Please select your home edition
Edition
Zhik 2024 December

Paris 2024 Olympians elected to World Sailing Athletes' Committee

by World Sailing 16 Aug 2024 11:23 BST
ILCA at Paris 2024 © World Sailing

Following the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, five international sailors have been elected to the World Sailing Athletes' Committee where they will serve as the athlete voice throughout the Federation.

The sailors joining the World Sailing Athletes' Committee are:

  • Kiran Badloe (NED) Men's Windsurfing - Three-time RS:X World Champion, two-time RS:X European Champion and Tokyo 2020 Men's Windsurfing Olympic Champion.
  • Valentin Bontus (AUT) Men's Kite - Recently crowned inaugural Men's Kite Olympic Champion at Paris 2024.
  • Lisa Darmanin (AUS) Mixed Multihull - Four-time Australian Female Sailor of the Year, silver medallist in the Mixed Multihull at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympian.
  • Maria Erdi (HUN) Women's Dinghy - 2023 Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year, 2023 ILCA 6 World Champion and three-time Olympian.
  • Henriette Smith (NOR), one half of the 2023 RS Venture Connect Para World Champions, will also join the Athletes' Commission as the Para Inclusive Sailing representative.

David Graham, World Sailing CEO, said, "I am delighted to welcome the five elected to the Athletes' Committee. These impressive sailors will help steer the future of the sport by communicating the view and priorities of sailors to the Federation.

"Our new governance structure ensures that athlete input is gained throughout World Sailing's Commissions, Committees and Forums and this direct line of communication from the field of play is really useful to allow our sport to continuously improve.

"Their insight will be vital as we implement the priorities outlined in World Sailing's Olympic Vision and pursue reinstatement to the Paralympic Games."

The World Sailing Athletes' Committee is comprised of nine members and meets annually in person. Its role is to represent the interests of all Olympic and Para Inclusive sailors to World Sailing, and to encourage open communication and feedback from the sailors.

The first meeting of the new committee will be at the World Sailing Annual Conference 2024.

The final member will be appointed by the World Sailing President, after the Presidential election in November 2024, to ensure there is balance between regions, genders and events.

After the final member is known, the Committee will meet to elect its Chair and Vice Chair for a four-year term. The Chair of the Committee will be a member of the World Sailing Board and a member of the World Sailing Council.

In line with the IOC Athletes' Commission, the maximum term of membership is eight years. Three members from the previous Athletes' Commission, now renamed to the Athletes' Committee, have a further term to serve:

  • David Hughes (USA), Mixed Dinghy
  • Pawel Kolodzinski (POL), Men's Skiff
  • Pavlos Kontides (CYP) Men's Dinghy

More information about World Sailing's Commissions, Committees and representative roles can be found on the World Sailing website.

Information about the 2024 World Sailing Elections can be found here.

Related Articles

Sailing to make Commonwealth Youth Games debut
Racing in Mellieha Bay, Malta in October 2027 Sailing will be part of the sport programme for the eighth edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games to be held in Malta, marking the first time that sailing has been included in the event. Posted on 1 Aug
World Sailing's inaugural Impact Report
Charting a new course for a sustainable future in sport World Sailing, the global governing body for the sport of sailing, today released its first Impact Report, a comprehensive overview of the federation's significant progress in environmental sustainability and social contribution. Posted on 24 Jul
Tristan triumphs to win 2nd eSailing World title
Tristan Péron became eSailing's first double world champion after qualifying for five finals The 2025 eSailing World Championship has concluded with a dramatic final live from Gdynia as part of the Gdynia Sailing Days festival. Posted on 20 Jul
World Sailing Nations Cup to make grand return
After a seven-year hiatus, World Sailing has officially opened the bid process for host cities After a seven-year hiatus, the World Sailing Nations Cup, the ultimate event to crown the world's top match-racing nations, is making its much-anticipated return. Posted on 18 Jul
Nominations open for World Sailing Awards 2025
Presentation to be held at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire on 5th November Many of the sport's biggest names will be in attendance at the World Sailing Awards 2025, held on Wednesday 5 November at a gala ceremony at the Royal St. George Yacht Club in Dún Laoghaire, Ireland. Posted on 16 Jul
World Sailing announces split venues for LA28
The boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port World Sailing has said it welcomes the confirmation of sailing venues for the Olympic Games LA28 the boards will be at Long Beach, with the dinghy events at the Port. Posted on 30 Jun
World Sailing launches the World Sailing Academy
A new online learning platform for the global sailing community World Sailing officially launched the World Sailing Academy, an innovative new online learning platform designed to provide comprehensive educational resources and training to sailors, coaches, officials, administrators, and the global sailing community. Posted on 17 Jun
Summer Youth Olympic Games equipment confirmed
Dakar 2026 will feature 2 sailing events in the Techno293 World Sailing is pleased to announce the selection of Techno293 as the equipment used in competition at the upcoming Summer Youth Olympic Games Dakar 2026, being held from 31 October to 13 November 2026. Posted on 29 May
Steering the Course kicks off to #AccelerateAction
World Sailing's global women's sailing festival gets under way soon The 2025 edition of Steering the Course, World Sailing's global women's sailing festival, gets under way on 23 May with a week-long focus on #AccelerateAction in support of this year's International Women's Day theme. Posted on 22 May
NYYC hosts 2025 World Sailing Mid-Year Meeting
Board conducted a series of productive strategic meetings The gathering brought the World Sailing Board and Council together in person at the Club's historic 44th Street Clubhouse in Manhattan—an iconic venue designed by Whitney Warren, renowned architect of Grand Central Station. Posted on 19 May