Women's High Performance Dinghy Trials underway

by ISAF on 18 Apr 2007
The Women's High Performance Dinghy Evaluation Event is underway in Hyères, France, with some of the world’s top women sailors putting the six-boat line up through their paces - The 29er, 29erXX, RS800, Cherub Daemon, Carbonology GT60 and International 14 are being evaluated.

The 29er, 29erXX, RS800, Cherub Daemon, Carbonology GT60 and International 14 have all submitted their entries to the Evaluation Event, being held with some of the world’s top women sailors putting the six-boat line up through their paces.

The event, being held in advance of the decision on the ten events for the 2012 London Olympic Games, opened with all six boats out on the water in 5-6 knots of breeze.

Evaluation events have become an important part of ISAF’s commitment to develop the sport of sailing at the very highest level and make the most of new and exciting technologies.

Women’s sailing has grown massively since the first all-female event at the 1988 Olympic Games. In Athens the sport showed a massive 32% increase in participation by women athletes compared to four years earlier and ISAF is looking to build upon this growth.

Dina Kowalyshyn (USA), member of the ISAF Equipment Committee, Equipment Control Sub-Committee and Women's Forum, is chair of the Evaluation Panel, which also includes 1998 World Sailor of the Year Carolijn Brouwer(NED).

ISAF Vice-President George ANDREADIS (GRE) is also in Hyères. Amongst the sailors nominated by MNAs to sail the six boats are world #4 Women’s 470 crew Sylvia Vogl (AUT) and Carolina Flatscher (AUT).

The six boats for the trials in Hyères are:

29er – A skiff one-design, designed by Julian Bethwaite, launched in 1998.

29erXX - A skiff one-design, designed by Julian Bethwaite which features a carbon mast and double spreaders on the existing 29er hull.

Cherub Daemon - A skiff one-design, designed by Simon Roberts and Richard Taylor to fall within the 2005 UK Cherub Class Rules.

Carbonology GT60 - A project by David Chisolm using a design by Paul Bieker, with the Master plug currently in production.

International 14 - Established 75 years ago, the twin trapeze skiff is a well known development class.

RS800 - A skiff one-design designed by Phil Morrison, with some modifications to the existing RS800 deck mould.

The sailors nominated by MNAs to sail in the Evaluation Event are:

Rebecca Marriott (GBR)
Rachel Larman (GBR)
Helle Orum-Nielsen (DEN)
Maria Gade (DEN)
Elizabeth Kratzig (USA)
Hanna Dahlborg (SWE)
Fernanda Oliveira (BRA)
Isabel Swan (BRA)
Giulia Conti (ITA)
Giovanna Micol (ITA)
Mitsue Nakamura (JPN)
Makiko Ikuta (JPN)
Sylvia Vogl (AUT)
Carolina Flatscher (AUT)
Karin A;mquist (SWE)