Gal Fridman is an Israeli windsurfer and Israel's first Olympic gold medalist. Fridman won a Bronze Medal in the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics, and his gold medal in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics. He is the first of two Israelis athlete to win two Olympic Medals, and the first Olympic Gold medalist in Israeli history. His first name, Gal, means "wave" in Hebrew.
Sailing/Yachting is an Olympic sport starting from the Games of the 1st Olympiad. With the exception of 1904 and possibly the cancelled 1916 Summer Olympics, sailing has always been included on the Olympic schedule. The Sailing program of 2008 consisted of a total of nine sailing classes. Eleven races are scheduled for each event except for the 49er class, for which 16 races are scheduled from 9 August 2008 to 21 August 2008 of the coast of the Qingdao International Sailing Centre facing the Yellow Sea. Of the 11 (16) races, 10 (15) are scheduled as opening races and one as a medal race. The sailing was done on four different types of courses.
The Finn was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled. Only nine races were completed, including the medal race, due to lack of wind. 26 sailors, on 26 boats, from 26 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The Mixed Tornado was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 30 sailors, on 15 boats, from 15 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The mixed 49er was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Sixteen races were scheduled. Only thirteen races were completed including the medal race due to lack of wind. 38 sailors, on 19 boats, from 19 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The men's Star was a sailing event on the sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 32 sailors, on 16 boats, from 16 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The Men's RS:X was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 35 sailors, on 35 boards, from 35 nations competed. Ten boards qualified for the medal race.
The Laser was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled. Only ten races were completed including the medal race due to lack of wind. 43 sailors, on 43 boats, from 43 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The Men's 470 was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre, in the 470 dinghy. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 58 sailors, on 29 boats, from 29 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The Women's Yngling was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled. Only nine races were completed including the medal race due to lack of wind. 45 sailors, on 15 boats, from 15 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The women's 470 was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 38 sailors, on 19 boats, from 19 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
The Laser Radial was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics program in Qingdao International Sailing Centre. Eleven races were scheduled. Only ten races were completed including the medal race due to lack of wind. 28 sailors, on 28 boats, from 28 nations competed. Ten boats qualified for the medal race.
Shahar Tzuberi is an Israeli windsurfer and Olympic bronze medalist, surfing in the "Neil Pryde" RS:X discipline. He is a nephew of Gad Tsobari, the 1972 Olympic wrestler who escaped from Arab terrorists during the Munich massacre. He is a three-time Olympian.
The Men's Sailboard Competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held from 22 July to 2 August 1996 in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Points were awarded for placement in each race. Eleven races were scheduled. Nine races were sailed. Each sailor had two discards.
The Women's Sailboard Competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics was held from 23 July to 29 July 1996, in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Points were awarded for placement in each race. Eleven races were scheduled. Nine races were sailed. Each sailor had two discards.
The men's RS:X was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics program in Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 38 sailors, on 38 boards, from 38 nations competed. Ten boards qualified for the medal race on course area Nothe in front of Weymouth, where each position scored double points. The gold medal was won by Dorian van Rijsselberghe who already after the ninth race had accumulated sufficient results to be certain to win the gold medal, as long as he competed in the races.
The women's RS:X was a sailing event on the Sailing at the 2012 Summer Olympics program in Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. Eleven races were scheduled and completed. 27 sailors, on 27 boards, from 27 nations competed. Ten boards qualified for the medal race on course area Nothe in front of Weymouth, where each position scored double points.
Patrícia da Costa Freitas is an American-born Brazilian windsurfer, who specialized in Neil Pryde RS:X class. She represented Brazil in three editions of the Olympic Games and captured her first ever individual title in her sailing career at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. Holding dual citizenship between Brazil and the United States, Freitas currently resides in Rio de Janeiro, where she sails and trains for the Rio de Janeiro Yacht Club under her personal coach and mentor Lucas Souza. As of September 2013, Freitas 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 South American and World Championships in her home nation.
The men's RS:X competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics was the men's windsurfer event and was held in Enoshima, Japan, from 25 July to 31 July 2021. 25 sailors from 25 nations competed in 13 races, including one medal-race where points were doubled. The land venue was Enoshima Yacht Harbour and races were held on Sagami Bay.
Nancy Damian Rios is an American former windsurfer, who specialized in the RS:X class. She finished fifth in her sporting discipline at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, and was eventually named the country's top female windsurfer for the 2008 Summer Olympics, finishing a lowly twenty-sixth place. A member of the sailing roster at Banana River Windsurfing Resort in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Rios trained under the tutelage of her personal coach Brandon Sebald.
