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WORLD SAILING: FIXING THE REAL OLYMPIC ISSUES

20 Apr 2018

This is the second of a now three-part feature on World Sailing's review of five of the Olympic Events and Classes - as the world controlling body for the sport try to bring in some new options.



Instead of just voting on a plethora of Submissions, a Review is required - which needs to be comprehensive - like the 2009/10 ISAF Olympic Commission Report - looking at all aspects of the Olympic Regatta and the Olympic cycle, and not just the narrow focus of reviewing the older classes to cull and reshape the Olympic fleet.

 



Keith Musto and Tony Morgan photographed by Eileen Ramsay © Eileen Ramsay / PPL

 

The Review, like its predecessor will identify exactly what is broken and the options for fixing, as well as what is working perfectly well and should be left alone.

The proposed process will be seen by sailors to be one, like most that have gone before, that is manipulated between various parties and cliques to achieve an outcome that is in their self-interest but not the medium or long term interest of the sport.

In the 2009/10 Review, the evidence, relevant facts, analysis and recommendations were openly available and could be debated.

The report was fair. No-one seriously argued with its content or conclusions - most of which were attempted to be implemented - and some successfully.

Changing the Olympic sailing events mix has significant ramifications outside the Olympic classes - with the investment boats at Youth and Junior level for a class progression that no longer exists.

Once a Youth class progression was put in place that dove-tailed into the Olympic events - it was incumbent on those administering the sport to accept and minimise the effects of Olympic change - because of its effect further down the food chain.

It is also now clear that the direction of travel by World Sailing in regard to the Olympic equipment also appears to have real ramifications in the longer term for the marine industry. The rise of single manufacturer one-design (SMOD) classes in the Olympics has placed power in the hands of a few, without the real checks and balances.



Richard Gladwell's image of the Swedish Mens 470 crew as they launch in the 20-25kts winds and 3-4 metre Atlantic Ocean swells heading for the finish of Race 3 of the Mens 470, 2016 Olympics. - photo © Richard Gladwell www.photosport.co.nz
 

Only two classes (or Equipment) allow open manufacture of sails, and the opportunity has all but vanished for the next Lowell North, Keith Musto or Paul Elvstrom to start up sailmaking and other businesses running out of their garages - to capitalise on their Olympic success.

Same song, second verse with boat building, and spar manufacture - robbing the sport of a lot of innovation in small boats and at a national and international sailing level.

In 1993, the then International Yacht Racing Union changed their requirements for Olympic class selection to accommodate the Laser, and that broke the mould forever allowing the entry of other classes which wanted exclusive manufacturing and supply rights.

Many now feel that the purpose of the latest review is to snuff out both the 470 and Finn and for commercial interests to take almost complete control of the Olympic Equipment.

In no other Olympic sport is the equipment supplied or required to be from a single monopoly manufacturer in the way that it is in Sailing. Rowing - another Olympic boat sport, with very expensive kit has open supply.

The view expressed in the many of the 65 submissions made to World Sailing on the subject of Olympic classes and format seems to be that with a few major changes we will have a fundamentally better regatta, and that will pull the TV punters.


Josh Junior faces mountainous seas - 2018 Finn European Championship at Cádiz, Spain - photo © Robert Deaves

Show Sailing on the Ocean

There are a few issues with that line of thought which repeat the errors of the past - that with the right events and equipment all the current ills will be righted.
First, the Olympic Sailing TV does not show the sport at its best.

In the 2016 Olympics, there was no live TV coverage from the four ocean courses, which produced some of the most spectacular sailing seen in a long while.

It wasn't just on one day either.


AC LiveLine – Emmy Award-Winning Graphics Package – but little AC or VOR sailing media technology makes it to the Olympic coverage - photo © Ainhoa Sanchez

 

Instead, viewers had a steady diet of flat water racing on a dirty piece of water on tight courses with extreme shifts. A day or two of that may be fine, but after ten days it gets tedious.

We've all seen the tremendous video coming from the Southern Ocean, shot by drone cameras in conditions way more severe than the Olympic Regatta. The technology is now available and proven that can bring these same challenging conditions to the TV and other devices for the Olympic Regatta.

Scattered through the Submissions is the hackneyed comment about making the sport more media friendly.

The reality is that while the administrators (who've never had to try and cover one of their regattas) talk media-friendliness in the conference hall, but when they get on the water, it is anything but - with aggressive course marshalls pushing media boats further and further away from the race course.

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Source: www.sail-world.com