Yachting

Origin and rules

Yacht racing began on the Dutch and English coasts in the 17th century, with the founding of the New York Yacht Club in 1844 and the first America’s Cup in 1851 igniting the modern sport. World Sailing now oversees international racing.

How it plays

Yachts race on courses marked by buoys, with the first across the finish line winning subject to corrected handicap times in mixed fleets. Match racing involves two-boat duels, while offshore racing covers hundreds or thousands of miles of ocean.

Competition

The America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Sydney to Hobart, and the Vendee Globe are the marquee events. New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy field elite crews. Smaller dinghies appear at the Olympics, but yachting in its largest forms is not Olympic.