Nacra Olympic

2011 – The Search for an Olympic Multihull

• World Sailing (formerly ISAF) announces its search for a new mixed gender multihull for the 2016 Olympic Games.
• Several manufacturers, including Nacra Sailing, submit proposals.

2012 – Nacra 17 Selected as the Olympic Multihull

• In May 2012, World Sailing officially selects the Nacra 17 as the exclusive mixed multihull for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
• The boat is designed by Nacra in collaboration with Morrelli & Melvin, a world-class yacht design firm known for their work in America’s Cup and other high performance multihull projects.
• The design features curved daggerboards, giving the boat a partially foiling capability for enhanced speed and stability.

2013 – Nacra 17 Launches & Receives Recognition

• The first production models of the Nacra 17 are launched worldwide.
• The class quickly gains popularity, with World Sailing World Cups and World Championships incorporating the Nacra 17 into their racing programs.
• In February 2013, the Nacra 17 is awarded Boat of the Year, recognizing its innovation and performance.

2014-2015 – Growing Popularity & Olympic Preparation

• The Nacra 17 is widely adopted by national sailing federations, with many teams training in preparation for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

2016 – Olympic Debut at the Rio Games

• The Nacra 17 makes its Olympic debut at Rio 2016, marking the first time a mixed gender sailing event is included in the Games.
• Argentina’s Santiago Lange & Cecilia Carranza Saroli win gold, overcoming a competitive fleet in a historic event.

2017 – Transition to Full Foiling Design

• After its Olympic success, Nacra Sailing, World Sailing and the Nacra 17 Class Association decide to evolve the boat into a full foiling multihull.
• A major design update is introduced, featuring:
  • 4-point foiling configuration, allowing full lift-off and enhanced speeds.
  • New daggerboard system, enabling stable and controlled foiling.
  • Retrofitting options for older boats (pre-hull #338) to convert to foiling mode.
• The updated Nacra 17 is launched at the 2017 Nacra 17 World Championships, ushering in a new era of foiling Olympic multihull racing.

2018-2021 – Dominance in the Foiling Era

• The new foiling Nacra 17 becomes the gold standard for high-performance mixed multihull sailing.
• Top teams and national sailing programs refine their foiling skills, leading to intense and dynamic racing.

2021 – Olympic Return at the Tokyo Games

• The Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 due to COVID-19) mark the first time the fully foiling Nacra 17 competes in the Olympic Games.
• Italy’s Ruggero Tita & Caterina Banti win gold, demonstrating the boat’s full foiling capabilities on the Olympic stage.

2024 – Paris 2024

• Italy’s Ruggero Tita & Caterina Banti secure their second Olympic gold,  making them Italy’s greatest Olympic sailors of all time after winning their second Olympic title at Paris 2024.

Future – 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

• The Nacra 17 continues to be the official Olympic multihull, with teams training for the Los Angeles Olympic games in 2028.