New Olympic events.

Originally posted by rich96 ...the FD, Soling, Star and now maybe the Finn - many of the best small boat sailors in history have come from those classes.

Have they? Or were those just the classes they happened to win medals in and they'd most likely have won just as much had there been a different selection of classes in the games?

Paul Elvstrom didn't come from the Finn, it just happened to be the singlehander in the games when he won most of his medals. He won the first in the Firefly don't forget, but you wouldn't say he came from the Firefly.

Rodney Pattison may have made his name in the FD, but if the 505 had got the nod I expect he would have won in that. Ben Ainslie won in Lasers and Finns, but would you have bet against him doing the same thing in say OKs and Contenders?

Originally posted by JimC Originally posted by rich96 ...the FD, Soling, Star and now maybe the Finn - many of the best small boat sailors in history have come from those classes. Have they? Or were those just the classes they happened to win medals in and they'd most likely have won just as much had there been a different selection of classes in the games? Paul Elvstrom didn't come from the Finn, it just happened to be the singlehander in the games when he won most of his medals. He won the first in the Firefly don't forget, but you wouldn't say he came from the Firefly. Rodney Pattison may have made his name in the FD, but if the 505 had got the nod I expect he would have won in that. Ben Ainslie won in Lasers and Finns, but would you have bet against him doing the same thing in say OKs and Contenders?

Agree these examples are the winninigest guys of their generations, sailing is all the same, results would t change materially Esp in broadly comparable classes.

We have good relations with our International body thank you very much, even if there is an element of 'don't bother us and we won't bother you'. Pitching for one of the paddlers Olympic slots would not be a good move.

SUP has been given the nod to to the WSL, despite Canoeing arguably embracing the sport more and giving it some sense of credibility.

The problem is that there is a fair degree of crossover, SurfSUP is clearly related to surfing and WindSUP to windsurfing, but floating around on flat water SUPping is closer to canoeing. But a Surfski is more like a kayak than a surfboard and foiling surfboards/SUPs/Kiteboards/Windsurfers...... My head is about to explode (but, FFS, don't amalgamate them all into one sport.......). The worst thing that ever happened to windsurf course racing was the amalgamation of the UKBSA and BFA. Entry fees doubled and then continued to rise, wind limits ruined perfectly good raceboats events and people with know knowledge of the rules were appointed to protest committees........ And don't talk to me about FW......