Olympic Classes

   Agreed- Tornado should be given longer to establish. The Star and Finn don't have huge fleets, neither do many olympic classes realy i dont think with a few exceptions. Anyway it's not just the UK thats fleet no's should decide which classes to choose.

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Harry44981! Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Aug 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 736	Post Options Post Reply Quote Harry44981! Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Olympic Classes Posted: 08 Nov 04 at 6:33pm
	Agreed- Tornado should be given longer to establish. The Star and Finn don't have huge fleets, neither do many olympic classes realy i dont think with a few exceptions. Anyway it's not just the UK thats fleet no's should decide which classes to choose.

bigwavedave Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 04 Jun 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 944	Post Options Post Reply Quote bigwavedave Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 04 at 6:59pm
	Olympic classes with the exception of the Laser do not have huge fleets in this country, but they do have a big following world wide. For some reason this country seems reluctant to sail Olympic classes at club level, but if you visit foreign shores the Olympic classes are very popular. Yet we have the best Olympic sailors. The Finn had over 200 entries for the world masters. Harry is right it is not just the UK numbers that decide Olympic selection.


gordon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Sep 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1037	Post Options Post Reply Quote gordon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 08 Nov 04 at 7:44pm
	Judging by my experience living in France the popularity of the Olympic classes may be somewhat conditioned by the way sailing is organised. Dinghy sailing is massively concentrated on the Olympic classes and the junior training classes (Optimist, Equipe, 420 and Laser Radial). All the National Sailing Association effort is concentrated on these classes. Outside these classes there is little or no dinghy activity, and the notion of club racing is a concept that takes some explaining (team racing is totally unknown in France). The same applies to catamarans - with the exception that there is big participation in the major events. For instance, amongst the classes not part of the official structure the Snipe, with about 50 boats active nationally, is one of the biggest classes in France! Gordon
	Gordon

Tornado_ALIVE Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Nov 04 Location: Australia Online Status: Offline Posts: 611	Post Options Post Reply Quote Tornado_ALIVE Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 9:37am
	The Tornado has not done only 1 Olympics...... It was intorduced at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and has competed in every Games since. After 2000 it underwent a rig upgrade which included twin trapeze, self tacking jib, larger square top main and spinnaker. My thoughts on the Olympic classes may not win many freinds here but here goes. I think Multies are under represented in the games. I do not see the point in open classes as there are no women competing in the Olympics in them. Adding to classes is not realistic as the IOC will not increase athlete numbers for sailing but are infact tring to reduce it. The classes must also be an International class, one design and represent what the games are about........... HIGHER, STRONGER, FASTER. My thoughts for the Olympic classes are. Mens single hand - Fin or laser (I prefer Fin) Womens single hander - Europe or Laser Radial Mens double - 49er or 470 (prefer 49er) Womens double - 470 or 29er Mens Keel boat - Star Womens Keel boat - Yngling ???? Mens board - Mistral Womens board - Mistral Mens Multi - Tornado Womens Multi - Choose an F-16 class if there are any that are international or a Hobie 16 with or without spinnaker. Mens single hand Multi - A Class style class such as an M-18 Womens single hand Multi - ???? Taipan 4.9 would be great if it was international. Reducing the higher number of athletes that we currently see in the Laser class and dropping the 2 open mono classes we could then split the 300 athlete cap evenly between the classes and meet IOC and ISAF requirements.

Godber Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 09 Nov 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Godber Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 1:25pm
	What about a classic two man class such as the 505 which is simular to the 470 but so more difficult to sail and FUN whilst being sailed in most countries arround the world?
	G

Granite Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Far too distracted from work Joined: 12 May 04 Location: Scotland Online Status: Offline Posts: 476	Post Options Post Reply Quote Granite Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 1:40pm
	From non sailing friends comments about the olympic coverage in the UK the following is a general summary: The Tornado and the 49er were fantastic you obviously had to be athletic and skilled to sail them. It looked like you had to work hard in the Fin and Laser They could not quite see the point of the Star and the Yingling tactical implications were not important to the un initiated. The implication is that for the general public colours and speed are the most important. PS What about in the open double handers having to sail them mixed teams?

Gael Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Posting king Joined: 12 Mar 04 Location: Southampton, United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 187	Post Options Post Reply Quote Gael Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 2:06pm
	I like that idea - like mixed doubles for tennis!

Pierre Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 15 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 1532	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pierre Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 2:20pm
	Bring on the 5o5's I say. Mixed doubles definitely.

Harry44981! Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Aug 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 736	Post Options Post Reply Quote Harry44981! Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 4:26pm
	Far too many cats tornado alive- 2 at the absolute most i'd say. I'd be in favour of reducing the no of classes to: Mens singlehander: Finn/ Phantom Womens single: Laser Rad. Open Single: Laser Cat open: Tornado Skiff open: 49er Double open: Fireball? 470? Keel open: Soling? Board open: don't care or to increse no of women make all double handers mixed, or make every thing open, with 1 mens team and 1 womens fromm each country, with separate medals. This wouls mean much biggger fleets on each line, better in my opinion.

Harry44981! Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 26 Aug 04 Online Status: Offline Posts: 736	Post Options Post Reply Quote Harry44981! Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 09 Nov 04 at 4:29pm
	my non sailing mates said it all looked rubbbish (not their exact phrasing!) except for the 49ers and the finns in the big winds.