tornado today

Originally posted by Iain C ISAF, are you really that incompetent and ignorant of the views of the people who's sport you are supposed to represent or is there some other reason that you'd rather not talk to us about?

We westerners do need to remember that there's the rest of the world out there. By and large the rest of the world doesn't seem to want to race high performance catamarans (or skiffs either to be fair). They seem to be racing 470s, Lasers, Boards and Finns, strange as it might seem to us...

Well you certainly won't find me making an argument for match racing. Fleet racing is how most women round the world seem to do their lead mine racing...

As I've said before I can't come up with a satisfactory slate of 10 events bearing in mind all the competing requirements, popularities and my own prejudices...
The widespread popularity and small country bit says 2 470s, 2 boards, 2 Lasers.
My prejudices towards fast boats says 2 skiffs and a multihull.
The need for leadmine facilities so we can have sailing in the paralympics says two leadmines.
100 boats at their masters worlds and huge popularity in Eastern Europe and their general worldwide distribution says Finn.
That's, what, 12...

debates about what classes should be in the Olympics could go on and on... but I think the more relevant question is why is sailing being pushed to reduce the number of medals and competitors?

i) Sailing is an environmentally 'sound' sport
ii) Sailing provides an opportunity for poorer nations to compete with those with more finances (e.g. Brazil, Argentina)
ii) Sailing tests both technical and athletic ability
iii) Sailing can be accomodated for a relatively modest cost in the overall Olympic facilities budget (as long as a marina exists already in a suitable location)

When I see sooooooo many Swimming events, Rowing, Kayak and Canoe events, Beach Volleyball, BMX, dozens of shooting events, dozens of diving events etc... I do wonder why IOC is pushing ISAF to drop an event.....

As for the decision to have match racing of fleet racing for womens keelboat, don't ask me, seems completely devoid of any logic and will make for far more 'boring' TV than the fleet racing has.

Also - before someone says this - I don't care if people watching the highlights don't get how someone can finish last and still win a gold or how the boats are pictured on the beat and who is leading... I am the only sailor in my office and everyone there seems to have been able to keep up very well, the BBC coverage has had some holes in it, but overall I think they've done a stand up job.... plus I don't pretend to understand the rules & tactics of Olympic Boxing, Wrestling, Badminton, Cycling's Madison (loopy or what ?) or indeed, the tactical aspects of 10k swimming, but it hasn't stopped me and several million others enjoying them.

well done Team GB, well done BBC, now come on ISAF, get back in the room with the IOC and your own technical panel and come to the right conclusions, we don't want much, we just want you to listen to what appears to be the majority consensus amongst the sailing public!

I sometimes think that as sailors we have a collective concern that people won't understand our sport and try and compensate... when other sports just don't care.  I actually understand the Madison - and it's watchable - but I've just "wasted" a good few minutes of my life watching two blokes bounce up and down on the balls of their feet in a semi-final that purports to be taekwondo.  Hmmm...

In my opinion getafix's point is spot on.  When the IOC / ISAF announced that a class was to be dropped, there was plenty of "my class is better than yours" going on.  Perhaps instead we should unite and say "hold on a minute, why are you dropping any?"

I personally am a big fan of all sport, but if we look at (and please forgive me any rowers or kayakers out there who are offended by this collection) "paddling" based sports there are an amazing number of different disciplines and distances!  Why shouldn't we have: Laser - 1km windward; Laser - 2km sausage; Laser - 3km triangle as separate events?!

JimC made an excellent point earlier about why each class is being sailed and you'd struggle to justify why any should be dropped.  IIRC, there was very little difference between the number of votes for the T and the keelboat.  Now I don't know the number of different nations competing in each event but I suspect that sailing's a match for many.  It's time to make a stand!