingdao will be the venue for the Olympic sailing events.
It started 21 August and will run until 31 August 2006.
There are 500 sailors from 40 countries and regions who will be competing in 11 events of 9 different classes of boats.
I have to admit, this is all new to me. I’ve heard of the Volvo Ocean Race but nothing about regattas. I have a vague idea but that’s all it is. A vague idea. Heh. I reckon …read more

In the upcoming Summer Olympics, we can expect the following disciplines:

Aquatics
Archery
Athletics
Badminton
Baseball
Basketball
Boxing
Canoe / kayak
Cycling
Equestrian
Fencing
Football
Gymnastics
Handball
Hockey
Judo
Modern Pentathlon
Rowing
Sailing
Shooting
Softball
Table Tennis
Taekwondo
Tennis
Triathlon
Volleyball
Weightlifting
Wrestling