How the sailing world ranking works

Checked 20 October 2026Valid for: the World Sailing Rankings for Olympic classes (fleet racing), from World Sailing's Rankings explained page, saved 2026-10-20; with match racing in outline. Official source: sailing.org, rankings. Not covered: para sailing; the grading criteria in Regulation 27 (in the saved 2023 Regulations, not summarised here).

How does a sailor score ranking points?

With one simple formula. Every regatta has a grade: 200 points (the Olympics, the Sailing World Championships, the World Cup Series and Olympic class world championships), 100 or 50 (continental, regional and other international events, depending on how many take part). The winner gets the full grade. Everyone else gets a share according to how many boats they beat:

Points = grade × (entries − position + 1) ÷ entries

So in a 200-point regatta with 100 boats, 10th place scores 200 × 91 ÷ 100 = 182.

A sailor's ranking adds up their six best results of the last 12 months, no more than three of them from the World Cup Series. The last world championship can count even if it was more than 12 months ago.

The one thing to remember: in sailing, finishing in the top half of a big fleet at a top event is worth more than winning a small one.

The formula

Ranking points = E × (N − P + 1) ÷ N

Letter	Meaning
E	The event's grade: 200, 100 or 50
N	Number of entries
P	Position in the regatta

Grades

Grade	Events
200	Olympic Games; Sailing World Championships; World Cup Series; Olympic class world championships
100 or 50	Continental, regional and other major international events with Olympic equipment, graded on how many take part

World Sailing's rankings working party grades events every November.

Which results count

The best six results over the previous 12 months, rolling from the publication date, plus possibly the last world championship from outside those 12 months. No more than three from the World Cup Series. Published about nine times a year. Results count only if the organisers send an official results file and the sailor has a World Sailing ID.

A worked example

Made up to show the arithmetic. A sailor's six best results:

Event	Grade	Entries	Place	Points
Class world championship	200	120	30	200 × 91 ÷ 120 = 151.67
World Cup event	200	80	12	200 × 69 ÷ 80 = 172.5
World Cup event	200	60	20	200 × 41 ÷ 60 = 136.67
Asian Championship	100	40	2	100 × 39 ÷ 40 = 97.5
Regional event	50	25	1	50
Regional event	50	30	3	50 × 28 ÷ 30 = 46.67

Total: about 655.

Match racing (outline)

A separate ranking for skippers: the best four results in each of the last two years. Points from 100 for a win down to 1 for 19th, times an event grade multiplier (3.5 for the World Sailing Championship down to 1 for regional events), with a point for each higher-ranked skipper beaten and a bonus for strong fields.

Variations

Ranking	Covered here
Olympic classes, fleet racing	Yes
Match racing	In outline
Para sailing	No