Paris 2024 Olympics: high heat, light winds take toll on Aussie sailors on day 1 in Marseille, results

Soaring heat will turn the Olympic sailing competition into a test of survival as much as a test of skill with a heat warning in play at the Marseilles venue and sailors “brain fried” after one day.

Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine on day one of the Olympic sailing. Pictures: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Australian sailor Olivia Price described the light wind conditions on the opening day of the Olympic sailing regatta as testing but the soaring heat as “just brutal” and it is only going to get hotter in Marseilles.

Price and crewmate Evie Haseldine were the first Australia sailors to take to the waters of Marseilles Bay at the start of the sailing competition which stretches all the way to August 8 and bore the brunt of oppressive heat soaring into the mid 30s.

“With the lack of breeze and not much gradient the heat really does hang in the bay of Marseilles,” said the 2012 Paris Olympian returning to the Games arena for the first time since her London match-racing silver medal.

“It is a killer. It feels like you are brain fried at the end of the day.”

The Australians wore ice vests prior to racing and drank as much cold fluid as they could in the short breaks between their three races in which they scored a 6th, 8th and 16th to be placed seventh overall after day one.

Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine racing on day one of thee Olympic sailing regatta. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Price and Evie Haseldine, whose fathers sailed together when they were growing up, are racing the women’s skiff in France which was introduced onto the Olympic program at the 2016 Rio Games and is a modified version of the 49er skiff.

Fellow Sydney sailor Jim Colley and Shaun Connor are racing the Australian designed 49er skiff which has wings on the side for the helm and crew to trapeze out, increasing leverage.

It is a fast boat and challenging to sail and requiring a high level of athleticism.

Misaki Tanaka and Sera Nagamatsu of Team Japan compete in the women’s skiff on day one against a stunning backdrop. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

The pair, who generally excel in strong breeze, struggled in the light and tricky conditions for a 18th in the opening race and 17th in the second of the day.

But while the skiff were sent out the highly anticipated debut of the foiling iQFOiL windsurfer being raced by medal hope Grae Morris has been out on ice for at least a day.

“It’s better than getting crappy racing in,’’ said Morris.

The iQFOiL is a windsurfer which rides above the water on hydrofoils and is capable of speeds in excess of 60km/h and requiring agility, endurance, great balance and fitness.

Originally published as Paris 2024 Olympics: high heat, light winds take toll on Aussie sailors on day 1 in Marseille, results