How sailing works at the Rio Olympics

HOW THE 2016 OLYMPIC SAILING COMPETITION WORKS:

THE SPORT

- There are 10 Olympic sailing events, or classes, of which Australia will be represented in seven.

- Fleets of boats race around the same course at the same time.

- Each country is permitted only one entry per class.

COMPETITION and SCORING

- For each class there is an opening series followed by a medal race.

- Scores are awarded according to a boat's finishing position in each race: eg. first place is awarded one point, 12th place is awarded 12 points, and so on.

- Once five or more races are completed, sailors can discard their single worst result.

- The top 10 boats in each class at the end of the opening series qualify for the medal race, which awards double points.

- The lowest-accumulated scores throughout the regatta earn the medals.

CLASSES

- 49er: 4.9m two-person skiff, designed by Australian Julian Bethwaite.

- 49erFX: Same boat as the 49er, but with lighter rigging designed for women and youth sailors.

- 470 (men and women): 4.7m, 120kg double-handed dinghy with centreboard.

- Laser (men): 4.2m single-handed dinghy, weighing 59kg and noted for being fast, responsive and lightweight.

- Finn (men): Heavyweight (107kg) single-handed dinghy and the only class to have featured at all Olympic Games since Helsinki in 1952.

- Laser Radial (women): Single-handed, centreboard dinghy. Similar to the Laser but designed for more lightweight sailors.

- RS:X (men and women): Windsurfing class. The RS:X was designed in 2004 after windsurfing debuted at the 1984 Los Angeles games.

- Nacra-17: 5.25m mixed multi hull two-person catamaran. Can have mixed male and female crews.