The Olympics and the heroes it delivers are a big tool in making sailing ‘stickier’ for newcomers – as well as for younger sailors who have already been racing for a while. But there is another powerful tool where clinical pursuit of inshore racing perfection is replaced by life-threatening adventure – still with enormous competitive pressures. The French model of putting sailors up there as ocean-going titans creates more public interest – and sponsorship – than any other form of the sport anywhere else in the world. That it’s an extremely serious business is exactly what keeps a huge public following glued to smartphone trackers. This is Franck Cammas (left), who after capsizing in the dark during the 2002 Route du Rhum was then sailed into by Jean Le Cam…
meetings about the Olympic sailing disciplines. What a communica- tions disaster! Come on, boys and girls, you’re better than that. I don’t know the reasons behind the introduction of an offshore medal at the Olympic Games. I do know that people I respect voted for it and it passed. That is how democracy works: we have a vote and one side wins by getting the required number of votes and the other side doesn’t. Just accept it and get on with it. But… and here is my beef. You then stand up and explain why in your collective opinion that was the best available choice. That is how you shut down accusations of self-interest… or worse. I know there are hoops that the International Olympic Committee makes World Sailing jump through, and then there are the hoops of our own making. Just explain it. Silence is a poor defence. OK, enough said.
Attract more people to the sport We need to increase the number of people sailing to keep constantly broadening our base. There is a perception in the outside world that sailing is for ‘Rich White People’. Face it, that perception is going to work against sailing for at least another 20 years. Think about trying to expand your local yacht club, get permission to use public land for a large regatta. Throw open the doors. (And stay in the Olympics!)
Sailing needs to make itself more friendly to more people, more inclusive to the people who think, ‘I would like to give sailing a go, but it’s just too much of a closed shop to get into.’ So we miss out on them. If sailing is growing everyone (as least everyone in sailing) wins. Sailing has got something that most other sports could never
match. Namely competition with and between different generations. Can’t do that in rugby or football. Sailing is for life, whether you first get hooked at seven or 70. Call it pathways to the sea, but growing sailing is high on the priority list.
Did you know that you have to be a member of a yacht club to race a boat in New Zealand? Hmm, not really being friendly there in getting new sailors through the door.
Rules and structure We need structure, not anarchy. Everyone would agree with that. At least I would hope so. The problem is when we lay down lots of structure for the Olympics or other big regattas, and then some of that complexity flows down all the way to local fun regattas. 18-foot skiff sailors take a very relaxed view of the pre-regatta notice of race and sailing instructions compared to, say, the America’s Cup or a world championship. In their view, the notice of race for the recent Auckland champs just had to say the date, the place and a rough start time. The rest can be sorted on the beach before launching. Officially a notice of race has certain requirements, it’s a long-winded thing requiring stating the rules, advertising, eligibility, format of racing, schedule, disclaimers etc etc. The notice of race for some Laser twilight fun racing is three pages! Ridiculous. Should fit on one page max. The point is we need to make sailing user-friendly. As it stands now, you feel as if you are dealing with the latest changes in the national tax code… when all you’re trying to do is run a fun sailing get-together. Racing rules will come under increasing pressure as the new super high-performance classes (foiling) present new challenges in applying the rulebook. The America’s Cup already has different rules from the rest of sailing.
So we have challenges ahead of us to make the rules and regu- lations of sailing much less burdensome on our sailors but instead be simple and practical to use across the board. Easier said than done but needs to be done.
I am sure my view of the future of sailing needs is just a starting point, no worries there. The point is let’s define where sailing needs to be in 10 years and then make a plan to get there. And, no, am not angling to lead this charge – politics have never been my thing.
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