Until I get more answers back from US Sailing, here are at least a few things to think about. I asked the following questions of Gary Bodie, and his answers follow my questions:
In a message dated 3/28/2007 12:23:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
mary@catsailor.com writes:
What names do you have as possible Olympic contenders in the multihull event after John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree retire?
What suggestions do you have for the multihull community to get more people qualified in a way that will be taken seriously by you and by the OSC?
Do you think it would make a difference if the Tornado were replaced by a boat that has a strong and growing presence in the United States and that would make it possible for people to train on home waters and get Europeans to come here to train, as well (at least in the winter)? I am talking, of course, about the Formula 18 and the A-Class.
Do you think it would help to have a single-hander (like the A-Class) replace the Tornado, since that would at least reduce the total number of people at the Olympics, which seems to be one of the IOC goals?
Mary;
These are my opinions and do not necessarily reflect the OSC or US SAILING.
It's not appropriate for me to get into names. But it's pretty obvious from team standings and regatta results. Plus we're aware of the youth sailors not yet in Tornado that are doing the Youth Multihull and ISAF Youth Worlds.
The multihull community could do several things to assist the Olympic Sailing Committee. (1) Continue to develop the multihull "pipeline" with events like the Youth Multihull Championships, (2) Actively recruit non multihull youth sailors from the dinghy and college pipeline to sail the Olympic class multihull, (3) help fund our developing youth teams, and (4) assist us in the knowledge transfer to the developing teams.
I think the Tornado has done a pretty good job of reinventing itself with the double trap, spinnaker, square top, and carbon rig. But the continuing technology development makes it very expensive to win and tends to entrench the favorites.
I don't think ISAF would approve an open development or formula class in any category. The ideal multihull replacement (IMHO) would be an out of the box, one builder, modern one design, sails supplied by one manufacturer. (like the 49er). I don't think it's particularly important if the replacement class is currently active in the USA. In fact, I doubt it is an active class anywhere yet. If multihull is in for 2012, I suspect that Tornado is in to fill the spot for 2012 at least. But it would probably enhance our medal prospects if ISAF adopted new equipment.
I don't think singlehanded or doublehanded is that critical at this point.
--Gary
