If any country could lay claim to having sailing as its national sport, it would surely be Australia. The Aussies may not have won the greatest number of Olympic medals in the sport, but the sometimes roguish world of sailing seems perfectly suited to a nation encircled by temperate waters and a populace possessed of an almost genetic taste for high adventure and humour. Aussies love their sailing. While the setting may be magnificent, sailors themselves will be too hard at work to take in the scenery. Olympic level sailing is a far cry from the casual recreational version.
Competitors jokingly refer to racing as a popular nautical contact sport.
While direct contact may not happen all that often at the Olympic level, with as many as 50 boats vying for the lead in a fleet race, things can get hairy out on the water. Most of the Olympic classes are in the dinghy category a small, lightweight sailboat where only superior sailing overcomes the elements. In a number of boat classes, sailors are strapped into trapezes which keep their bodies from flying off the craft, but allow them to jump acrobatically around the deck to jib a sail or make a quick tack. Often, the only part of them actually in the boat is their feet. Such athleticism requires strength training, as well as sailing know-how.