Sarahlala wrote;

"if poor countries want to develop sailing programs it isn't the obligation of other nations (at the disadvantage of their own constituents) to provide for this. This HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SPORT. It should have no reflection on the Olympic classes."

It seems that you are advocating that sailing (dominated by rich countries) basically gives two fingers to the "poorer" countries. The problem is that the "poor" countries may well then turn around and give two fingers to the whole sport of Olympic sailing.

If sailors in general or cat sailors in particular go "**&^% you" to small countries, we cannot be surprised if they reply with "*&^%$ you too, we'll vote you out". A look at the submissions that dumped the Europe for the cheaper Radial is enough to indicate that giving countries the finger is a losing game. So thinking about the poorer countries DOES have a part to play when choosing Olympic classes.


Cat sailing in Australia? I have to applaud Mark's rant. The cat scene seems to look outside for the causes of its decline, rather than doing constructive things like working on junior classes. The Pittwater Youth Hobie 16 move was great in some ways, but where did the kids come from? Flying 11s, MJs etc. The T 4.9s were looking to raid 29er kids. Why can't cats breed their own young sailors, just like the dinghy clubs do, instead of annoying the dinghy clubs by try to "steal" the kids the dinghy sailors have just spent years training?

I'm not saying that there has to be a split between dinghy kids and cat kids, just that the cats could work on creating their own juniors, or perhaps supporting the clubs and classes that do create juniors.