Opinion: Olympic boat selection
Oct 11, 2018
By John Kerr
The decision made by World sailing potentially removing the Laser from the OLYMPIC competition has implications well beyond the games. Already the recent years of decisions on sailing equipment for the games has met criticism from all corners of the sport. These more recent changes were a harbinger of the latest moves being made by a world governing body that seems, at least with its action, distancing itself further and further from those they represent.
Having lived the life of high-performance sailing and having been involved as a volunteer at our national sports organization, I have witnessed first hand the disconnect between our own representatives and the sport here. And sadly, this disconnect just happens; it’s not by design but for the common cause as there is no formal requirement, bylaw or understanding that those that represent their NSO are required to ensure they in fact represent our interests.
The recent reaction of the Confederacion Sudamericana de Vela, which speaks for international sailing, indicates deep dissatisfaction with changes to classes and equipment. This is particular to South American countries frustrated in their inability to obtain boats and many other concerns. The result is that the South Americans are “analyzing not to participate in any more classes that do not respect the principles” of fairness they advocate.
Here is why all this is important.
First, the moves to change the equipment have a ripple effect on participation. The newer classes now in the Olympics tell younger sailors that unless you are under 145 pounds you probably won’t ever sail in the Olympics.
Second, the move to these new types of boats put equipment above the sailor, turning a multidimensional sport into an arms race. There seems no respect for the cost and required budgets needed to campaign these boats.
Third, there is no respect for the pipeline development. I doubt any yacht or sailing clubs will revisit their current learn to sail fleets again.
Fourth, they have forgotten that the cardinal rule of the OLYMPICs was to make sure boats were equally available globally and ensure fleet development drove the participation and interest.
Fifth, the classes don’t represent the profile of boats that is being sailed. Where have the keelboats gone?
Perhaps more importantly they don’t respect the simple elegance of the Bruce Kirby designed Laser. It’s a beautiful tool that with a small tweak of Hans Fogh’s Radial sail and rig, allowed one hull and set of foils to equally serve both women’s and men’s events. And funny enough, it’s a design that could easily be further tweaked to look at the new foiling centerboards and carbon fiber rigs. Simple fixes that still respect the class, its roots, and just as important, its global foot print.
Underlying all of this too is the simple fact that these decisions come at a time when the sport of sailing is hurting and in some many aspects of the reasons why; one only needs to review what the World governing body has done. More recently too, the move to allow Kite surfing, which is not sailing, took a valuable medal spot we could have used to bring back a keelboat.
Sailing is not curling, it’s not figure skating and it’s not what many are trying to make it. Many have tried to make it a bigger and better event and many have tried to drive a dynamic of multimedia into an event that it just doesn’t fit.
Sailing has proven time and again that lower cost, simple and strict one design fosters growth and participation globally. Too bad we are distancing ourselves from that.
