* As an National Authority employee and member of the ISAF Events Committee, I read with interest the article on the 2012 Olympic Events, reproduced from TheDailySail, and written apparently following an extensive analysis. Allow me to provide another perspective.
Like many other National Authorities, Yachting Australia receives funding from, and supports athletes with, money from the Government (and is very grateful for it!!). In Australia Summer Olympic Sports get the lions share of the funding - non-Olympic sports get very little by comparison. So, our support is very much tied to sailing remaining in the Olympic Games.
Now those that have read the IOC Program Commission Report from 2002 and don't think that the hard questions are being asked about the future of sailing need to read it again!! If you don't have time, just think back three years and consider how much coverage you saw of the sailing competition from Athens in 2004. If you put yourself in the position of those selling the rights, the question of what value sailing currently adds is not that difficult to answer.
There is evidence that ISAF has reacted to the challenge. The change in format and introduction of the medal race should serve to make the sport more attractive. The efforts to introduce the World Cup, if properly resourced, provide the opportunity for more regular coverage of Olympic sailing outside the Olympic Games.
From our perspective as a National Authority, all this is beneficial but choosing the right type of boats and competition disciplines for the Olympic Games is crucial. In fact, the continuation of a large part of what we do now appears to depend on it!!
Our approach in Estoril was simple - do whatever it takes to strengthen the position of sailing as an Olympic sport. Yachting Australia would rather loose Events in which we might consider we have better chances than loose the opportunity for the next generation of sailors to compete at the Olympic Games - and indeed for us to go on supporting them. -- Phil Jones, CEO, Yachting Australia
* Now, I can’t predict if you’ll cringe, laugh or cry when you read this. But here are the recommendations to Yachting New Zealand from its Olympic Committee.
Note in particular Point 3, which says: “NZL is currently suffering in expensive classes (Tornado & 49er) that are suited to younger (fit) sailors - so we should avoid these.”
Yes, after all, this is the Olympics. We can’t have young and fit sailors in the Games, can we!
I wonder, did Yachting New Zealand consult with any young Kiwi sailors before considering these recommendations? Also I’d suggest the YNZ offices shut down and everyone go on holiday for the week when the Tornado World Championships is going on, just down the road in Takapuna next March.
This leaked document is yet more evidence why some Member National Authorities (MNAs) cannot be trusted to do anything than vote for self-centred, short-term interests. If the MNA’s views are truly representative of what its sailors believe, then fair enough. But is that the case? I doubt it.
As for only having the top six or eight crews in match racing events at the Olympics, seriously, what would be the point? You could pretty much name those six or eight nations now. Either have a decent number of nations represented in the match racing (what about two-person keelboats by the way?) or don’t do match racing at all.
The last thing the Olympic Regatta needs is to be perceived as even more elitist and wealthy-nation oriented than it is already. -- Andy Rice in SailJuiceBlog.com
