The Sailing program of the 1980 Summer Olympics consisted of a total of six sailing classes (disciplines). For each class, seven races were scheduled from 19 to 29 July 1980 on the coast of Tallinn (district of Pirita). The sailing was done on the triangular type Olympic courses. According to the IOC statutes, the contests in all sport disciplines must be held either in or as close as possible to the city which the IOC has chosen. Since Moscow was not a suitable place the Olympic Yachting Centre in Pirita Tallinn was constructed for the 1980 Olympic Sailing event.
Many new buildings and facilities were built for the XXII Olympic Games in Tallinn. In Pirita a sports complex was designed by architects Henno Sepmann, Peep Rabbit, Ants Raid, and Himm Looveer to the 193,000 m² site, a seaport for 470 vessels, a yacht club, slingshots, workshops, a press center, and a ship-shaped 632-bed Olympic village. On the opposite bank of the Pirita river were the stands for 5000 spectators.
The Tallinn TV Tower, a new headquarters building, a modern airport, and 28-storey Olympia Hotel were also built before the 1980 Moscow summer Olympic games.