Foundation for the future, a renewed Sailing World Cup for 2017-2020

by Daniel Smith, World Sailing 12 Sep 2016 14:37 BST 12 September 2016

Over its nine-year history, the Sailing World Cup has provided the foundations for the road to an Olympic and Paralympic Games, offering a glimpse of what will happen at the grandest stage in the sport.

As the focus begins to shift from Rio de Janeiro and the Brazilian waters to the Japanese city of Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games, World Sailing has unveiled its strategy for the Sailing World Cup with a renewed vision:

The Sailing World Cup Series will continue to showcase and develop Olympic Sailing, it will be a key part of a sailor's Olympic campaign, integrate Para World Sailing, help create heroes and engage sailing sports fans, excite sponsors and broadcasters and conclude with a Final at which the winners in each event are crowned.

As part of the strategy, Miami, an existing and popular Sailing World Cup Round has been awarded a series Round each January from 2017 through to 2020.

Miami will host the first Round of the upcoming 2017 series which will be shortened to allow a switchover to a new calendar. Hyeres, France will follow in April before a European Final in late June / early July. Sailors attending the 2016 Sailing World Cup Final in Melbourne, Australia will automatically qualify for the 2017 series with the remaining places awarded based on the World Sailing Rankings.

After the shortened 2017 series, the Sailing World Cup series will run from October to July every year, incorporating three Rounds and a European Final at the end of June / early July. For sailors to qualify for the Final, they will have to commit to the full series.

Japan will host a Sailing World Cup Round each October from 2017 through to 2019 before holding the Final in July 2020, just weeks before the Olympic Games. Qualification regattas for the 2017/18 season will be announced by the end of October 2016.

World Sailing CEO Andy Hunt commented, "After Rio 2016, a clear vision is required for the Sailing World Cup to capitalise on the success of one of the most thrilling Olympic Sailing Competitions in recent history.

"We now aim to develop a sustainable, long term, annual elite series that supports an Olympic campaign, drives our commercial and sponsorship activities and takes the sport to thriving venues with world famous sailing conditions.”

The 2017-2020 Sailing World Cup series of events:

• 2017: Miami (January), Hyeres (April) + European Final (late June/ early July)
• 2017/18: Japan (October 2017), Miami (January 2018), Hyeres (May 2018) + European Final
• 2018/19: Japan (October 2018), Miami (January 2019), Europe Round (May-June) + European Final
• 2019/20: Japan (October 2019), Miami, (January 2020) Europe Round (May-June) + Japan Final (July 2020)

World Sailing are now inviting Host Cities in Europe to bid for the Sailing World Cup Series Final in 2017-2019. Click here for the Bid Documents.