The first women's marathon windsurfing race was called off on Wednesday after the wind weakened during an exhausting hour of sailing for Olympic sailors near Marseille.

The race began with a spectacular start where the powerboat sped across in front to signify the beginning. It then became a long, slow race as the sailors dropped their foils, and had to pump the sails themselves to move forward.

After Israel's Sharon Kantor led the majority of the completed legs, the organizers decided to abandon the race. An official boat was speeding ahead of the fleet, flying the flag that signaled the end of the race.

It was intended that the marathon would last anywhere between 60-90 minutes. The race will not take place on Wednesday due to the weather forecast and scheduling of races.

Due to light winds, the men's race was also scheduled to be held on Wednesday. Reporting by Alexander Smith, Editing by Christian Radnedge

(source: Reuters)