2010 ISAF Annual Conference

Council endorse Olympic Commission Sailing World Cup vision

ISAF council have voted in favour of the vision to develop the Sailing World Cup as outlined in the Olympic Commission strategy and have voted in favour of investigating a World Cup Grand Final.

The key objectives of the Sailing World Cup should be

To promote and popularise Olympic sailing outside the Olympic Games using the best sailors in the world through consistent events delivering live presentation, television production and distribution, tracking, website output and media services.

Provide pathways for athletes and MNAs towards the Olympic Games, offering a series of high quality events around the world that are consistent and well managed

Lead the strengthening of the sport in the Olympic Games by ensuring that the introduction of new initiatives is well managed and consistently implemented.

Attract greater commercial support for all stakeholders including athletes, organisers, MNAs and ISAF

The work will now begin in ISAF on if and how to make this policy a reality.

Just who is the Facebook Generation

In his presentation on the Sailing World Cup to Council, Executive Committee member Alberto Predieri put up a slide that show the fans of the Sailing World Cup have an fairly even spread across all ages:

ages 13-17  15% 

ages 18-24  25%

ages 25-34  21%

ages 35-44  19%

ages 45-54  12%

ages 55+  5%

Raises an interesting question of who the ‘facebook’ age is?

A Fitting Award

Rob receiving his award from His Majesty King Constantine and , ISAF President Göran Petersson

New members to the ISAF family

The ISAF have Council have apporved the applications of Madagascar, Panama and Saudi Arabia as New members to the ISAF family. We extend a warm welcome to all sailors in these three countries and look forward to working with their national authorities.

2012 Olympic sailing on track to be the best ever

Rob Andrews, Sailing Manager, has given the ISAF Council an interesting update of progress to 2012.

 The London 2012 Olympics will include twenty six sports across thirty four venues for seventeen days. 10,500 athletes will compete and 20,000 media and broadcasters will share their moments of glory and heartache with you

After the Olympics twenty Paralympic sports will be contested at twenty one venues. 4,500 athletes with 6,500 media bringing you all the action.

Athletes will use 1 million pieces of sport equipment and 12 million meals will be eaten by the athletes.

10 million tickets will see a huge audience watching the games live and 70,000 volunteers will make sure the London Olympics is an experience never to be forgotten for spectators and athletes.

The task ahead for LOCOG is huge.

Venues are on or, as is the case of sailing, ahead of schedule. Building has started on the race village, which will have 77 Residential properties be able to sleep 625 people.

Spectators at Weymouth will have unrivalled views of the medal course and big screens and commentary will bring the action even closer. With sailing being a ticketed sport for the first time, work in under way to make sure it will be a fun, entertaining and engaging day for spectators. With 250,000 having registered an interest in tickets for sailing on the London Olympics website there will be a great atmosphere in Weymouth.

Following the presentation Peter Tallberg, who sits on the International Olympic Committee told Council that he believes London 2012 is on track to be the best ever for sailing.

President’s Report

The ISAF Council meeting started this afternoon with Göran Petersson setting out the challenges ahead as he delivered his opening address to the ISAF Council members.

The President made special mention of the success to the Youth Olympic Games emphasising what a good show case this had been for sailing and also pointed out  the innovative approach that many sports took to show case their sports.

The excellent training work carried out by ISAF this year was highlighted, with special thanks to the Training Commission for getting this up and running.

The President outlined the challenging agenda ahead and the importance to see the ISAF Olympic Event and Equipment submissions in the overall scheme of the Olympic Commission’s findings stressing to the council members 

‘You are now in the position of being able to shape the future of sailing. You have been given the options and you have been given an outline of the issues with the background information. You need to set the policy and the direction for the future.’

The President went on to thank the Olympic Commission for the work they have done and their dedication to the task.

Read the full report at http://www.sailing.org/34693.php

Thank you Alan

The 2010 ISAFAnnual Conference Council meeting has begun.

At the start of the meeting, ISAF President, Göran Petersson presented Alan Green with an ISAF silver medal in recognition of the work has carried out over many years  for ISAF. Alan is steping down from the Offshore Special Regulations Committee and as Chairman of the  International Regulations Committee. Thank you Alan from everyone at ISAF and enjoy spending more time sailing.

Board sports

There has been a lot of talk about board sports during the conference. Dan from the ISAF Secretariat Team seems to have got the wrong end of the stick though.  What the rest of the Team want to know is how does he have the time to do a spot of ironing during the day! His Mum will be so proud.

Great work from the World Youth Sailing Trust and more to come

Twenty years ago the generosity of Julius Blankstein changed the sailing experience for youngsters from emerging countries with the creation of the World Youth Sailing Trust.

The Trust supports young sailors at the Youth World Championship by funding coaches at the event to help them take on the better-funded countries. It must be quite intimidating if you are a young person when you arrive in a country for the first time to attend a world regatta and you come face-to-face with sailors with all the best kit and full coaching support.  The coaches the Trust sends in to support such sailors do a great job in not only improving sailing technique but in supporting the sailors so that they can enjoy their experience.

It’s a great example of how ISAF members really care for the sport. Along with Julius the World Youth Sailing Trust has benefited from the kindness of Ding Schoonmaker, Bengt Julin, Paul Phelan, George Andreadis, Harry Adler, Jonathan Jansan and Ralph. To date the Trust has used the investment income from the gifts made to fund coaching activities. In future the they want to grow the amount of coaching at the Youth Worlds by having three coaches so are starting to look at new ways to raise more funds. As their plans develop will tell you more about this good work and let you know how you can support the trust via the ISAF website.

Mixed multihull in, men’s keelboat out

It was the most packed session we have had this week to hear the Events Committee’s recommendation on the provisional Olympic events and equipment for 2016. 

This is how the voting went.

The Events Committee recommends:

 Board or kite-board for men and women – equipment evaluation

One person dinghy men – Laser Standard

One person dinghy women – Laser Radial

Two person dinghy (skiff) men – 49er

Two person dinghy (skiff) women – equipment evaluation

Second one person dinghy men – Finn

Two person mixed multihull – equipment evaluation

Two person mixed dinghy with spinnaker – 470

Women’s keelboat – Elliott 6m

In so doing the committee’s voting recommends taking out the men’s keelboat. The second one person dinghy for women was the other option not to be selected.

The Committee’s recommendations are of course just that. They will go to the ISAF Council for consideration this weekend. After Council vote they are then subject to confirmation at the ISAF Mid-Year meeting in May 2011.