Sailing and the 2024 Olympics: Am I Missing Something?
I just read the Richard Gladwell article in Sail-World — « 2024 Olympics: Scene set for a tsunami of change » and the supporting material, particularly the letter by Kim Andersen, President of World Sailing, addressed to World Sailing’s Board, Council and Committee members and MNAs. I have not yet fully digested or even comprehended all the information, particularly the 2024 Events & Equipment Working Party Report - it seems unfortunately that World Sailing makes things unnecessarily complicated. Yet I am a bit puzzled by the options indicated in Kim Andersen’s letter. So here is my take.
Andersen writes that « to accommodate the submission for a broader representation of physiques for women and men, we should evaluate two possibilities for dealing with the issue » and he offers two options: 1) adding a new offshore mixed event, and 2) adding two single-handed technical disciplines.
Let’s start with the second point, i.e. adding two single-handed technical disciplines. For these, Andersen writes « The introduction of having two single-handed technical disciplines facilitating one event for women covering the representation of an average weight of 50kg and an event for men representing a weight range above 90 kg. »
The current single handed dinghy for women at the olympics - the Laser Radial - has a very narrow competitive sailor weight range of 65 to 70 kg. Introducing a boat of a range of say 47.5 to 52.5 kg - average weight of 50 kg - leaves a huge gap - from 52.5 to 65 kg - which covers a big share of the female sailor population.
And in terms of equipment, the 47.5 to 52.5 kg is the typical range for competitive Optimist sailors. If you want a boat with a weight range that is just a bit higher, the most suited candidate is probably the Open Bic - a modern design, very affordable (it’s cheaper than the Optimist).
The Europe, which was previously Olympic, has a higher weight range, more in the 55 kg to 65 kg - so it would not fit that weight category suggested by Andersen, yet it would be an option to seriously consider, as it’s a boat that is still widely sailed.
As I have indicated in my article « Olympic Sailing: Why not make it simple, accessible, affordable? » — there may be no need for two single-handed female dinghies, if a boat targeting a wider weight range of say 55 to 70 kg is adopted instead, which may be the Europe (with competitors allowed to choose mast and sail to best suit their physique and weight) or a boat like the RS Aero 7, or even the Laser Radial, with a redesigned sail covering a wider yet slightly lower weight range.
There may also be the option to adopt, as a second female single-handed dinghy, a foiling boat, such as the Wazsp, which would bring speed and novelty to the racing. It is known that the International Moth has cost issues. Alternatives such as the Wazsp are meant to actually address those and make foiling more affordable. For the layman, watching this on TV, it won't make much of a difference if it's an International Moth or a Wazsp or equivalent.
Regarding a single-handed dinghy for males with a weight range above 90 kg, I really don’t understand. The Finn presently covers precisely that weight category. Why would World Sailing looking for a new boat for that weight category?
And that weight category, above 90 kg, covers just a small portion of the world’s adult male population. Why isn’t a single-handed dinghy for sailors weighting less than say 80 kg (175 lbs) recommended instead? If you look for example at the weight categories in Olympic weight lifting, you will find out that 4 out of the 8 weight categories cover men below 77 kg (170 lbs).
So why suggest a new single-handed dinghy for males over 90 kg - while there is already one? And not addressing instead the light-medium weight single-handed dinghy issue, which is a real missing component of olympic dinghy sailing?
Am I missing something?
(Note: one explanation is that Andersen is already assuming that the Finn is dumped from the 2024 Olympics, and is looking for some replacement that would suit those sailors above 90 kg)
For those not familiar with the Laser class, there are Laser Radial championships for men, at junior, senior and master levels. The Radial is sailed by those too light for the Laser Standard - which happens to be the version of the Laser selected for the Olympics, for men. Check here this video of a Masters Radial Regatta - obviously, those sailors would not be able to cope with a Laser Standard in those conditions.
From my perspective, the Laser Radial and equivalent boats would need to be considered for a male light-medium weight single handed dinghy to be integrated in the Olympic lineup.
As for Option 1 - adding a new offshore mixed event — it’s also pretty questionable. It’s not going to be accessible, not going to be affordable for most countries. The opinion expressed, that « This event option will also secure interest at the grassroots to encourage youth to stay in our sport when being introduced to keelboat- and endurance racing » is questionable. Right now, that’s just one person’s opinion.
Remember, the « Tour de France à la Voile » dropped several years ago keelboat racing, including the offshore racing that went with it, when it replaced the Archambault M34 with the Diam 24. This latter boat - a non-foiling trimaran sportsboat - is now well established and provides thrilling regattas, varied racing, coastal raids, amazing speed, which even a foiling monohull keelboat is unlikely to provide. And also think about the logistics, the regatta organization, which may become a nightmare. The summer Olympics are ... in the summer, and wind is never guaranteed. An offshore regatta may end up becoming a painfully slow and boring non-event.
Despite its clear pitfalls, there seems to be a sense of urgency by World Sailing to push that offshore option, as it transpires from their April 18 2018 announcement, to make bids by very close deadlines for both the event management and the boats/equipment to be used for their new offshore double-handed mixed world championship, to begin in 2019. But really, is this the best place to put efforts, and best way to promote sailing, when you have so many issues with virtually all the existing Olympic classes.
And to get back to the question of sailor / crew weight. Will such a keelboat really contribute to « a broader representation of physiques for women and men » as suggested by Andersen? Again, it's doubtful. I let you think about what crew weight strategies top level teams may adopt. Clue: visualize what will end up on the rail ... Not what competitive, olympic sailing should be about.
 |
| The Open Bic - a Future Olympic Dinghy for Light Weight Female Sailors? |
Andersen writes that « to accommodate the submission for a broader representation of physiques for women and men, we should evaluate two possibilities for dealing with the issue » and he offers two options: 1) adding a new offshore mixed event, and 2) adding two single-handed technical disciplines.
Let’s start with the second point, i.e. adding two single-handed technical disciplines. For these, Andersen writes « The introduction of having two single-handed technical disciplines facilitating one event for women covering the representation of an average weight of 50kg and an event for men representing a weight range above 90 kg. »
The current single handed dinghy for women at the olympics - the Laser Radial - has a very narrow competitive sailor weight range of 65 to 70 kg. Introducing a boat of a range of say 47.5 to 52.5 kg - average weight of 50 kg - leaves a huge gap - from 52.5 to 65 kg - which covers a big share of the female sailor population.
And in terms of equipment, the 47.5 to 52.5 kg is the typical range for competitive Optimist sailors. If you want a boat with a weight range that is just a bit higher, the most suited candidate is probably the Open Bic - a modern design, very affordable (it’s cheaper than the Optimist).
 |
| Olympic Weight Lifting: Weight Categories |
The Europe, which was previously Olympic, has a higher weight range, more in the 55 kg to 65 kg - so it would not fit that weight category suggested by Andersen, yet it would be an option to seriously consider, as it’s a boat that is still widely sailed.
As I have indicated in my article « Olympic Sailing: Why not make it simple, accessible, affordable? » — there may be no need for two single-handed female dinghies, if a boat targeting a wider weight range of say 55 to 70 kg is adopted instead, which may be the Europe (with competitors allowed to choose mast and sail to best suit their physique and weight) or a boat like the RS Aero 7, or even the Laser Radial, with a redesigned sail covering a wider yet slightly lower weight range.
There may also be the option to adopt, as a second female single-handed dinghy, a foiling boat, such as the Wazsp, which would bring speed and novelty to the racing. It is known that the International Moth has cost issues. Alternatives such as the Wazsp are meant to actually address those and make foiling more affordable. For the layman, watching this on TV, it won't make much of a difference if it's an International Moth or a Wazsp or equivalent.
Regarding a single-handed dinghy for males with a weight range above 90 kg, I really don’t understand. The Finn presently covers precisely that weight category. Why would World Sailing looking for a new boat for that weight category?
And that weight category, above 90 kg, covers just a small portion of the world’s adult male population. Why isn’t a single-handed dinghy for sailors weighting less than say 80 kg (175 lbs) recommended instead? If you look for example at the weight categories in Olympic weight lifting, you will find out that 4 out of the 8 weight categories cover men below 77 kg (170 lbs).
So why suggest a new single-handed dinghy for males over 90 kg - while there is already one? And not addressing instead the light-medium weight single-handed dinghy issue, which is a real missing component of olympic dinghy sailing?
Am I missing something?
(Note: one explanation is that Andersen is already assuming that the Finn is dumped from the 2024 Olympics, and is looking for some replacement that would suit those sailors above 90 kg)
For those not familiar with the Laser class, there are Laser Radial championships for men, at junior, senior and master levels. The Radial is sailed by those too light for the Laser Standard - which happens to be the version of the Laser selected for the Olympics, for men. Check here this video of a Masters Radial Regatta - obviously, those sailors would not be able to cope with a Laser Standard in those conditions.
From my perspective, the Laser Radial and equivalent boats would need to be considered for a male light-medium weight single handed dinghy to be integrated in the Olympic lineup.
As for Option 1 - adding a new offshore mixed event — it’s also pretty questionable. It’s not going to be accessible, not going to be affordable for most countries. The opinion expressed, that « This event option will also secure interest at the grassroots to encourage youth to stay in our sport when being introduced to keelboat- and endurance racing » is questionable. Right now, that’s just one person’s opinion.
Remember, the « Tour de France à la Voile » dropped several years ago keelboat racing, including the offshore racing that went with it, when it replaced the Archambault M34 with the Diam 24. This latter boat - a non-foiling trimaran sportsboat - is now well established and provides thrilling regattas, varied racing, coastal raids, amazing speed, which even a foiling monohull keelboat is unlikely to provide. And also think about the logistics, the regatta organization, which may become a nightmare. The summer Olympics are ... in the summer, and wind is never guaranteed. An offshore regatta may end up becoming a painfully slow and boring non-event.
Despite its clear pitfalls, there seems to be a sense of urgency by World Sailing to push that offshore option, as it transpires from their April 18 2018 announcement, to make bids by very close deadlines for both the event management and the boats/equipment to be used for their new offshore double-handed mixed world championship, to begin in 2019. But really, is this the best place to put efforts, and best way to promote sailing, when you have so many issues with virtually all the existing Olympic classes.
And to get back to the question of sailor / crew weight. Will such a keelboat really contribute to « a broader representation of physiques for women and men » as suggested by Andersen? Again, it's doubtful. I let you think about what crew weight strategies top level teams may adopt. Clue: visualize what will end up on the rail ... Not what competitive, olympic sailing should be about.
 |
| The Diam 24 - The Tour de France à la Voile's Trimaran Sportsboat |
