GB’s Aldridge wins kite sailing gold

Great Britain’s Ellie Aldridge won gold in the women’s kite sailing final at Paris 2024.

The 27-year-old became the inaugural Olympic kite champion by winning two races in the final series on Thursday.

Three victories are needed in the final series for an athlete to finish first, but Aldridge carried one over from the opening series.

It was Team GB’s 13th gold medal of Paris 2024.

Having won the first race of the final, Aldridge took a dramatic victory in the second after leader Lauriane Nolot, of France, fell into the water and the Briton was able to sail around her for the success.

Nolot won silver based on her two automatic wins from the opening series and Annelous Lammerts of Netherlands took bronze thanks to her combined points total.

Kitesurfing is new to the Olympics with competitors using a kite to be pulled forward across the water on a board at speeds of up to 45mph (40 knots).

Over the first four days, competitors participate in up to 16 races, aiming for the highest possible ranking. The top two riders from this series advance directly to the grand final, while those placed 3rd to 10th proceed to the semi-finals.

The eight remaining riders are split into two semi-final groups of equal strength with the objective of winning three races. The higher-ranked riders in each semi-final group start with two race wins, while the second-ranked riders carry over one race success. The winner from each semi-final advances to the grand final.

In the conclusion, the leading rider from the opening series starts with two race wins, while the second-ranked rider begins with one. The aim is to achieve three race wins to end the competition.

Dorset-born Aldridge claimed Team GB’s second sailing medal after Emma Wilson’s bronze in windsurfing.

The 27-year-old is a back-to-back world championship silver medallist and was second in the Olympic test event last year.

Aldridge won her first major title at the European Championships in Portsmouth a few months later.

The Kite event at Paris 2024 has been hampered by low winds, with races seven to 16 cancelled.

Aldridge advanced straight to the final as the second-best rider in the opening series behind Nolot.

She dominated the first race of the final, leading from start to finish and in the second race benefitted from her French rival’s fall on the way to a convincing victory.

Aldridge celebrated by jumping into the sea at Marseille Marina.