Paris 2024 Sailing: Dutch Duo van Aanholt and Duetz Clinch Women’s Skiff Pair Gold

Dutch women’s skiff world champions Odile van Aanholt and Annette Deutz added Olympic gold in sailing to their collection at the Paris 2024 regatta in Marseille, despite the pair being stopped prematurely by a breakdown, thought to have crossed the finish line. have crossed

Sweden’s Vilma Bobek and Rebecca Netzler claimed silver with 76 points to the Netherlands’ 74, while France’s Sarah Stewart and Charlene Pekin won bronze with 79 points.

Dutch crew recover after stopping too early

Unforeseen conditions affected the sailing events leading up to the medal race for the skiff race at Paris 2024 on Friday 2 August.

Twelve races had been completed before the all-important medal race, which offered double points.

The French duo of Sarah Steuert and Charlene Pekin took the lead on the beach in Marseille yesterday with two finishes in the top ten.

The Netherlands led throughout the medal race and saw a quiet cell heading across the finish line and celebration, knowing the result would be enough to win gold.

Panic set in, however, when they realized they had stopped racing too early, thinking they had crossed the finish line. They quickly regrouped but not before Sweden and Italy finished first and second in the all-important showdown. The Netherlands were third, and nervously waiting for the points tally to decide the medal positions.

Screams of joy and relief erupted when the gold medal was confirmed for the Dutch crew, while the Swedish pair, the 2023 world champions, celebrated silver.

“It’s crazy and a bit unbelievable but so good,” van Aanholt said before brushing away the confusion at the end of the race.

“It was a little bit crazy because we crossed the finish line and we didn’t hear the horn so we knew something was wrong. We’re very happy with our resilience there. We were very quick as a team to say, “Okay, here’s plan B, let’s go. We couldn’t have done better in the end, so I’m very happy.”

Silver medalist Netzler said: “It feels incredible. We’re a bit empty right now, it’s huge, we’ve got our families here, we’ve got everybody here.”

There was also joy for France, with a well-earned bronze, an emotional Stewart commenting on coming out of retirement for the home Games: “It’s unbelievable. I came back because it was in Marseille. And we got a medal, I’m very happy.”

His compatriot, Pekin, had literally fulfilled his dream.

“On the first day of the first race, I said at breakfast that we were going to win bronze because it was in my dreams that night. We took bronze so I couldn’t be happier with what we did this week. “

Brazil’s double Olympic champions, Martín Sofiati Grell and Kahna Kunze, failed to repeat their two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the event, finishing fifth in the medal race and eighth overall.

Women’s skiff podium:

Gold: Odile van Aanholt and Annette Duetz (Netherlands)

Silver: Vilma Bobeck and Rebecca Netzler (Sweden)

Bronze: Sarah Steyaert and Charline Picon (France)