SWIVEL LOCKS
A bizarre sport with so many aspects and sub-disciplines, it is no wonder that sailing keeps finding ways to reinvent itself to meet changing demographic and economic scenarios. As the top end pro-level gets ever more costly, including some almost literally gold-plated RC44 programmes (left), Corinthian offshore racing (above) heads the other way with ever more two-handed teams – the latest barrier to acceptability coming down as we go to press with the overdue announcement that two-handed crews will now compete for the overall IRC trophies in the next Sydney Hobart
whether states or individuals, are the most altruistic though often requiring loyalties and prestige in return.
If we then put sport and sailing next to this, do we see parallels? Of course we do: the state of our sport reflects our options, choices, dreams, likes and dislikes, even our loyalties. It is of course quite obvious that at the top end boats keep getting bigger and more money is spent than ever before. Partially because technology keeps improving, enabling us to race bigger boats, but in the end because the money is there. So why not ‘live the dream’? The increase of 2H sailing is obvious; it would be interesting to research if this is predominantly driven by cost or by social reasons, pointing towards an increasingly individualistic society? Per sailor I guess 2H sailing is more expensive but that is just a guess. Less visible but in parallel with ‘real life’ is that the governance of sailing now enjoys less respect and so much less power. This political crisis might be more worrisome than growing economic inequality triggering a socio-economic crisis, although the two are chicken and egg. The political crisis reduces our ability to change the course of our lives through taking part in the political process – at least that is how many see the situation. Power is viewed by many as shifting from politicians with majority support to individuals and institutions controlling wealth. In increasing numbers we doubt the power and motives of our elected leaders… and so of our vote. What history shows over and over again is that it’s not enough to oppose a broken model but that a credible alternative has to be found. Possibly that alternative has to value labour more, whether or not at the expense of income from capital, rent or investments, as many now advocate. There is a joke, I think it is a Spanish one, that says ‘If work was profitable the rich would be doing it’. Then we might see confidence return in how countries, cities and also sports are managed. And with that a move away from today’s individualism and in our sport a recovery of fully crewed racing alongside a wider recovery in team sports. No better way to learn to work as a group than to battle fully crewed around the Fastnet or Sydney Hobart course, or attend one of the many race weeks, world or continental championships our sport offers. In the end the Cervantes Trophy was won by RORC Commodore James Neville, racing his fully crewed HH42 Ino XXX, scoring a full house… first overall in IRC, line honours and top prize in IRC Zero. Tim Goodhew and Kelvin Matthews racing the Sun Fast 3200 Cora double-handed took third overall, and won IRC 3 and IRC Two Handed. A nice mix.
Next time I will try to be less serious! Rob Weiland, TP52 and Maxi72 class manager
SEAHORSE 35 Visuel_Swivel
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