Denmark submits bid for 2018 ISAF Sailing World Championships

by Matthew Pryor on 5 Mar 2014 Denmark has the pleasure of revealing that it has submitted its bid for the 2018 ISAF Sailing World Championships. Saturday, March 1, 2014 was the deadline day for submissions and Aarhus, Denmark’s second largest city, is proud to be one of the cities applying to host the greatest sailing championships of them all. The bid committee will present their vision at the ISAF headquarters later this month in Southampton, England on Tuesday, March 25.

'The 2018 ISAF Worlds will be a hugely important event for Olympic sailing and we believe that Aarhus can give this great event the stage it deserves,' Hans Natorp, the president of the Danish Sailing Association, said. 'Denmark is a sailing nation, sailing has won more Olympic medals than any other sport in Denmark, Aarhus, with the coming Sailing Centre and its beautiful Bay is the ultimate arena for the World Championships. We look forward to presenting our bid in Southampton.'

Aarhus has proven world-class race conditions and regatta organisation skills, and the competition venue - with the stunning new Aarhus International Sailing Centre to be completed by mid-2016, at its heart - offers ideal logistics in the middle of an exciting, vibrant and easily accessible city.

Having staged such sailing events as the 2008 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, the 2010 505 World Championship, the 2011 A-Cat World Championship and the 2013 49er and 49erFX European Championship, Aarhus has shown it has what it takes to stage a world-class sailing event. With its theatre-style racing and technological expertise Aarhus can deliver the most spectator-friendly World Championships ever.

'Working with the Danish sailors, Sailing Aarhus and the City of Aarhus was such a pleasure from every point of view,' Marcus Spillane, the president of the 49ER class, said after the exciting 2013 49er and 49er FX European Championship. 'The business was clean and easy, the volunteers were passionate and highly skilled in their tasks, and the result of all this was a regatta almost unparalleled in Olympic-style sailing. The 49er class would recommend to anyone thinking of running events in Aarhus not to hesitate, as they can accomplish all they promise. In fact, we will be returning this year we were so happy.'

There is strong public support behind the bid and guaranteed government funding. The public partners - specifically Sport Event Denmark (the Danish Government), the City of Aarhus and the Central Denmark Region - have expressed their full, unconditional and strong financial support for hosting the 2018 ISAF Worlds. This strong public commitment means that ISAF will be able to avoid any economic or organisational risks or challenges in connection with this event.

Denmark has a strong sailing tradition and has for many years staged great world-class sailing events,' Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark, said. 'As the Danish national sport event organisation, Sport Event Denmark is proud of the passion and work of the Danish sailing community. We are impressed by the skills and readiness to innovate that characterise Danish sailing and we believe that for the ISAF Worlds Aarhus in 2018 will be right place at the right time.

The 2018 ISAF Worlds will also have a guaranteed legacy as it will support and be supported by the major harbour re-development already underway in the new residential area called Aarhus Ø. By By 2017, when Aarhus is European Capital of Culture, Aarhus Ø will be home to more than 8,000 people, numerous sport and leisure activities, cafes, shops and most importantly many active sailors enjoying a dedicated sailing environment around the newly-built Aarhus International Sailing Centre.

'This is something we have been building up to for a long time and Aarhus and Denmark have worked out a clear vision for our bid,' Thomas Capitani, the executive director of Sailing Aarhus, who will be general manager of the 2018 organising committee, said. 'It would be huge honour to host the Worlds and I know that they will find a great home here. Everything is coming together at the right time; we have the skilled event organisers, strong city and government partners, great Olympic sailors and the new world-class sailing facilities will fully tested before the event. Aarhus is ready.'