It's big... World's longest rowing boat glides into Paris for Olympics

Ever wondered what the world's longest rowing boat looks like? Well, it's come to Paris for the Olympics. 

The the Stampfli 24 Express, the longest rowing boat in the world, is set to take part in the Paris 2024 Olympic Torch relay on Sunday as this year's Olympic Games get underway.

The Stampfli 24 is unique. While the maximum rowers in competitions is eight, this one takes 24 people on board, plus a coxswain, the person in charge of navigation and steering on a boat. 

Being 40 meters in length, the boat comes in six pieces to be assembled to form one very long rowing boat.

It will not be a part of the official competition as rowers are only allowed to compete alone or in teams of two, four or eight in the Olympics.

The Swiss manufacturers, Stampfli Racing Boats, make traditional rowboats for official competitions but the 24 Express is one of kind for them and only serves for big occasions.

It will take part in Sunday's festivities with 23 rowers on board as well as an Olympic torch bearer, sailing down a section of the River Marne, just east of Paris.

The first torch for the Paris relay was ignited on April 16, 2024 during a ceremony in the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece, the site of the ancient Olympics. 

From Athens, it then sailed across the Mediterranean Sea to Marseille to begin its grand tour across France, where it's traveling all the way from the Eiffel Tower to the Palace of Versailles before returning to Paris on July 26, the start of the Games.

For the first time in the history of the Olympics, the opening ceremony will not take place in a stadium this year. Instead, dozens of boats will carry thousands of athletes and performers on a 6km floating parade on the Seine on July 26. 

Some 45,000 police will be dispatched to ensure the ceremony's security, including special intervention forces. Snipers will be deployed on the top of buildings along the route. An anti-drone system will be in place. 

With ongoing conflict in Gaza and Ukraine, and security concerns at home, France already has its security alert at its highest level. But, with more than 300,000 spectators expected to watch, it is also a major security headache.

Officials have added there were no specific terror threats for the event, but Konstantinidis, the Games' head of planning and coordination, told reporters: "It's a six km route, so it's a huge perimeter to monitor. That's why we need that many (security) people." 

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