Women's High Performance Dinghy

I think the number of existing all female twin trap teams today is beside the point. The class will be defined in 2007 for the 2012 Olympics. This means there will be 4 years to cultivate the teams around the world.

Do you think that might be because they are below the minimum sensible weight?

Kita might manage and enjoy crewing a 49er, but she is sailing with a bigish bloke. Imagine if it were two of her, they might not be so happy in any wind at all.

Other twin wire boats out there (I14, 5000, Boss, RS800) are equally unsuited to two women in terms of weight and height.

I'll be interested to see how many all girl crews sail in the 29XX if they sell enough to get a circuit and don't get selected for the olympics. I imagine it will be more than in the other twin wire classes.

Rick,

My point was that there are very few all female teams in the sport, and as such to suggest that number of all female double trap teams might be in a similar proportion.

I guess I am reflecting the concerns of the women sailors I know who are concerned that the sports bureaucrats might not set the bar high enough because of some 19th century vision of what is lady-like.

SHC

Jim, we're talking about Olympic athletes here, so I think it's fair to assume they're going to be at least as fit as Kita.

Thanks Iain, yes it was Suicide Blonde that I was referring to

I think the problem with a lot of female crews...and I used to be like this myself.... is that they'll sail something like a 4000 and think "I wouldn't want to handle a kite any bigger than that!".....and they will keep thinking that until they sail something faster with bigger sails! I was terrified of the 49er before I actually saild one....but I now find the kite one of the easiest I have ever used....and this is on both the 49ers I have raced and sailed for almost a year and a half!

I personally don't think 21sqm is too big a kite for a female sailor....I know plently of females who sail Laser 5000's (and isnt the kite on that boat about 30sqm?).

Also, what is the issue with these female crews who have sailed fast skiffs with big sails.....why is so important if they were crews or helms? I used to helm and I really only started crewing properly after I broke my finger and had a 5 month session with no sailing....when I came back to sailing I just started crewing due to the person I sailed with. If I hadn't broke my finger I would probably not have stopped helming and could possibly be helming high performance skiffs myself now as I was beginning to helm Laser 4000's in 2004.....so in 2-3 years I would have advanced to something faster prob!

All I hope is that the 49er doesn't become isolated as a male only class.....cos that would be utterly pathetic