Olympic Classes

Link to an article on ISAF website re-the choice of dinghy including criteria.

http://www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=7205

Here are some characteristics ISAF are looking at;

Men’s and Women’s Dinghy Events
Universally available equipment
Sailed worldwide
Suitable for average physique
Economical
Athletic
Technically simple, or out-of-the-box

Open Dinghy Events
Innovative: design; technology; format of racing; courses
Added media appeal
“Buzz” for young and established sailor
Fast and athletic

I think your Musto Skiffs/RS700s of this world fit perfectly in the Open Event, but then could women compete then too? Little confused as then the 49er is also an open event? 

"Open Dinghy Events
Innovative: design; technology; format of racing; courses
Added media appeal
“Buzz” for young and established sailor
Fast and athletic"

So that will be the Foiler International Moth then.........

I'm a bit of an idealist and I was hoping that trapeze boats might enable women to compete on equal terms with men.  It seems unlikely that women are going to be competitive in Finns, but because agility is of greater significance with trapeze boats I thought women might have more of a chance.

Are you certain that the RS700/Musto Skiff fit these requirements

Men’s and Women’s Dinghy Events
Universally available equipment
Sailed worldwide
Suitable for average physique
Economical
Athletic
Technically simple, or out-of-the-box

I thought that both classes were a bit limited on numbers and are currently only popular in Britain and parts of Europe.

If the Musto Skiff was chosen for the Olympic Womens class and the laser retained for the mens boat that would look a bit odd.

I think that if the laser is good enough for the men's single hander then the laser radial must be ideal as the women's single hander.

Both the RS700 and MPS are pretty much limited to Europe...

But... there are similar boats in other parts of the world.. (there is even a 3 sail single hander on sale in the US!!!!!!!!!)

So, whatever is chosen would need time to get world wide availability.. or we would be forced back to a class that is old enough to be well established... and I don't think that is what televised Olympics sailing needs right now..

I would argue that its chicken and egg... its difficult for ANY boat to become globally successful without something like the Olympics driving it....

What I personally would like to see is the best boat to meet their needs chosen, ignoring the global availability bit... it would soon become available globally if it was selected as an Olympic class... and both the MPS and RS700 are manufactured by someone other than the designer/promoter, so could be easily extended in much the same way as the 49'er has been... that has worked well...