Please select your home edition
Edition
C-Tech 2021 America's Cup 728x90 TOP

ISAF decisions, AC45s, Williams wins and all the latest sailing news

by Sail-World.com Team on 9 May 2011
Welcome to Sail-World.com's latest UK newsletter.

The International Sailing Federation's Mid-Year meeting took centrestage on Friday and Saturday as the Events for the 2016 Olympiad were determined.

As is usual when such decisions are made, any notions that the best interests of the sport being paramount, are quickly put aside, and the usual power struggle emerges between the Star keelboat and the 470 dinghy as they struggle to remain in the Olympic Sailing Regatta.

Sadly the common tactic, when the going gets tough, is to pick the weakest class and try to throw them out of the equation.

This happened once again on Friday, when the 49er became the target, to the incredulity of many of those at the meeting in St Petersburg, Russia. Even more amazingly, the body firing the bullets at the most spectacular boat in the Olympics, was the ISAF's Executive Committee.

We have several reports in this edition on how the debate and amazing battle unfolded, and what the Events will be for the 2016 Olympics to be staged in Rio de Janeiro.

As discussed in the wrap-up story on the final day of the Council Meeting, we believe the actions of the Executive Committee, and others, will have a far more reaching effect in the ISAF's affairs than just this meeting.

For some time we have been railing against PR sanitising of sailing events. There is no more graphic example of this practice than the official ISAF report on the Mid-Year meeting and the other reports of the same event. Reading the ISAF report one could be excused for believing they were at another venue. To be fair, many other event spin doctors are equally as guilty.

Sailing needs colour - as other sports do - and they make as many headlines during the week as they do in the weekend. Life's not all good news and happy clapping. Reporting what really happened, it's essential to build a fan base. The lows are just as important as the highs. That's what sport is about. Celebrate and report it.

The America's Cup Media Trials have concluded in Auckland and the AC45's are being packed off to Europe.
In this edition of Sail-World, we have a couple of reports on the final two days.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]

Ian Williams has won the Open de Espana in Calpe, the UK Finn title has been won by Allen Burrell and we have news from the RYA Eric Twiname Championships and the Wilson Trophy, British Open Team Racing Championships.

While the focus was on ISAF, lots did happen this week and we have all the latest sailing news from around the world on our website www.sail-world.com

Many thanks to our contributors in this edition, particularly those using our online submission and image loading facility which can be accessed by http://www.sail-world.com/admin/add_story.cfm!clicking_here

Send your news and images directly to Sail-World by http://www.sail-world.com/admin/add_story.cfm!clicking_here

To subscribe a friend to Sail-World's FREE newsletter http://www.sail-world.com/nz/newsletter_subscribe.cfm!click_here
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeSelden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

Banger Racing, Back Racing and No Racing
Racing on the cheap, a return to racing for young Aussies, and ILCA struggles We start with racing on the cheap at the Colander Cup, then focus on a return to racing for the Aussies at the Youth Worlds, moving on to a complete lack of racing at the ILCA Worlds, and then looking at how SailGP should be back out on the water.
Posted on 14 May Exposure Marine Fastnet Race Kit Video Review
A set of 3 torches specifically designed for offshore racing crews It's a huge year for offshore sailing, and arguably the biggest event of the summer is the Rolex Fastnet Race. Within an hour of entries opening the Royal Ocean Racing Club had received a record 435 yacht registrations.
Posted on 14 May Touching base with Francesca Clapcich
Francesca Clapcich on her 2028-2029 Vendee Globe campaign In late March, Italian-American sailor Francesca “Frankie” Clapcich announced that her Team Francesca Clapcich Powered by 11th Hour Racing will campaign for the 2028-2029 edition of the Vendee Globe race.
Posted on 13 May How Seldén Carbon Masts are made
I took a look around the Seldén Mast factory with Richard Thoroughgood to find out more I took a look around the Seldén Mast factory with Richard Thoroughgood from Seldén to find out a bit more about how the carbon tow reels become the masts that we use when out sailing.
Posted on 12 May SAY it with intent! SAY it in carbon…
You know, you might also have to SAY it in epoxy. You know, you might also have to SAY it in epoxy. Get all that, and you are certainly someone who needs to know about SAY Carbon Yachts. It's all about efficiency, acceleration, pace, and the amount of horsepower required to get there.
Posted on 8 May Night sailing, Transat Paprec, Congressional Cup
Night sailing, encountering light airs in the Transat Paprec, Congressional Cup We bundled up as the last of the rays sunlight dipped below the Olympic Mountains and night quietly fell on Puget Sound. We'd been racing for about twelve hours in the Seattle Yacht Club's Protection Island Race (April 26), and we were getting tired.
Posted on 6 May For the love of slightly larger, even faster boats
Bring it on. No chicken chutes allowed. Celestial, the newest Cape 31 in Oz is up and racing Thank you. You have let For the love of small, fast boats run before the breeze like a superlight planning hull under way too big a kite, with immense sheep in the paddock, and the Sailing Master grasping the flare gun in his pocket... No chicken chutes.
Posted on 4 May Touching base with Erden Eruç
Erden Eruç on his 2026 Golden Globe Race campaign Adventures come in all sizes, scales, speeds, and price tags. My longtime friend and sometimes shipmate Erden Eruç was the first person to complete a human-powered solo circumnavigation. He's now turning his attention to the 2026 Golden Globe Race.
Posted on 1 May The Allure of Timber
The longevity, and sheer beauty, of boats made of wood In these days of exotic materials, high modulus carbon and ultra lightweight construction, it's possible to overlook the longevity, and sheer beauty, of boats made of wood.
Posted on 29 Apr A look inside the Spirit Yachts yard
A close look at what makes their yachts unique Traditional skills in boatbuilding could be regarded as a lost art from a bygone era. In the world of fibreglass and carbon, the joinery and laminating techniques of wood ribs and cedar strips are a thing of the past.
Posted on 28 Apr
This site and its contents are Copyright © 2025 Sail-World Sail-World USA and/or the original author, photographer etc. All Rights Reserved. Photographs are copyright by law. If you wish to use or buy a photograph contact the photographer directly.
If you have any questions about advertising or editorial then please contact our team. If you encounter any technical issues then please email techsupport@sail-world.com
Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy