Please select your home edition
Edition
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast

Calling out to U.S. Sailing to explain their Olympic vote

by Nevin Sayre on 17 May 2012
in the hospital after kitesurfing - Calling out U.S. Sailing to explain their Olympic vote Nevin Sayre
Dear U.S. Sailing,

Every class chosen for the Olympics has a pathway from young kid to Olympic champion. As yet, Kitesurf racing has no such pipeline. As an avid kitesurfer, windsurfer, sailor, U.S. Sailing member, and also someone who has been very involved in youth sailing development, I would like U.S. Sailing to explain their actions.


The ISAF General Council voted 19-17 to overrule the recommendation of their own 'experts' on the Events Committee, and include kitesurf course racing in the 2016 Olympic Games. This decision comes at the expense of windsurfing, which is easily one of the two most popular classes at the Games, and has a huge junior pipeline. ISAF’s own Events Committee and Windsurfing/kitesurfing Committee, which held an ISAF sponsored equipment evaluation, did not recommend kiteboarding over windsurfing for the 2016 Olympic Games. Why did U.S. Sailing place their 3 votes (more than any other country) in favor of kitesurf racing?

What is U.S. Sailing’s plan to safely include kitesurfing into Junior Sailing Programs, the Olympic Youth Development Team, Youth Worlds Team, the Junior Olympic events, and all the pathways that leads to the Olympics? There are over 110 reported kitesurfing deaths in the last 10 years. That should be compared with an excellent safety record in windsurfing’s 40 year history. I am personally very lucky not to be on the fatality list, and suffered a head wound with 150 stitches from kitesurfing. And I consider myself a decent kiter, and knowledgeable about the wind. There is no way I would allow my kids to kitesurf.

In a year when U.S. Sailing has expressed deep concern over the sudden uptick in tragic sailing deaths from Annapolis to San Francisco, what is U.S. Sailing’s safety plan here? Is U.S. Sailing aware that insurance companies, citing grave safety concerns, have refused to cover sailing programs which include kitesurfing?

Can you see kitesurfing at your junior program and/or sailing club?

Kitesurfing is evolving, and the very small percentage of kitesurfers who race, are clearly on the cutting edge. I welcome inclusion in the Olympics when the safety, equipment, logistics, and formats are ready. When instructional and competitive programs are developing young kitesurf racers, and safely channeling them toward their Olympic dreams, let's go. We are clearly not there yet for 2016 Olympic Games.

Meanwhile the ISAF vote itself is a sham. The President of the Royal Spanish Federation (RFEV) has issued a formal apology that their ISAF vote was wrongly placed for kitesurfing over windsurfing, and the RFEV supports the process to overturn the vote. The President of the Venezuelan Federation has informed ISAF that their Venezuelan countryman (who voted for kitesurfing) did not represent the judgement of their Federation. The Chairman of the Israeli Federation is quoted in Reuters: 'The delegates were probably confused or didn't understand the motion fully because of language difficulties, or some may have been napping at the presentations and then cast their votes without realizing the implications.' Whatever conditions enabled kitesurfing to prevail in the first round of balloting, there are compelling reasons for the issue to be put to a proper vote.

I’m concerned as a U.S. Sailing menber that USA also doesn’t understand the implications. Will U.S. Sailing please publicly explain why they cast their three votes against ISAF’s own Events Committee recommendation, and in favor of choosing kitesurfing over windsurfing for 2016?




PS. The photos are of myself two days after a kitesurfing accident. Does U.S. Sailing really want to endorse kitesurfing for the Olympics and youth development before the sport is ready?

Sea Sure 2025Allen Dynamic 40 FooterHyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Related Articles

Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day 4
Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title, while Pierre Mortefon is on verge of winning men's after claiming back-to-back bullets.
Posted today at 10:45 am
Transat Café L'or calling for next destinatation
After Cartagena, Salvador de Bahia, Puerto Limon, Itajaí, and Fort-de-France After Cartagena, Salvador de Bahia, Puerto Limon, Itajaí, and Fort-de-France, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie is now calling for applications to find a destination partner for the next editions, starting from the fall of 2027.
Posted today at 10:10 am
Cape 31 Med Circuit Round 4 at Imperia overall
Stig stays steady to win again in Italy, Give Me Five tops Corinthian One Pro The Cape 31 fleet wrapped up a spectacular weekend of racing in Imperia with Alessandro Rombelli's Stig (ITA 76) claiming the overall win after nine races. This marks Stig's second Italian victory of the 2025 Cape 31 Race Circuit.
Posted today at 9:32 am
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta overall
Wrapping up with World-Class podium performances The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta wrapped up with a full podium and high spirits, marking a thrilling conclusion to a week of elite racing in the iconic waters off Southern California.
Posted today at 5:41 am
WASZP Games 2025 Day 1
247 sailors across four fleets racing in Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay "This race is live" — and with that, the 2025 WASZP Games were officially under way. With 247 sailors across four fleets, Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay were transformed into a theatre of foiling.
Posted today at 4:56 am
Heartbreaker leads sunrise finishers
In 2025 Race to Mackinac In the early morning hours, the sleek fleet of Great Lakes 52s sailed under the Mackinac Bridge and past the iconic Round Island Lighthouse to finish at Mackinac Island, completing their 333-mile journey in the 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.
Posted on 21 Jul
Eye on the Prize
The Contenders Chasing Admiral's Cup History For over half a century, the Admiral's Cup was considered the world championship of offshore racing. And then, in 2003, it was gone. Now, after a 22-year absence, the Cup is back.
Posted on 21 Jul
Paul Antrobus obituary
One of the outstanding figures of the era of great amateur sailors Sailors around the world will be sad to hear that British offshore sailing legend Paul Antrobus has crossed the bar. One of the "greats" of the IOR era of offshore racing, Paul had a distinguished career both afloat and ashore.
Posted on 21 Jul
Antigua launches high-energy racing spin-off
The Antigua Racing Cup is an event for racing purists The Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Investment is pleased to announce that a new vision for yachting in Antigua and Barbuda is beginning to take shape, building on the long-established brand of Antigua Sailing Week.
Posted on 21 Jul
Record MOCRA turn-out for the Rolex Fastnet Race
This year there are 20 multihulls racing for the Crystal Trophy While the four Ultims maxi-trimarans and nine Ocean Fiftys have their own classes in this Saturday's centenary Rolex Fastnet Race, the remaining multihulls convene in the MOCRA class.
Posted on 21 Jul