Issue Date: May 2, 1996
City: Washington, DC and Atlanta, GA
Quantity: 16,207,500
Printed By: Stamp Venturers
Printing Method: Photogravure
Perforations: 10.1
Color: Multicolored

 

In the four years between the 1992 and 1996 games, the sport of Olympic yachting underwent rapid changes both in style and format. Gone were the courses which allowed competitors to spread out – sometimes miles apart. As a result, participants now compete on tightly angled triangular or trapezoid-shaped courses, performing a series of loops around inflatable marker buoys. Success in these shorter races depends on a strong start, good acceleration, consistent speed, and sharp tactical skills.

 

New for the 1996 Olympic Games, these courses set the scene for some stiff competition, but nowhere more so than in the boardsailing event. The introduction of unlimited “pumping” or fanning of the sail, which increases speed substantially, turned the competition into a battle of aerobic fitness, as well as sailing skill.

 

Men’s boardsailing was first introduced in 1984, and in 1992, women’s boardsailing made its debut. Competitors use a sailboard – a “surfboard” with a mast and sail. Controlling the rig with the arms and steering from a standing position with bodyweight and movement, the athlete becomes an integral part of the craft. Each nation selects only one entrant and all equipment (board and rig) is supplied by the organizer.