Paris 2024 Olympics: Grae Morris foiled by sailing's strange rules, Olive Price, Evie Haseldine 7th

In a sport where you can still win even when last in a race and its often better to go the long way than the direct route, sailing threw another curve ball at one of Australia’s medal hopes.

Grae Morris is the first Australian to win a race at the Olympics. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

In a sport where you can still win even when last in a race and its often better to go the long way than the direct route, sailing threw another curve ball at one of Australia’s medal hopes as the wind finally arrived in Marseille.

After two days of light winds, postponements and delays, young gun Grae Morris got a slow start in the second race of the iQFOiL regatta but recovered to finish the slalom race.

But this sport, full of complex rules and regulations, then got even more complicated when he was deemed a non-starter because he had not crossed the starting line within a designated 60 seconds.

“The offshore wind was kicking in, it was swinging around and super gusty and it was trying to figure itself out, I was trying to figure the wind out, and it just didn’t come together and I got stuck in a lull,’’ said Morris who posted a 10th, 9th and 7th along with Australia’s first heat win of the Olympic regatta.

“I am starting to put my skills together. I just need to make sure I keep doing that the next few races and stop being an idiot,’’ he said.

Australia's Grae Morris celebrates after his race five win. Picture: Christophe Simon/AFP

“I have plenty of speed. It’s just about getting the job done. I have some work to do that for sure,’’

Now seventh overall, Morris still has time to creep up the leaders board and be in the running for a historic medal in Marseille in the new foiling windsurfer class.

Australia's Grae Morris, Greece's Vyron Kokkalanis and Italy's Nicolo Renna at the start of their fifth race.

DAY 1 WRAP

DAY 2 WRAP

Strong winds swept the Mediterranean racecourse but were erratic at best and confusing at other times on day three of the Olympic regatta.

The 49erFX team of Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine had an up-and-down day to be placed 7th overall after a 20th in the fist race and then a pair of 10ths.

Jo Aleh and Molly Meech of Team New Zealand, Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine of Team Australia and Misaki Tanaka and Sera Nagamatsu of Team Japan compete in the Women's Skiff on day three of the Olympic regatta. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

“It was like snakes and ladders. Brutal conditions. You prepare for the heavy and you get the light and prepare for the light and you get the heavy.

“We had three to 18 knots in the same race. It made for a very tricky racecourse and we left some points out there

“We have to take those little lessons. I’m sure the leaders board will be flipped upside down 100 more times over this regatta.

“We will leave it all out there together tomorrow.’

The 49er crew of Jim Colley and Shaun Connor put together a 9th, 12th, 3rd and 10th on their third day of racing.