Cayard, Berecz, Kusznierewicz Weigh in on World Sailing, the Finn and Offshore

An impressive press conference took place on December 6 at the Nassau Yacht Club, in the context of the 2018 Star Sailors League Finals.

On that occasion, Paul Cayard, Zsombor Berecz and Mateusz Kusznierewic responded to questions from journalists, along with 5 other prominent sailors participating in the event.

Paul Cayard is one of the world’s most famous professional sailors and a former Olympian, with considerable experience offshore as well as in small keelboats and dinghies. He has won multiple world titles in the Star and other classes. He won the 1997/98 Whitbread Round the World Race, the 1995 Admiral's Cup and the Louis Vuitton Cup in 1992.

Asked by journalist Michele Tognozzi from the Italian news outlet Farevela about the World Sailing’s recent decisions regarding the Finn and offshore, here is what Paul Cayard had to say.

"Offshore sailing in the Olympics is a little hard to understand."

"They kicked the Star out because it was too expensive and too heavy and logistically hard to move around. And now they put a 30 foot 5 ton kilo boat in the Olympics. So they can drift around behind Catalina Island [a likely location of offshore sailing in 2028] in the middle of the night.

"I hope they understand how little wind there is in Southern California at night time."

« But with the Finn out, it’s just like with the Star. A lot of great sailors in our sport came through the Finn or the Star. So it’s hard for us to accept that now. Because it’s what we know. The names we know came from those classes."

"So they are taking a lot on. I think that World Sailing got a huge responsibility in those moves."

Finn 2018 World Champion and 1996 Olympic Gold Medallist Further Comment

Zsombor Berecz, the 2018 Finn World Champion, from Hungary, said:

« It’s very sad information that the Finn will probably not be in the Olympics in Paris, in Marseille, I have sailed 3 Olympic games in the Finn. It’s part of my heart. »

"I think that sailing, particularly Olympic sailing, is losing a great number of sailors.  First Olympic sailing lost the Star, with names such as Torben Grael (BRA), Ross MacDonald (CAN) and many many more. They are not able to compete in Olympic games, and I think it’s a shame."

"And now if Olympic sailing would lose great sailors, the Finn sailors, I think something is not going in the right direction."

Mateusz Kusznierewicz, the 1996 Finn Olympic Gold medallist, three times silver medallist at other Olympics, and 3 times world champion in the Finn or Star, from Poland, also commented:

« I agree completely. There is always a scandal [with World Sailing]. Nothing changes. This time, there are three countries that voted differently as it was [officially recorded]. So we will see what happens with the Finn. Let’s hope for the best. »

« I love the Finn. It’s my favorite boat. That’s where I feel home. I really love sailing it. This year I managed to win the Gold Cup and seeing such names competing in this class is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. »

« So I just hope that it will stay. »

Related Article:  Resolving the 2024 Olympics Lineup: a Solution -- the article presents a concrete solution on how to resolve the "mixed single-handed dinghy" concept, while keeping the Laser and the Finn, and also introducing a new single-handed dinghy for light weight female athletes.

Source:  https://www.facebook.com/StarSailorsLeague/videos/215129049407202/

You are welcome to join our discussion group on youth and Olympic sailing on FB, with daily updated news and analysis:
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