In his latest newsletter World Sailing President Kim Andersen drops a few insights of the inner workings of the various committees, so that we do gather that something is happening over in WS Tower.
Apparently eSailing has proven to be a success and World Sailing (WS) has its work cut out to keep up with the demand and they are continuing the engagement with existing young and new sailors.
New sailors in this context I assume to refer to on-line game players!
And the President was chuffed that when the Paris 2024 Organising Committee presented at the IOC Executive Board in Lausanne last week, they made reference to the work that World Sailing has been doing with our eSailing World Championship in producing a realistic virtual version of the sport.
Hopefully they remembered to mention that WS was also working on producing a realistic real sailing event!
While on the subject of Paris 2024, it was interesting to read that; since November, working groups have been giving input on ideas and suggestions for the two new events, Mixed Kite Sailing and the Offshore Mixed double-handed event.
This information will now be formally presented via Working Parties making recommendations to Council at the upcoming Mid-Year Meeting. A link to the Kite Proposal is provided which shows the video included below, with the notation:
“The proposed registered series production equipment scheme is fully supported by sailors, the industry and the wider kiteboarding community over a one-design solution and reflects the IOC “urban sports” vision with variety of equipment similar to what is common in snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing.”
Regarding the Offshore event, lots is going on with the suggestion; “to have a list of equipment available worldwide to be used for national, regional and continental qualification events and the Olympic equipment to be chosen after nations have qualified.”
Discussions with Paris 2024 and the IOC about the ten disciplines have taken place regarding the ongoing process for the selection of equipment. So presumably they hopefully know a lot more than we do.
A brief mention of the Sea trials for the selection of new single hander equipment for the Paris 2024 Olympics. All will be revealed when World Sailing’s Council select the Equipment . . . no later than November 2019.
And finally, the ongoing discussion within World Sailing which has been trying to establish an events strategy, because – “The present Sailing World Cup structure is not ideal and when the events structure fails then the ranking gets troublesome.”
And what are these overwhelming problems that have stimmed an International sailing race circuit over the past 10+ years, despite constant tinkering?
According to WS these challenges include:
Continental seasonality and calendar issues, the dominance of Europe and its events legacy, the changes and development of Olympic Host Cities, the cost of campaigning for MNAs and Olympic Committees and commercial values.
Of course, no international sport, neither Football, Rugby, Tennis, Golf etc . . . has had to tackle these sorts of problems before and WS is in uncharted waters.
But they have established a Working Party which will take learnings from the past. So, watch this space!
If you really want to read the full document then Click Here
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