The Youth Olympic Games kicked off with a bang by a myriad of fireworks signaling a change in the wind for the future of the Olympic Games.

Buenos Aries welcomed 4000 athletes from 200 countries to a first-ever Olympic street-party where over 250,000 people joined in the celebrations. This year’s Youth Games have become a symbol of the changes in gender equality and the future of sport.

Pauila Pareto and Santiago Lange both lit the cauldron to start the games as a symbol of equality. Photo credit: Matias Capizzano / World Sailing

The Youth Games will feature an equal number of female and male participants to compete for 1250 medals in 32 sports. To further cement the shift to gender equality, 2016 Rio judo gold medallist, Pauila Pareto and 2016 Rio Nacra 17 gold medallist, Santiago Lange both lit the cauldron to start the games as a symbol of equality.

Moving on from the opening ceremony the sailing events kicked off on day one with the boys and girls windsurfing fleets in the Techno 293+. Australian athletes Alex Halank and Hailey Lea were welcomed by light shifty conditions sailing out of Club Nactico San Isidro, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Will Cooley and Evie Hasledine take to water on a practise day in their Nacra 15 photo credit: Matias Capizzano / World Sailing

Racing started at 14:38 instead of the scheduled 12:00 due to the light air. With only two out of the three races being held Halank performed well in the light conditions finished 9^th for the day.

Lea performed well in the tough conditions coming in at 19^th after two races and will look forward to pushing it in the upcoming days.

Tomorrow Will Cooley and Evie Hasledine will take to water for the start of the mixed Nacra 15 as well as Western Australia kiteboarder Mani Bisschops

ENTRIES / RESULTS
Click here for the entry list.

Results will be available here - https://buenosaires2018.sailing.org/results

WATCH
The Olympic Channel will be providing daily coverage of the 2018 Youth Olympic Games -https://www.olympicchannel.com