Optimist, Open Skiff, Youth & Olympic Sailing Blog

Journalist Richard Gladwell from Sail-World, conducted a far reaching and most interesting three parts interview with Kim Andersen, the President of World Sailing. The interview was made in anticipation of World Sailing’s annual conference this week-end, in Sarasota, FL. Here are key highlights. See the links towards the full interview at the bottom of this page. Regarding the Laser Andersen is adamant that the Laser has not been kicked out of the Olympics. "We are running that process with the Laser. It is not true that the Laser has been kicked out. We are just applying "anti-monopoly" so that we don't get into trouble. The Council has the freedom of choice to say they would like a Laser." About Anti-Trust, Monopoly and the Finn Andersen raised a novel view of what constitutes a monopoly in sailing, claiming that the EU believed that when World Sailing was selecting a class or discipline at the Olympics, a monopoly was created because "you are n...

There is some interesting, yet weird, commentary by World Sailing President about the recent London World Sailing Council decisions ...  "Therefore, it is my pleasure to report that the final two submissions for the 2024 Summer Olympic program support four mixed events and accommodate a broad range of physiques. Both submissions reflect how diverse our sport is, the first by including a new event for Offshore and the second including a new event for women - but both include mixed kite."   Why commenting so favorably on a submission that was defeated? Why now suggesting that the "mixed single-handed" event is now a "new event for women"?  The Finn sailors will be disappointed ... :) Also, why claiming that the new events will accommodate "a broad range of physiques"?  As discussed previously,  a pretty high weight target of 70 kg has been decided for female sailors for the new (and controversial) mixed single-handed dinghy.  With...

Olympic Legend Paul Elvstrom Sailing his Finn in 1960 Following the announcement of the sailing events for the 2024 Olympics, the Finn Class put out a statement, that claims that « the women’s event that suits women of around 70 kg » … « will be changed. » While the submission approved by the World Sailing Council clearly specifies a targeted weight of 70 kg for female sailors for this new event, Balazs Hajdu, the President of the International Finn Association, said in the press statement, “We believe that singlehanded sailing is one of the pinnacles of Olympic sailing and we are glad to see that it was decided to give a chance to lighter weight women to sail at the Olympics in a singlehanded boat ." And he continues, "This gives many countries around the world a chance to join Olympic sailing and also create youth programmes for young sailors with Olympic dreams.” (bold/italics by the writer of this post) How the change would be done? Via the equipmen...

Why is World Sailing Targeting 70 Kg (155 lbs) for its new single-handed female event (part of its new single-handed mixed event)? Today, the World Sailing Council adopted the M22 submission, overruling the vote of its events committee, for the 2024 sailing Olympics, to be held in Marseilles, France. The M22 submission is from the Romanian Sailing Federation. It keeps several categories: Laser Standard, Laser Radial, 49er, 49erFX and foiling Nacra. It also keeps the windsurfing, but on new equipment. The 470 is still there too, but as a mixed event. There is a new « mixed kite event » on « new equipment ».  And finally, there is another new event — a bizarre « Mixed One-Person Dinghy » - that will allow for the Finn to remain in the Olympics as equipment for men, and there will be new equipment for women. After much back and forth, the 470 and Finn would remain in the Olympics, but at a cost: the 470 would be a mixed event (2 sailors instead ...