Mixed Multihull is an Olympic Sailing Discipline
by Roland Gaebler and Andrew Dowley 14 Nov 2010 06:11 GMT
The Formula 1 of Sailing is back on the wave to the Olympics - Mixed Multihull is an Olympic Sailing Discipline
The ISAF council followed the recommendation of the ISAF Events committee with 19 votes in favour and 16 against. Multihull is back on the wave to the Olympics. This is a provisional result and there is still theoretically chance to change this result in May 2011 at the ISAF Meeting in St. Petersburg (RUS).
The chance of the decision being turned is relatively small because there was a clear sign they will not touch the Multihull any more. ISAF really want us back because we will bring the ultimate action for the media and spectators in the Olympic Sailing Arena. The Multihull wants to regain its title of being the Formula 1 of the Summer Olympics.
Mixed Multihull is the new Olympic discipline. The class will be decided with an Evaluation Event and a final decision in November 2012. We make the most of this important step at this stage; we have only received positive comments from the national sailing federations and their representatives in Athens.
84% in favour for the Comeback for the Multihull says it all. We made a very fair campaign and never said anything against other classes. We followed our ethics and this way we got great sympathy from all.
We were quite surprised they want have us back as a mixed discipline but the multihull scene has the most mixed teams in the sport. Women and men like to sail and fly high together above the waves.
Tornado President Roland Gaebler commented on the situation “We never thought it could come so quickly to us. We won the Tornado Worlds as a mixed team just some months ago and now our sport is Olympic. We are so happy! We have already had so much positive response from women who want to sail a multihull with the men.”
A new era is coming to the Olympics Games. Mixed Sailing on the Formula 1 is a real highlight and it will attract the youth, the spectators, the media and the sponsors.
Roland and Nahid Gaebler sailing their Tornado