Sailing has been a prominent part of the Olympics since the very beginning, and the events of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are sure to make a splash. Read on to find out how to watch a Sailing at 2020 Olympics live stream and see all of the times, streaming platforms and more.
Australia and the UK shone in the sailing events of the 2016 Games, with the UK currently holding the most gold medals for sailing, 28 in total. After Team GB’s Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark took home the 470 silver medal at London 2012 and the gold at Rio 2016, Mills will attempt to become the first woman to win two Olympic sailing golds at Tokyo 2020.
Dutch windsurfer Dorian van Rijsselberghe is also hoping for a hat-trick of RS:X medals, and six-time Olympian Santiago Lange and his partner Cecilia Carranza plan to defend their Nacra 17 crown.
Looking to watch sailing at Olympics 2020? Read on for key dates and events to look out for, and to find out how to watch Olympics sailing events for free.
Olympics 2020 sailing: key dates and times
– Men’s Bronze Medal Match: Wednesday, August 4 from 9.30pm ET / Thursday, August 5 from 10.30am JST / 2.30am BST
– Men’s Gold Medal Match: Thursday, August 5 from 7pm JST / 11am BST / 6am ET
– Women’s Bronze Medal Match: Thursday, August 5 from 9.30pm ET / Friday, August 6 from 10.30am JST / 2.30am BST
– Women’s Gold Medal Match: Friday, August 6 from 7pm JST / 11am BST / 6am ET
Free Olympics sailing live stream
As one of the biggest sporting events in the world, it is no surprise that there is a wealth of places you can go to watch Olympics 2020 live streams. While the Olympics Channel will be showing highlights, it will be your regional broadcaster that has the majority of coverage.
Those living in the UK can catch the 2020 sailing events on the BBC for free, or catch up with missed events on BBC iPlayer. Likewise, those in Australia can head to Channel 7 or 7plus online.
Free streams can also be found in Ireland through RTE, France with TF1 and plenty other free streams exist around the world on regional broadcasters.
How to watch your Olympics live stream when abroad
While you’ll be able to watch an Olympics live stream from the large majority of countries, you may face difficulties if you’re trying to tune in to your usual streaming platform while abroad.
That’s because streaming platforms tend to geo-block their content, stopping you when you’re abroad. Luckily, there is a very simple way to resolve this issue – by using a VPN.
Download one of the best VPN services and you’ll be able to override these geo-blocks and watch the Olympics like you’re back home. This saves you having to track down a dodgy stream while you’re on holiday.
Use a VPN to watch Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games from anywhere
ExpressVPN – get the world’s best VPN
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From these tests, one VPN provider has stood out above the rest – ExpressVPN. In all categories it excels and luckily, it is compatible with all of your devices including Xbox and PlayStation, Android and Apple phones, Amazon Fire Sticks, Google Chomesticks, smart TVs and more.
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Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three…
1. Download and login to a VPN – as we’ve said above, our top choice is ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location – open the VPN app, hit ‘choose location’ and select the appropriate location
3. Go to the broadcaster’s live stream – For example, those from the UK can head on over to BBC iPlayer
FREE Olympics sailing live stream in the UK
The BBC will be the go-to for sailing fans in the UK, with hours of coverage spanning BBC One and BBC Two, and online through BBC iPlayer. Best of all, they’re free!
Alongside this, Discovery+ and Eurosport are also great options. You can stream Discovery+ from your phone, laptop, or cast directly to your TV for free, or you can upgrade to the Entertainment pass for £4.99 a month or £49.99 for the full year after utilizing a free seven-day trial.
Eurosport’s service is also pretty cheap (£6.99/mo), and costs are lowered further if you take out an annual subscription (£4.99/mo for 12 months). To watch Eurosport Player on your TV, connect your laptop via an HDMI cable or by Chromecasting. If you’re an Apple TV user, you can stream the service directly from your Apple device.
Out of the country for the 2020 Olympic Games? Not a problem—UK residents can still access UK streaming sites by downloading and installing a VPN to “transport” themselves back to their home location.
How to watch Olympics sailing in the US with and without cable
If you have access to cable and live in the US, NBC will be the place to catch all sailing events, either directly on your TV or online.
If you don’t have cable, you can also catch the games on the streaming service Peacock TV. Sign up for a free account to access thousands of movies and TV shows, but upgrade to Premium ($4.99/month) or Premium Plus ($9.99/month, ad-free) to access live sports and events like the Olympics. Peacock is available across a variety of devices, including directly from your web browser, on Fire TV, Apple/Android smart TV, or Chromecast via Google TV.
Alternatively, Sling TV is a brilliant option to watch the sailing events. NBCSN is included within the $35/month Sling Blue package, and currently you can also get your first month for just $10.
How to watch Olympics sailing in Canada
Canada residents can opt to watch the 2020 Olympics sailing events on a couple of different channels due to coverage being split between a range of broadcasters. If you’ve got cable, check out Sportsnet, CBC, TLN, or TSN.
With Sportsnet, TSN, and CBC, you also have the option to watch online through their streaming services—register with the details of your pay-TV provider, or sign up for their independent streaming services. Sportsnet Now costs just CA$19.99/month; CBC is CA$4.99/month (although new subscribers receive a free month’s trial), and TSN will set you back CA$4.99/day or $19.99/month.
How to live stream sailing at the Olympics for FREE in Australia
Australian sailing fans can take advantage of watching the Tokyo Olympics free of charge, thanks to Channel 7 and its online streaming service, 7Plus. The latter can be accessed via a laptop, Apple TV, iOS, Android, and Chromecast—just to name a few—so you have plenty of options for watching the 2020 sailing events.
If you’re normally a resident in Australia but you’ll be out of the country when the sailing is on, you’ll still be able to tune in and watch it. Simply use a VPN to skip the geo-blocks and watch 7Plus.
More 2020 Olympics broadcasters around the world
Don’t live in any of the countries we’ve listed above? Not to worry, the Olympics are available to watch from the large majority of countries around the world. While some countries won’t have free viewing options or as many choices, you should have an option available in your region.
Unsurprisingly, the list of viewing platforms is very extensive but luckily, there is a dedicated Wikipedia page with all of the different channels airing the Olympics.