For months, the best formats, classes, disciplines and team compositions for the Olympic Games of the future have been discussed behind and in front of the scenes of the World Sailing Federation with as much publicity as possible. In a few days' time, the first ground-breaking decisions will be made at the World Sailing Semiannual Meeting at Chelsea Football Club in London. During this long weekend, more than 200 delegates will represent the interests of sailing and bear responsibility for making sailing fit for the future and attractive for the Olympics, without losing sight of the basic concerns of the sailors themselves.
62 applications had been received by the closing date before the meeting. In addition, there are 12 further applications from member nations and class associations from last year, which had been postponed until the current May meeting. The selection of the ten sailing disciplines for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with the sailing regatta in Marseille takes centre stage. A decision will be made at the beginning of the week, probably on Tuesday. A sailing discipline could, for example, be a "mixed two-person multihull". However, the choice of the ten disciplines (events) does not automatically determine the type of boat (equipment), which will be decided for some disciplines in a separate selection process.
An "Events & Equipment" working group was formed after last year's annual meeting of the World Sailing Federation to determine the requirements and develop a recommendation. Its results - summarised on 37 pages - are here in detail.
Prior to the half-year meeting that has now started, the World Sailing Council had confirmed the recommendation of the Events Committee, according to which the following disciplines had to undergo a review:
- Windsurfing men (RS:X)
- Windsurfing Women (RS:X)
- One-person dinghy heavyweight (Finn Dinghy)
- Two-person dinghy men (470)
- Two-person dinghy women (470)
This also means that the following disciplines (events) and their boat classes (equipment) will not be replaced until the 2024 Olympic Games, although an equipment committee is still examining the Laser dinghies and surfboards in more detail and may recommend technical changes:
- One-person dinghy men (Laser)
- One-person dinghy women (Laser Radial)
- Skiff women (49erFX)
- Skiff men (49er)
- Mixed two-person multihull (Nacra 17)
In the run-up to the mid-year meeting, World Sailing has received 58 (!) applications for the disciplines alone that must undergo the review, either in favour of keeping the discipline or proposing new disciplines. These proposals will be discussed in the Events Committee before a recommendation is made to World Sailing's Council. The World Sailing Council is made up of the Danish President Kim Anderson, seven Vice-Presidents, including DSV Sports Director Nadine Stegenwalner, two Honorary Representatives (without voting rights), 28 elected members, each representing a regional group of sailing nations, as well as representatives from the Offshore Committee, the Class Committee, the Athletes' Commission and a women's representative.
In the run-up to the event, athletes and representatives of endangered disciplines in particular drew attention to themselves with special campaigns. For example, the Finn sailors with a series of pictures of their athletes under the title "My future is in your hands". One of their most important arguments: If, after the Star boat and its many prominent sailors, the Finn Dinghy is also removed from the Olympic programme, there will no longer be a sailing discipline for sailors over around 85 kilograms in weight at the Olympics. In the past, it was often the Finn class (and previously also the Starboat class) that produced world-famous successful sailors such as Paul Elvström, Russell Coutts, Iain Percy, Sir Ben Ainslie and many others, who later went on to compete in the America's Cup or the Volvo Ocean Race. A common Petition by well-known Finn sailors and the 470 sailors, who are also under serious threat, has received more than 19,000 signatures. Including a further petition, over 35,000 signatures have already been collected.
A last-minute motion by WS President Kim Andersen, which became known on Thursday and which the helmsman of the World Sailing Federation is entitled to make according to the statutes, caused additional excitement in what could be the most extensive restructuring of the sailing programme in Olympic sports history. The Scandinavian is obviously trying to bring some order to the flood of motions before the vote. The core of the proposal, as described by Sailing Illustrated creator Tom Ehman, would see the retention of Laser, Laser Radial, 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17. The two surf disciplines RS:X Men and Women would also remain in play. Andersen would make a more radical development for the three remaining disciplines. His idea: The Finn could be replaced by a "mixed one-person dinghy" on which women and men alternate in a form of team event. Alternatively, he said towards the end of the proposal, this could also happen in the Laser, while the Finn and Laser Radial would be retained for men and women. There would also be a mixed two-person dinghy with a new boat class to replace the existing 470 men's and 470 women's disciplines. This would leave a tenth discipline, which Andersen envisages for a mixed kiteboard event, according to Sailing Illustrated. This would mean that the idea of a mixed offshore discipline with relays would be off the table. Here for the original of Kim Andersen's proposal.
A British journalist described the entire reorganisation process last week as follows: "The whole preparation is like watching the 'Titanic' head for the iceberg. In this case, the iceberg is the great silent mass of club and international sailors who are personally invested in the sport."
The final disciplines (events) for the 2024 Olympic Games will be selected by the Council in an electronic vote. The voting process itself is also being criticised, as many sailors feel it is too anonymous in this process, which is crucial to their future. The sailing world is looking forward to this weekend's groundbreaking decision with great anticipation. London is also about the disciplines and formats for the 2024 Paralympics, for which the World Sailing Federation is continuing to fight hard for the comeback of Paralympic sailing, as well as a range of other topics from sustainability to safety on the water.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
