Britain's Ellie Aldridge wins the first gold in kitesurfing, billed as the fastest Olympic event

MARSEILLE, France (AP) — Ellie Aldridge of Britain won gold after two close finals races in women’s kitesurfing, the new, fastest sport at the Summer Olympics.

Lauriane Nolot of France won silver on Thursday, and Annelous Lammerts of the Netherlands took bronze.

Kitesurfing has a more complicated and nail-biting scoring system than other sailing classes, with points accumulated during multiple days of regattas and even finals races having a small influence on medal chances.

Eight sailors made it to finals for the women's and men's medals, four by their overall standings in races held on previous days and four through semifinals, flying at speeds exceeding 30 knots (35 mph or 56 kph).

In the women’s finals, Aldridge, Nolot and Lammerts were joined by Daniela Moroz of the United States. In the men’s, Toni Vodisek of Slovenia and Max Maeder of Singapore were joined by Valentin Bontus of Austria and Riccardo Pianosi of Italy.

In kitesurfing, sailors ride a surfboard that is harnessed to a parachute-like sail above while being perched on a skinny hydrofoil below. They can go so fast at times, foiling at speeds of up to 80 kilometers (50 miles) per hour that eclipse even the sprints of track cyclists.

The kitesurfing finals are the last of the sailing medal races scheduled in the 2024 Olympics in Marseille, where fickle winds and high temperatures have wreaked havoc with the program and tested athletes’ endurance.

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games