Paris 2024 Olympics: Why shopping bags are feared by our sailors in Marseille
It’s more dangerous than a multiple Olympic champion or young gun on a hot streak. What our sailors fear most during their campaigns off Marseille.
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It can stop a foiling craft in its tracks in the blink of an eye.
It can ruin campaigns, end dreams and cause chaos on the racetrack.
And just like at the 2016 Olympics where plastic - along with floating and submerged obstacles including dead dogs and refrigerators in the polluted waters off Rio - were an issue, the bags are back to haunt our sailors.
And while there’s been a concerted push to erase their uses from our everyday life, plastic bags are still common in waterways, especially after rain.
“Plastic bags can be devastating,” said Sydney 2000 medallist Michael Blackburn turned coach and now the technical director of the Australian Sailing team.
“It’s not too bad generally. But if it rains and rubbish washes down (into the ocean) it is.
“Plastic bags are the most dangerous for the foiling boats.
“There’s been some instances (of them wrapping around the foils).
“If you see them just crash for no reason or stop dead it’s usually because of plastic.
“They can go from 30 knots to zero in a second and then have to get it off or reverse to dislodge it.”
Foiling is when a sailor rides his craft above the water, not in it on a specially designed foil.
These foils are narrow and shaped to provide lift while eliminating drag as much as possible and the aerodynamics that give the foil lift must be technically correct.
The flow of the water over the foil must be fast enough to lift the board and sailor above the water.
The non-foiling boats are also at risk of plastic wrapping around their centreboard but this is easier to pull off although it can take crucial time to dislodge.
The Olympic sailing started Monday (AEST) and runs from to August 8 with 10 medal events, including the new 470 mixed class, the iQFOiL and the Formula Kite.
There is now gender balance in sailing for the first time with each competing nation in the different classes allowed just one entry. It can stop a foiling craft in its tracks in the blink of an eye.
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Originally published as Paris 2024 Olympics: Why shopping bags are feared by our sailors in Marseille
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