Paul Henderson on Sailing on the Net & Miami OCR and Olympic Sailing

by Paul Henderson on 22 Jan 2007 To All My Old Friends:

I am so encouraged by the success of the Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta. It is the largest entry in their history.

850 sailors from 48 countries with threequarters foreign to the USA. They love Miami and the USA.

The Miami Olympic Training Centre, with major patrons Schoonmakers and Whittons both Olympic Families, is an example on what makes Olympic Sailing work.

This shows that Olympic Sailing is healthy where local clubs are focused on competitive racing.

All the 11 Olympic Classes are well supported and some are growing significantly especially the Tornado (42) and 49er (50) along with the resurgence of Windsurfing with the new RS-X. The Star (67) and Finn (50) are the two senior classes and are very healthy and both serve a required need in Olympic sailing.

Naturally the Laser is over the top with 115 men and 69 women entries.

Women's entries in both the 470 and Yngling are growing which is encouraging.

The total inclusion of the Paralympic sailors in the Skud, 2.4m and Sonar racing out of their wonderful name 'Shake-a-Leg' is rewarding to all involved. (I do not like the word 'Disabled')

It is disconcerting to see that the IOC and some sailing gurus only look at TV ratings for judging the health of sport as I always believed that participation and country spread was more significant. Sailings Internet hits are among the top of any sport.

Sailing constantly has had Olympic medals spread among 20 countries which is also at the top of that Olympic criteria.

11 Olympic Events is not excessive compared to other similar water sports and it is sad that we will be cut back to ten for London in the most successful sailing nation today and also a remote venue.

When the IOC cuts entries back they cut out the emerging sailing nations but still sailing gets more countries entered than well over 50% of the other Olympic sports.

To prostitute the integrity of the sport that we all love for some increased TV dream is unfortunate to say the least if not unobtainable.

Sailing is an environmentally sensitive sport that uses nature as we find it using a renewable resource the wind for propulsion.

Sailing is a participatory sport run by volunteers and one you can compete in from 8 to over 80.

Sailing by keeping to its roots has become an example for modern popular thinking; environmentally friendly and open to all sizes, shapes and genders.

A truly modern sport!

See you in Miami.

Paul Henderson