A young North American guy winning a World Hobie 16 Championship would go a long way in promoting the sport over here.
No it wouldn't. In fact, it would probably drive the ordinary folks away since they would rationalize that they could never win. The only person in NA who realistically has a chance of doing well at the worlds wasn't there (Enrique). While I like Enrique and admire him as a sailor (and I've known him for almost 30 years) - he really hasn't done much to support the class and the ordinary sailor - except when he's paid to do it.
Matt ,you must still be adjusting to the time zone change.Your interested in "keeping the sport alive ,but no interest in getting the top guys better".Most of those top guys you are talking about are the ones keeping this sport healthy.
No and no. The people that keep the sport healthy are the ones like Bruce Krupke and Ron Holm - the guys in the middle of the pack whose enthusiasm is infectious and who keep introducing new people into the sport.
How cool would it be to have a Kid like,Trey James or Ben Brown or Kat Porter,featured in a Sailing World Article or front page of there local news paper. Winning attracts attention.
They don't have to win to attract attention. The fact that Ben and Kat - and other youths like the Larson twins - went to AUS to compete at a high level event like the worlds attracts attention.
You need to read Stuart Walker's book "The Code of Competition" and learn that it's not the top guys that are the caretakers of the sport - it's the middle of the pack, and especially the guy that comes in last that you need to take care of. For when the last place person gets discouraged and quits - there's someone new that comes in last - and the cycle starts all over again.
The HCANA already has a mechanism for racing improvement - the Guest Expert Program. Unfortunately, it's been underutilized of late. Maybe that's because most people who attend regattas aren't there to become the pointy end of the spear, but are there to socialize and have a good time, without the pressure of "performing".
Hobie Alter once said, "[D]o not let the good sailors take control of your class. They'll ruin it. So I had a couple of problems with guys that were really tight on the rules, and really weren't well-liked. I told them, "You know what, when you go up to get your trophy, you're going to have 5 people clap for you rather than a hundred. Is that really how you want it?"
