Olympic sailing: How to follow the Tokyo 2020 regatta

Toby Heppell

As the delayed Olympic Games finally get underway in Tokyo, we take a look at the best ways to follow the Olympic sailing competition

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For the 350 Olympic sailing athletes competing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, a medal symbolises more than their skills; it is a reflection of the single-minded, obsessive nature that is required to embrace a lifestyle that has sport at its centre, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for years, sometimes decades at a stretch.

2020 will provide an even greater challenge than usual with the complexity of the Olympic sailing venue, Enoshima providing a tough area in which to compete. Additionally, Covid 19 has severely limited the time athletes have been able to spend in the Olympic venue in the build up to the Games themselves.

In a normal Olympic cycle, teams would be based in the host venue for months ahead of an Olympic Games and would have endeavoured to sail in the venue as often as possible. This has not been possible in the build up to these Games, so the athletes will have tried to find venues closer to home that offer at least some similar attributes to Ennoshima.

Unlike many sailing venues, Enoshima does not offer a specific set of conditions but can vary from light shifty onshore winds, to very windy and wavy offshore winds. Any regatta there can end up entirely light, entirely windy or some combination of both, making it something of an all-rounders’ venue. Of all this may well add up to one of the most unpredictable Olympic sailing regattas in many years.

Photo: Sailing Energy / World Sailing

How to watch Olympic Sailing on TV

If you’re in the UK, your options are Eurosport/Discovery+ and the BBC.

Unlike in past Olympics, the BBC will not be streaming all events live via the red button, so if you want to watch it live you’ll need to subscribe to Eurosport or Discovery+.

The good news is it’s cheap – around £5 for the entire month. Via the Eurosport player, you’ll be able to watch live racing from one pre-determined course area each day.

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For American viewers, there will be some sailing highlights broadcast by Olympic rights holder, NBC Sports.

How to follow online sailing online

For those in the UK, the British Sailing Team website will be showing tracking data from every single race of Tokyo 2020, so you can follow them live or watch them back at your leisure

Tracking rights are assigned to the appointed Rights Holding Broadcasters in each nation. There is not yet a full list of those who will be providing tracking.

When are the Tokyo 2020 Olympic sailing races?

The 10 classes competing in the Olympic Sailing event at Tokyo 2020 do not all start on the same day, with staggered starts days.

The first fleets to start their regatta will be the Laser, Laser Radial, and Men’s and Women’s RS:X windsurfers on Sunday 25th July.

The first medals will be raced for on Saturday 31 July, with Medal Races taking place for the RS:X Men and Women.

The final day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic sailing will be Wednesday 4 August with Medal Races for the 470 Men and Women closing out the competition.

Photo: Sailing Energy / World Sailing

Full Tokyo 2020 Olympic Sailing Schedule

Sunday 25 July
RS:X Men
RS:X Women
Laser Men
Laser Radial Women

Monday 26 July
RS:X Men
RS:X Women
Laser Men
Laser Radial Women

Tuesday 27 July
Laser Men
Laser Radial Women
Finn Men
49er Men
49er FX Women

Wednesday 28 July
RS:X Men
RS:X Women
Finn Men
470 Men
470 Women
49er Men
49er FX Women
Foiling Nacra 17 Mixed

Thursday 29 July
RS:X Men
RS:X Women
Laser Men
Laser Radial Women
Finn Men
470 Men
470 Women
Foiling Nacra 17 Mixed

Friday 30 July
Laser Men
Laser Radial Women
470 Men
470 Women
49er Men
49er FX Women

Saturday 31 July
Finn Men
49er Men
49er FX Women
Foiling Nacra 17 Mixed
RS:X Women – Medal Race
RS:X Men – Medal Race
RS:X Women – Victory Ceremony
RS:X Men – Victory Ceremony

Sunday 1 August
Finn Men
470 Men
470 Women
Foiling Nacra 17 Mixed
Laser Men – Medal Race
Laser Radial Women – Medal Race
Laser Men – Victory Ceremony
Laser Radial Women – Victory Ceremony

Monday 2 August
470 Men
470 Women
49er FX Women – Medal Race
49er Men – Medal Race
49er FX Women – Victory Ceremony
49er Men – Victory Ceremony

Tuesday 3 August
Finn Men – Medal Race
Foiling Nacra 17 Mixed – Medal Race
Finn Men – Victory Ceremony
Foiling Nacra 17 Mixed – Victory Ceremony

Wednesday 4 August
470 Men – Medal Race
470 Women – Medal Race
470 Men – Victory Ceremony
470 Women – Victory Ceremony

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