The old sailing adage "no wind, no race" proved true in Marseille, the heart of the Olympic regattas, as inconsistent and insufficient winds disrupted the schedule. The men’s and women’s Dinghy races started several hours late, and the mixed Dinghy and multihull events were postponed to the following day.

Women’s racing kicked off first, with Bouwmeester claiming gold in the ILCA 6, formerly known as the Laser Radial. Bouwmeester’s victory was expected, as she had already secured her top spot the day before with a commanding lead of over 20 points.

This gold medal for the Dutch sailor adds to the silver she won in London 2012, the gold in Rio 2016, and the silver in Tokyo 2020. This record makes her the most successful female sailor in the history of the Olympic Games. Bouwmeester won the Paris title with a total of 38 points, leaving Danish Anne-Marie Rindom in second place with 61 and Norwegian Line Flem Hoest in third place with 75.

Rindom's silver was nearly secured from the previous round, but Hoest had to battle fiercely for her bronze. Her joy was so overwhelming that she cried, raised her fist in triumph as she crossed the finish line, and then jumped into the water to hug her friend Rindom, cheered on by the fans. The medallists later celebrated by jumping into the sea from Bouwmeester's boat.

At 36, Bouwmeester earned her first Olympic medal as a mother in Paris. She shared that her two-year-old daughter, Jessie Mae, has become her training companion. “I am very grateful to be at the Olympic Games and also to be a mother,” said Bouwmeester. While she hasn’t ruled out competing in a fifth Olympics, she currently prioritises spending time with her daughter. “I just want to go home and be with my little one.”

Meanwhile, Rindom described the race as “incredible” after “a week of such challenging sailing.” Hoest explained that her medal came thanks to “a safe start that then capitalised on speed.” “From the first downwind with a tailwind, I knew the medal could be mine,” said the Norwegian.

Bouwmeester’s victory was the second gold medal in sailing for the Netherlands at these Games, following the gold of Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz in the women’s skiffs. Dutch windsurfer Luuc van Opzeeland won a bronze, making the Netherlands the leading country in sailing medals so far.

The men's turn

The men’s Medal Race began with a three-hour delay. This happened after an initial attempt had to be cancelled due to a lack of wind, which at times dropped to below three knots. Australian Wearn took the gold, finishing with 40 points, which was uncatchable for Cypriot Pavlos Contides, who won the silver with 56, and for Peruvian Stefano Peschiera, who finished with over 80.

Interestingly, the final standings mirrored those from the qualifying rounds held a few days earlier. In Wednesday’s dinghy race, 28-year-old Olympic champion Matt Wearn took an early lead. His impressive performance over eight qualifying races had given him a 14-point advantage over Kontides, ensuring Wearn could secure no worse than a silver medal in Marseille. True to form, Wearn's skill was evident as he executed a masterful race to clinch the gold medal.

To surpass Wearn, Kontides would have needed to finish seven positions ahead of him, but the Cypriot ultimately placed second. Kontides briefly held a lead in the early stages, passing the first marker seven seconds ahead of Wearn. Despite a minor drop to third on the run to the second marker, Wearn’s strategic tack around the third marker allowed him to reclaim the lead and secure the gold. Kontides' protest was in vain as Wearn maintained his dominance.

Wearn's strategic manoeuvre propelled him into the lead, which he maintained through the final downwind section to the fourth marker, finishing cleanly to secure the gold medal. “I was probably feeling a bit more emotional before the race,” Wearn said afterward.

“It hasn’t really sunk in. I thought I’d break down pretty quickly but it’s just pure excitement. It’s something no one’s done before, going back to back in the ILCA [dinghy] – or the Laser as it was before. That was a massive goal and I’ve made it happen so it’s pretty special.” With this win, Wearn, the reigning world champion, successfully defended the title he claimed at Tokyo 2020.