1924 Olympic Sailing, Le Havre
Sailing was a modern Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad (1896 in Athens, Greece), and the Paris Games was the 6th time sailing had been held in the Olympics.
After a record-setting 16 separate classes sailing in Ostend, Belgium for the 1920 Olympics, (including 6, 6.5, 7, 8, 10 and 12 Meter classes), the International Yacht Racing Union decided that for 1924 just three classes would be used: A one design known as the French National Monotype, 8 Meter, and 6 Meter. 1924 was the first year of single-handed racing in a one-design class and started the trend in Olympic sailing toward smaller boats with fewer sailors.
Overall, there were 65 competitors, including one woman- Ella Maillart- the first woman to ever skipper a boat in Olympic competition. Ella went on to become a world solo adventurer, acclaimed writer and photographer.
For the Six Meter Class, there were 27 competitors from 9 nations. Among those nine yachts, three were designed by William Fife- the only designer to have more than one entry.
