News Around the World
Well, this is going to be interesting… The launch of the boat to be used for the 36th America’s Cup received mixed reviews. Many designers and engineering are chomping at the bit to get going with the first completely new type of sailboat in 50 years, while others are concerned about the potential cost of taking such a big step. And will the boats end up close enough in performance to make for a good match in 2021? Exactly the same questions were asked of the AC72 class when it was introduced – and look how that turned out
USA Planting seeds A strong theme at the most recent Yacht Racing Forum, in Aarhus, Denmark was inspiring a new generation to engage in sailing, whether in high-performance or club racing or oceanic adventures. This was also reflected in the inaugural Mirabaud Video Award, where in among the usual offerings highlighting wind, spray, cat- astrophe or clever camera angles, there were others that played on the theme of youth in sailing – and appropriately it was these short films that took the awards. The overall prize went to a beautiful vignette from Roman Brunisholz
about a young Swiss girl, inspired by watching TV coverage of another young Swiss sailor Alan Roura in the last Vendée Globe, sailing her Oppi away from the racecourse in search of something more over the horizon. The video plays on Roura’s story of youth, enthusiasm and energy to inspire another generation. Similarly, the Mirabaud Public Award went to Chris Love’s short introduction to the 2017 Transpac, in which 12-year-old Kelly Holthus was interviewed about sailing as bowman on his dad’s Pac52, 2,225nm across the Pacific. For us with a bias to big boat sailing these videos are inspiring,
because for most of us growing up there was not the range of sailing (and wider) choices available to kids today – that in the US as else- where is also often blamed for siphoning away youth interest in big boat sailing. Whereas in our youth we stumbled on whatever boats we could find to sail among our families, neighbours and friends, for some sailing youngsters there is now a lot more access. Take, for example, sailing in US schools. The genre is exploding
right now, with all but five of the 50 US states having high schools that are members of the Interscholastic Sailing Association system with 529 teams registered and 3-4,000 kids participating. The majority of these teams race in double-handed dinghies like Flying Juniors or 420s, but there are also regattas for Lasers and even keelboats in some districts. The programmes are in the autumn and spring terms, with district and regional championships leading to national championships in the spring. And while the top teams are currently still from the coasts, the district with the most schools is actually in the midwest sailing on lakes and rivers. This system for teenage sailors mirrors a similar system for collegiate sailors, with 273 schools participating in similar regions.
24 SEAHORSE
Some of the best sailors in the US became All-Americans while in university. Yet sailing has no recognition in the NCAA, the governing body for collegiate sports in the US despite being an Olympic sport. Sports like shooting, fencing, wrestling and water polo are recog- nised, but sailing is not. Being unrecognised by this body eliminates the option for scholarships, to help during one of the most expensive phases of life for an educated American. Some of our most talented and determined teenagers consider
bypassing college sailing altogether in favour of pursuing an Olympic pathway, while for four years their peers are trying to balance sailing and school. These non-student athletes are then free to pursue their goals outside the confines of intercollegiate sailing (which mostly involves non-spinnaker fleets team racing on short courses) and focus on the classes of boats used in the Games like their non- US competitors. The only US Olympic medallist in Rio, Caleb Paine, who won bronze in the Finn, did just this with support from various club foundations as well as the US Olympic squad. He won last year’s Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award for his accomplishment. But to advocate bypassing the well-established inter collegiate
sailing system is controversial. The prevailing belief is that a uni- versity degree is an a priori requirement for professional life in the US, even with its high cost. To pay back this cost and enter the competitive workplace many 20 and 30-somethings leave sailing completely – though some return later when some measure of stability and wealth afford them the resources. But a lot never return. This makes us pay heed to Mark Twain’s famous adage: ‘Never
let school interfere with your education.’ On the non-racing side there are other pathways and these were
discussed in Aarhus as well. Community boating programmes that get kids on the water are widespread in the US – nearly every urban centre on a coast or large body of water now has one, where self- reliance, teamwork, preparation, safety and working with rather than against nature are guiding principles. Often these kids are from backgrounds that would normally never afford them this access. How cool would it be for what was once seen as the ‘other’ sport of kings if one or two of these deserving youngsters can be inspired – and fortunate – enough to pursue this through the ranks to stand on an Olympic podium with a US flag some day? Dobbs Davis
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