What was it Will Carling so famously said
about ‘37 old farts’? I’m sorry, but that quote came to mind after the recent
ISAF conference and decision on Olympic equipment.
I’m sure there was a lot of good reasoning
behind the scenes – there are some great names on the various committees, our
sport is well represented in the Olympics, and we have governing bodies that
tend to do the sport proud, both worldwide and with the RYA in the UK. But I
can’t help feeling the Olympic equipment is stuck in a bit of a time warp, and
feel particularly disappointed regarding the selection for the women’s events.
Quite simply, for the girls, I don’t really see anything I’d really want to
sail. While the men at least have the Finn (which by all accounts is fantastic
to sail) and the 49er (an awesome boat which makes me wish I was bigger), to my
mind, and for many other female sailors, there isn’t anything really decent
among the women’s line-up.
I understand the desire to increase
participation – and on that front the Laser has done a fantastic job in
increasing the number of nations. But the Olympics are supposed to be the
pinnacle of our sport; the athletes the best in the world. Other sports use the
very latest hi-tech equipment, so surely the Games should be a shop window for
the sport the world over? While I understand the compromise to be made in some
areas, this could be offset with other classes at the very top end. Just
imagine the impact a foiling class, for example, would have, not just for
sailors, but also for non-sailors. I’m certain it would capture people’s
imaginations.
There are plenty of possibilities, but for
me the essentials should include the Laser and Laser Radial (men’s and women’s
singlehanders – for accessibility), 49er (men’s skiff), 29erXX or other
(women’s skiff), Foiling class (possibly open), multihull class (possibly
mixed), and a men’s and women’s doublehanded dinghy… I have mixed views about
the options when it comes to the other classes, so I’ll stop there.
Meanwhile I’ll just have to swallow my
disappointment that London 2012 might not have the most spectacular sailing
classes it could have done, and hope instead that by 2016 we will see a better
mix.
