2016 events?

In any case does anyone really believe that choice of boat has much to do with visual appeal? If you want sailing to look good on TV it has to have big waves - preferably at least 25% mast height. Freo proved that in the AC. But its impossible to guarantee that at a Games venue and timetable...

But if that is the big TV advantage of fast boats, is it sufficient to cause a change of classes that will mean that the smaller countries have to go out and try to start up new classes (therefore acting against the IOC's request for greater international spread) and a shift to classes that, while great boats, are proven to attract fewer sailors?

Out of all the things that could be done to help our sport (including more info on how to run a class, more harmonisation and integration of existing classes, more attention on the growing classes like some RSs or the popular classes like Lasers, more attention on marketing low-hassle sailing, more attention on the stories behind Olympic sailors, more attention to PR, etc etc etc) is it really worth moving to faster Olympic classes, with all the disruption that will cause?

Is is really worth the inequity and unfairness that is caused by a gross over-representation of skiff types, when their lack of popular support is considered?

Obviously you're closer to the source than I am, but as far as I can find out, the most popular two-man boats in NZ in the '60s and '70s were Cherubs and Rs - both damn fine and very quick boats.  Now the NZ Cherubs are dead and there Rs are down to about, what, 20 active boats?  And the most popular crewed class is the Sunburst, isn't it? For UK sailors, the Sunburst is like a Heron.

Again, the modern trend is AWAY from fast boats, isn't it?  That may not be a good thing - it would be wonderful to see strong fleets of Cherubs and Rs and Javs again - but it is the long-term trend, isn't it?  So doesn't that mean that fast boats aren't modern or the path to the future?

At what stage do we start listening to the marketplace, which on the raw numbers is telling us that people prefer slower boats, instead of theorising how people want fast boats despite the fact that few of them buy them?


Edited by Chris 249 - 17 Nov 10 at 11:35am

The Olympic classes don't need to be driven by what is popular at club level.

The reality is that in most developed sailing countries there are really only one or two crews competing at serious Olympic level (NZL is an exception with about five or more in the Mens Laser ) so changing Olympic classes doesn't hit too many people.

You have to develop a template of what you are seeking and then chose the Events against that, and then chose the boats by Evaluation. The idea is to get a mix of skills and boats - with the competition  always being aimed at the best.

The fact that there is a lot of recreational sailing with mixed crews doesn't necessarily lend itself to a good Olympic event - besides which the IOC doesn't exactly encourage theses sort of events, badminton is the only other Olympic sport with a mixed event - all other competition is along gender lines - or Open events such as there in Equestrian.

The most popular two hander may be the Sunburst in NZ, I don't know certainly it is not a boat that kids aspire to sail - but is favoured amongst father and son (or similar) type of crews. The boat does offer good sailing, but there are a lot sailing 12's and 18's plus the likes of 420's and 470's.

It's late for me 

RG


Edited by gladwell - 17 Nov 10 at 12:03pm

Originally posted by Chris 249 But if that is the big TV advantage of fast boats, is it sufficient to cause a change of classes that will mean that the smaller countries have to go out and try to start up new classes

No it doesn't. It would mean smaller countries need to enable a small number of sailors to compete on the international circuit. There no necessary relationship between strength and depth of domestic fleets and Olympic medals. GBR has had a number of Star medallists with zero domestic fleet.

Originally posted by JimC Going to a style of boat that noone has seen seems, for instance, a funny way to expand sailing in Africa, which was one of the sport's key problems in the last IOC report I read.