ELLIE Aldridge will channel her sailing smarts to overcome the heavier hitters as she sets her sights on a medal at Paris 2024.

Formula Kite makes its Olympic debut as a discipline and Aldridge goes into the Games as one of the more experienced sailors in the class - but does face the challenge of being among the lighter athletes on the water.

Weight has proven pivotal during the Olympic cycle, with a trend emerging that the heavier you are, the faster you go.

Putting on the pounds has been a challenge for Aldridge, one of the smaller riders in the fleet, with former world champion Lauriane Nolot around 15kgs heavier than her.

However, the Poole star is confident her sheer kiting ability can make up for the weight disadvantage, with the difficult conditions of the Marseille Marina threatening to make mass a non-factor.

“Out of all the venues we race in, Marseille is definitely the most forgiving for not just having to be as big as you can because it's quite tricky,” said the 27-year-old. 

“Because the conditions are quite difficult and different every day, it means that you sometimes get conditions where it's not just about how heavy you are. 

“A lot of places we go to are in quite similar conditions - when it's flat water it definitely is a weight race. 

“But when it's a bit lumpy, there's a strange wind, it's dusty or there’s anything that makes it a bit tricky to sail and race in, it kind of favours the slightly more experienced people that are just better at coping with the different changing conditions.

“If you were heavy and you were also good at that then you'd probably win everything, but a lot of the heavier people are slightly less experienced. 

“I think I could probably outsmart them - it’s all I’ve kind of got, and if you’re not as good in one area, you’ve got to make up for it in other areas.”

Having claimed victory at the 2023 Formula Kite European Championships in Portsmouth, Aldridge is in the form of her life and feels confident she can bring home a medal from Marseille.

And as she prepares to live out a childhood dream of competing at an Olympic Games, she is making sure that nerves do not get the best of her.

“Up until now, I've tried not to think about it too much because then I'll start getting a bit nervous,” she said. “I'm trying to look at it more from an exciting perspective and just embrace the excitement. 

“Everyone I've spoken to just says to try and enjoy it as much as you can, so I definitely want to just try and do that. 

“It still doesn't really feel real. When I actually get out there with the kit on and ride, then it will sink in.”

Follow the British Sailing Team on Instagram at @britishsailing