Paris 2024 Olympics: Aussie sailors pounding the pavement after bike, scooter ban at venue

It could be the weirdest preparation for an Olympics our sailors have ever done - bushwalking. But it’s come in handy thanks to a ban on bikes and scooters at the sailing venue in Marseille.

Australian sailors have been racking up the kilometres in their quest for medals at the Paris Olympics in Marseille even before their racing starts on Sunday.

With security tight, scooters and bikes - the traditional transport for a sailor on land in the expansive venue in Marseille - have been banned.

It’s meant our 12-strong sailing team, their coaches and support staff have been pounding the pavement each day as they navigate their way round the venue.

The ILCA dinghy class training ahead of the Paris Olympic Games. Picture: Clive Mason/Getty Images

“We’ve ended up doing a lot of walking, I think the step count has gone up to around 15000 a day on average,’’ said Technical Director and Sydney Olympic medallist Michael Blackburn.

“There’s no scooters or bikes allowed so we are trying to help the athletes out with as many shortcuts at the site as we can. Normally we ride everywhere.

“They are tight on security here.’’

Blackburn said teams were warned the ban would be imposed prior to the Games and had tried to prepare for the extra exercise as best as possible.

“We don’t want them walking too much,’’ Blackburn said of his sailors who could be on the water at times for in excess of five hours.

“We did an hour and a half bush walk in the lead-up to try and prepare them.

“They also wouldn't let us have any dumb bells in the gym at the base for security and safety reasons.’’

Grae Morris in the new foiling windsurfer class, the 49erFX crew of Olivia Price and Evie Haseldine and the 49er team of Jim Colley and Shaun Connor are first to race in France.

Australia’s top sailing medal contendert is ILCA 7 sailor Matt Wearn whon won gold in the single-handed class in Tokyo three years ago and has since won two world crowns.