World Sailing (WS) is the world governing body for the sport of sailing recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
Xavier Charles René Rohart is a French sailor. A member of the YC La Pelle in Marseille, he is now competing in the Star class. He won a bronze medal in the Star class with Pascal Rambeau at the 2004 Summer Olympics, and has also competed at four other Olympics. Born in Thionville, he is a two-time world champion and is a founder of the Star Sailors League. He now sails with Pierre-Alexis Ponsot.
Jonathan Lobert is a French sailor. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's Finn class, where he obtained the bronze medal.
Sailing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro was held from 8–18 August at Marina da Gloria in Guanabara Bay. The sailing classes had two changes from the 2012 Summer Olympics events. There were 10 events.
Irina Emilova Konstantinova-Bontemps is a Bulgarian windsurfer, who specialized in Neil Pryde RS:X class. She represented Bulgaria in four editions of the Olympic Games, and has also placed outside the top ten in both Mistral and RS:X classes. In 2006, Konstantinova married French windsurfer, two-time world champion, and later 2008 Olympic silver medalist Julien Bontemps before she relocated to France, and trained for ASPTT Nantes. As of September 2013, Konstantinova is ranked no. 88 in the world for the sailboard class by the International Sailing Federation.
Sigrid Rondelez is a Belgian windsurfer, who specialized in Mistral and Neil Pryde RS:X classes. She represented Belgium in three editions of the Olympic Games, and was a top eight finalist at the 2003 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cadiz, Spain. Before her sporting career ended in 2012, Rondelez trained for Side Shore Surfers Club in De Panne under her head coach, former Dutch windsurfer, and 2008 Olympian Casper Bouman.
Charline Picon is a French windsurfer who specialized in the Neil Pryde RS:X class. She captured two bronze medals in her respective class at the Windsurfing World Championships, and an Olympic title at the 2016 Summer Olympics after attaining a top ten finish at the 2012 Summer Olympics. As of September 2014, Picon is ranked as one of the top ten sailors in the world for the sailboard class by the International Sailing Federation, following her successes at the European and World Championships and at the Sailing World Cup series.
Pierre Leboucher is a French sailor, who specialized in two-person dinghy (470) class. He represented France, along with his partner Vincent Garos at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and has also been training under the yachting team for ASPTT Nantes throughout most of his sporting career. As of September 2014, Leboucher is ranked tenth in the world for two-person dinghy class by the International Sailing Federation, following his successes at the 2012 and 2013 470 World Championships and ISAF World Cup series.
Vincent Garos is a retired French sailor, who specialized in two-person dinghy (470) class. He represented France, along with his partner Pierre Leboucher at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and also became a member of the French national sailing team for five years before retiring shortly after the Games. Throughout most of his sporting career, Garos has been training for Ouest Nautical Sport Club under his personal coach Didier Bernard.
Stuart McNay is an American sailor, who specialized in two-person dinghy (470) class. He represented the United States, at four Olympics: two times partner Graham Biehl, in 2008 and 2012 and twice with partner Dave Hughes in 2016 and 2020.
Romuald Hausser is a Swiss sailor, who specialized in two-person dinghy (470) class. He represented Switzerland, along with his partner Yannick Brauchli, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and has also been training for Versoix Nautical Club throughout most of his sporting career under his personal coach Nicolas Novara. As of September 2014, Hausser is ranked sixteenth in the world for two-person dinghy class by the International Sailing Federation, following his successes at the North American Championships, European Championships and ISAF Sailing World Cup Series.
Frithjof Kleen is a German sailor, who specialized in two-person keelboat (Star) class. He represented Germany, along with his partner Robert Stanjek in the Star class at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and also captured a silver medal at the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth, Australia. Kleen has also been training throughout most of his sporting career for the North German Sailing Regatta in Hamburg under his personal coach Alan Smith.
Robert Stanjek is a German sailor, who specialized in two-person keelboat (Star) class. He represented Germany, along with his partner Frithjof Kleen in the Star class at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and also captured a silver medal at the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Perth, Australia. Stanjek has also been training throughout most of his sporting career for the North German Sailing Regatta in Hamburg under his personal coach Alan Smith. As of November 2014, Stanjek is ranked eighth in the world for the two-person keelboat by the International Sailing Federation, following his first-place effort at the ISAF World Cup Series and Star World Championship in Malcesine, Italy.
Claus Elsborg Olesen is a retired Danish sailor, who specialized in two-person keelboat (Star) class. He represented Denmark in the Star class in two editions of the Olympic Games, and also shared bronze medals with his partner Michael Hestbæk at the 2012 Star World Championships in Hyères, France. Olesen has also been training throughout most of his sporting career for Kaløvig Bådelaug Yacht Club in Århus.
Antonis Tsotras is a Greek sailor, who specialized in two-person keelboat (Star) class. He represented his nation Greece, along with his partner and five-time Olympian Aimilios Papathanasiou, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and also obtained a top eight finish in two World Championships.
Michael Leigh is a Canadian sailor, who specialized in one-person (Laser) and two-person dinghy (470) classes. Representing Canada in two editions of the Olympic Games, he finished ninth in the Laser class at Beijing 2008, and then twenty-fifth in the 470 class at London 2012 with his partner Luke Ramsay. Leigh has also been training throughout his sailing career for the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club under his Australian-born personal coach Joshua Chant.
Semaine Olympique Française La Rochelle was an annual sailing regatta. It has been organised since 2013 in La Rochelle.
Sailing at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro took place between 12 and 17 September 2016 in Marina da Glória, Copacabana. 80 competitors, 11 of which were female, competed in three keelboat classes. Three sailing events will be held. All were mixed events, meaning that men and women can compete together.
John Twomey is an Irish Paralympic athlete and sailor. He has represented Ireland at 11 consecutive Paralympic games winning medals at three of them.
Hélène Defrance is a French former sailor, who won a bronze medal in the women's 470 event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. She also won the 2010 470 European Championships race, and the 2016 470 World Championships. Defrance is a knight of the Ordre national du Mérite.
France 
