Olympic Classes for 2012

As with any other sport, the equipment, or even the sport, matters not one bit. All that matters is that either someone from your country is doing well, or that someone like Phelps is making history, and so bringing in interest. My Parents in law watched the Olympics in France, and the coverage was of all the events the French team were doing well in. It is probebly similar in every country in the world, and worse in some.

Originally posted by Stefan Lloyd Originally posted by Chris 249 And if you did what normal industry journos do, you'd look at the stats of what's selling - and as Jim C points out, it's certainly not fast boats. Yes we all know that. What many here find unconvincing is that you go on to argue that Olympic TV coverage of similar slow boats would encourage more to take up sailing.

Slow boats can look a lot more accessible than a bunch of skiff types
hooning around. Most people probably do not look for edgy physical
excitement first and foremost in their sport, judging from the sports that
are popular, and they can be turned off a sport if its image is too extreme
- as they were turned off windsurfing.

What some of us find unconvincing is the concept that people are
attracted to the sport by fast boats, and then choose to sail slow boats -
and the facts, as we agree, is that slow boats are chosen by most people.

Yes, of course we needs SOME edgy classes. To be frank, I've messed
around a bit in some of them myself, having sunk an 18 Foot Skiff with JB,
done a bit of Tornado-ing, picked up minor pots in Canoes and F16
types, done slalom worlds, wavesailing events by Robby Naish, a spot of
maxi/F52/ocean racing etc etc. And the 29erXX could have been a good
choice in some ways.

It's the attempts to attack the classes THAT ACTUALLY WORK in terms of
getting bums on boats that I don't understand. What we surely want is
people to look at the sport and say "I'd like to do that and I can do that";
not "I'd like to do that but it looks too hard" or "I'd like to do that but I'd
feel like an idiot sailing something practical when all the cool guys are
sailing something fast". The latter effect really seemed to hurt
windsurfing - why hurt sailing in the same way?

It's interesting that the immediate area that may host the world's highest
concentration of really quick boats - the two 18 Footer clubs (although
one 18 fleet's almost dead; what does that say??), 12s, 9ers, B14s and the
guys who were 1-2 in the last Moth worlds) regularly struggles to get
decent fleets (or any fleets) in junior classes. The support for sailing in
that area is huge, the numbers (Lasers apart) not so great. If the 'fast
boats attract sailors' concept was right, the area around the 18 Footer
club would be crammed with kids. In fact, there is NO junior class there.

We may be spending so much time arguing for change in the classes that
we are being distracted from the things that really seem to help promote
the sport. There are so many other issues that are more worthwhile than
knifing the types that actually attract sailors, to put in types that don't
attract many sailors.


Skiffybob - I wasn't having a go at you, but at the writer of that puff
piece.

I read it like that too, Jim, and I think that's almost certainly why Council voted as it did. What we all should perhaps remember is that IOC doesn't regard the "modernisation" of dinghy sailing as part of its remit.

Originally posted by JimC Sailing is strong on new media coverage

Yes, I watched the Olympics primarily by PC. Unfortunate it is broadcast hours that are counted and sailing's were minimal, because it's broadcasters who have the deep pockets to fund the IOC and ultimately the games themselves.

http://sailjuice.squarespace.com/ post of Mon 17th Nov is a good read and there is a comment made there that crystallises the debate well.

"The ISAF need to understand/agree with the IOC what the purpose of the Games is. In other words it needs to put the following statemements in a priority order:

Classes should be selected to:.
1. Maximise TV exposure/revenue
2. Represent/reflect global participation
3. Encourage newcomers into the sport
4. Test skill levels to the full
5. Represent a broad range of disciplines
6. Showcase modern technology
7. Conform with ploitical correctness
8. Reward the best sailor

Until the ISAF decides how much weight to give each of these factors, there is no way a systematic, consistent approach to selecting classes can happen and the farce of the last 12 months (12 years?) will continue.

Originally posted by JimC I personally read the participation thing as being the biggest concern, which is why I applaud keeping the 470 instead of getting in a new class.

The 29er XX would level the playing field for new nations.

The old school nations with a huge knowledge base in 470s have a technology advantage. If you want to get new nations in you need to hit the reset button and change the class for one with standardised equipment.