Boat categories have been streamlined into one-design classes with all competing boats virtually identical in appearance. This ensures that athletes, not boats, win races. The 49er, Laser, Soling, Star and Tornado are open classes. The Europe class is women only race while the Finn is men only. These two classes tend to attract the cream of the sailing crop because of the challenges involved in sailing small craft solo.
Races fall into two categories fleet racing and match racing.
Match racing has a different set of rules and is run on shorter courses. As in golf, the lowest score wins in sailing. A first place finish is one point, second place is two points and so on. Each class competitor races 11 times, dropping his or her two worst finishes. The medals go to the lowest accumulated scores achieved in the races.