According to a post on the catsailor forum a Norwegian news paper is reporting that the IOC plans to drop sailing from the Olympics in 2012. Anyone else hear anything about this?

A "pickle-fork" sailor quoting a Viking newspaper?

Nah. I don't think so.

Heres a link

http://www.seilmagasinet.no/sm_lesmer.php?...709148012b9a0cd

Its all greek to me.

GTFOH!!!! I hope not - ISAF would throw ALL the toys out of the cot!

Well, somethings gotta give considering the rapid rise of trampoline and other leotard based sports.

What would you rather see, the worlds top amature sailors competing or some North Korean genetic freak woman with throat glands and a pronounced sub fanny pack bulge bouncing around on her Frodo feet?

Here's a lame free translation from a Norwegian to English website. Not quite all there, though you can get some of the flavor:

The voyage sacrifice for archaic mediadekning in OL
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– The voyage able do considerably additional absorbing for audience and media if they grasping in use contemporary devices and not only that pondering in tradjsonelle TV-reportasjer, considers Siren Sound. photo Morten Jensen)
IOC can't the voyage and media
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Absence TV- settlement in Athens

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Archaic TV- intermediary in Athens

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A little innovativ development at seilsporten

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But facts be bound to may hoderulling and another age the sailor at in crown at systems, a prior they discern facts?

Siren Sundby DOES look pushable in any case ... !!!

Let's see, the president of the IOC is an Finn Olympian. Do you think that politics under his watch would let that happen?

Sailing was the first event to sell out all tickets in Athens.

Yes, it is a wish to eliminate Sailing from the Olympic games as the games have become a cash cow. The cost of the infrastructure for sailing, and the lack of media (hence revenue) interest make it an easy target for cuttling losses and increasing profit.

Interestingly, they would like to eliminate keelboats as they need hoists which adds to the costs a lot. But what occurs after the Olympics is over is that the Para-Olympics start next and they really need hoists as the para athletes need boats that won't flip and therefore have keels.

You are mental and no one - especially me - has any idea what you're talking about.

Sorry - the pic on the link

Pushable - al la Pushing her around the mattress crotch to crotch!!!

Surely can't be too likely, given that Rogge was a Finn sailor?

However, sailing isn't immune. The lastest report was the Olympic Programme Commission, which reported on the 13th of June. Report is here:
http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_953.pdf

The votes on which sports will actually be part of the 2012 games will be made at the July IOC session when they choose the host city.

So, assuming that sailing in 2008 is a disaster from a compleat lack of wind, we must be thankful that sailing gets a chance to redeem itself in 2012 (Assuming that sailing has been included in the 2012 games). What we need is another Scheidt/Ainslie match race.

I take it ALL back... oh my goodness!

True Dat P. Ed.

But then how exciting will it be to see 2 all-timers in a Drifting Match.

Do you think that this may be France assuming that it will win the 2012 bid?

I think the real translation is:

"IOC wants more money from those rich sailing athletes(and ISAF and the MNAs) - else - the boot!"

I don't think IOC gets money from the sailors the MNAs or ISAF. It's more like the other way around.

Yes, totally agree with you Sven. the facts of hderulling and crown at systems by sailor age is discern, fact?

More the other way round. From the IOC report: 65% of ISAF income is from the IOC. I would imagine that for many minor sports a similar situation exists - the IOC is the major source of funding for the federations. The IOC wants to ensure that the sports which are at the olympics are generating enough media/spectator interest to be worth paying for - and having the facilities provided.

Generally, they have a bit of a problem with sports that require expensive equipment or facilities, and are dominated by Europe/US/Australisia with limited penetration into Africa/South America/SE Asia. So equestrianism is permanently under review (horses aren't cheap, and neither are eventing cross country courses), as are canoeing/kayaking and rowing - which require expensive artificial courses. Hence keelboats having a beady eye cast on them.

ISAF is currently getting $5,000,000 over a single quadrennium from the IOC.

U.S. Sailing is getting $1,000,000 a year from the USOC. This money is not commingled with dues, and dues are not commingled with this money. It is used on the Olympic effort only and no dues are contributed to the Olympic effort.

Should sailing get dropped from the Olympics, I am sure that the sport would be better off. The Olympic money is doing things that are not healthy for sailing in general. I wish this rumor would come true, but I doubt it will occur in my lifetime.

ISAF would have failed us all and we would stop paying any fees or subscriptions that went to them..............wouldn't we?

Ex -

The MNA's pay ISAF dues, the individual sailors don't.

MNA's would still band together to create a level platform for sailors, rules, appeals, etc.

Be more specific.

On the rules side, there are many rules that recreational sailors just don't need to be bothered with. Let's start out with RRS 5. That is pure Olympic interjection, and something that does apply to you and me (there is nothing in the rules, the SI's or NOR that says it doesn't apply to us) and just is wrong. There are others, you figure it out.

On the sailing side, I have seen competitions in Olympic classes rise and fall with the Olympic money. In the year following the Olympics, the teams are not well defined, their money flow is low, the number of competitions they compete in is low. However, the year before the Olympics, these teams are full on. They have coach boats on the water, spar sails and rigs mounted on the support boats and it is a completely different game for everyone. The recreational sailor isn't getting last minute data feeds right before the starting gun (as the coach boat just completed a turn around the course at 30 knots and checked the wind direction at the weather mark, and the current at various points on the course). The recreational sailor isn't able to change sails at the last minute and leave their other suit of sails on the coach boat.

Sure the recreational sailor can buy a coach boat and coach and play the game too. But the Olympic sailors are doing it with OPM. The recreational sailor has to pay for it out of pocket.

It also happens that many countries use championships in the U.S. to use in their formula for distributing Olympic money. When you have 6 German teams on the course, and the top team is going to get the money, they do not play the game straight. They foul with complete disregard so that their performance on the course wins them the money. I don't mean to pick on my German friends, as there are many other countries doing it too.

I personally don't think this is what 99.999% of the sailors are out there for. I think we are out for good competition and that the playing field is fairly level. When the playing field is tilted, I think the game become a bit of a farce.

Who cares about a bunch of old white guys sailing. Olympic sailing would do a lot better if they had more women like her sailing...naked

No what Olympic sailing needs is more shots of girls (like the Greek 470 gold medallists) snogging.

What we need to do is change the format from "regatta" to "synchronized, rhythmic sailing" with multiple boat teams and streamers from the mast. ABC would pick it up and air it in the afternoons and overlay dub-in Kenny G and Zamphir as necessary.

Who pays the MNA's?

personally the sooner sailing gets dropped from the Games the better


the funding can be spent better elsewhere

half the yachting adminstrators can lose there jobs

and little clubs for real people can benefit

too much the olympic focused adminstration tail wags the sailing dog

and at the end of the day sailing is just not a good business proposition so it fate is sealed really

quicker the better


yes and before you flame me I have spent plenty of time in the back of a 470

Here here!

the IOC is one of the most corrupt, nepotistic international organisations on the planet. It is only exceeded in its wastefulness and excesses by the UN.

Well said...don't agree entirely but it is a very stong point.

I'd rather my son be aspiring to be an olympic sailor than a club racer on a J105.





(Just picking the 105 as an example - no malice intended)

craig


here here also!

Vaness Dudley's interview with Andrew Plympton in May 2005 Aus Sailing has prompted me to respond. Particularly the bits:

"Obviously the key focus is high performance sailing, which includes Olympics and Paralympic sailing. Our income from all the silver card [membership] holders in Australia is $550,000 a year Then we're entrusted ... 3.5 milliona year, all earmarked for one thing and that is to be successful at Olympic and Paralympic Games, so that's exactly what our prime focus has to be."

and

"... We've also got to acknowledge that we've got a whole lot of sailors who are putting careers on hold, buying their equipment, not getting paid for it and we've got to find ways to look after our athletes better. Again it requires money."

Well sorry Plymmo, but no one told me my silvercard membership was to go to some poor bleeding olympic sailor - I was led to believe it was to do with improving the sport for me. When are you going to organise to supplement my income for when I'm sailing, buy equipment for me that I currently fund, and pay me to go sailing?

He concludes with "We do know there are 220,000 sailors in Australia and yet we only get 45,000 members contributing, so we've got to do something about it."

Well fella, there are probably over a million people in Aus who regularly jog, but do they pay the Athletics orgs to fund programs for olympic hopefulls? Millions of Australians enjoy swimming regularly, and many belong to clubs or SLS, but how many pay a national org to fund Thorpie, Thomas and co, as they're all struggling too of course?

Anyone looked at YQ annual report? 550k ..... amazing .....

WELL GET OUT YOUR F**KING CHECK BOOK AND PAY FOR IT

DON'T EXPECT US TOO

WE PAY ENOUGH TAX AS IT IS



again this shows how out of touch Yachting Australia is with it's constituents

little clubs close down or struggle (with rates bills) and where is YA to help with that

our admistrators need to get a grip

Rowing think they are going to get dropped too, or "at risk" for all the same reasons as sailing

I can't believe that the governements still deal with Yachting Australia and the state associations as peak bodies when you look at these numbers

That is a 20% coverage

Yachting Australia needs to do something about this if it wishes to remain the peak body

Without the Olympics the funding goes away.
It doesn't get to be spent elsewhere

Those reasons being "you're not putting enough $$ into our coffers.. off with ya!"

Seems to me World Championships are a bit harder to get than Olympic medals....while I hear what you are saying and believe it is a good thing to aspire to be the best at a sport....Club racing is not any sort of comparison.

The two most expensive sports in the Olympics are sailing and the equestrian events. Neither draw a huge crowd but the equestrian events are a little more TV friendly. Something has to give.

For the aspiring son - or whomever...

Drop the Olympics
Put more thought, effort and focus on true "World Championships" where the possibility of winning in any one country is not limited by the pick of who happens to win an Olympics "Trial". Why can only one team represent a country if said country actually has three or four teams/sailors capable of winning a world championship?

If France (as example) can put together four Olympic caliber teams for any specific class - multihulls, boards, dinghys or keelboats, why not let the other three race for a potential championship win instead of only the team that might be best at one moment in time?

Think about being the number two team here in the US. You work your ass off. You secure some sponsors, and give up "life" for a couple of years sailing and practicing. Your rewards - to be a "standby" team if the number one team has to drop out for any reason. Two years (or more) shot in the ass training, only to be the bridesmaid. Instead, at a true world championship, the organizers can use all their efforts to convince "ALL" the top notch sailors to show up and race. Even those countries who might have sat out the Olympics might have the ability to have their team members sail around the course for the entire regatta - even if they have no chance of winning. Increase participation and perhaps the media will follow - although I suspect it will vary by whichever country is winning.

“The Olympic Games are the pinnacle of sailboat racing. Some have said that a major world championship may be harder to win, others point to the Whitbread Race, Admiral's Cup, or the America's Cup. I have to disagree - the Olympics Games are not won or lost through equipment or technological breakthrough. Firstly, it's a race between sailors with more or less equal boats, sails, and equipment. The ability of the athletes separates the medallists from the rest. Secondly, there is no regatta, even a major world championship, for which each competitor is more prepared. Several years of effort have been directed toward being in top form for this one competition. These factors combine to create the supreme test of sailing skills. This is the essence of Olympic competition - only the cream of the crop is there, they are in top form, and the competition is fair.”

Jonathan McKee

"Lowell North has won innumerable Star regattas, including five Star World Championships, but when asked what his most memorable win was, he said that it was winning the 1968 Star Olympic Gold Medal in Acapulco, Mexico"

Buddy Melges and Russel Couts have said the same thing. Of all their wins the Olympics was most important to them.

The Olympics is the greatest event in sailing because it is the one that the best sailors want to win the most.

Representing your country at the Olympics is undeniabley an enormous honour....Those that get a guernsey for the Olympics are an elite few competitors...not neccessarily the best....quite often the wealthiest. The further the IOC and the national controlling authorities go with their current selection criteria the more that will be the case.

The money spent on qualifying an elite few that, in some cases can fund their own program anyway is not in the general interests of their competition, without whom they cannot improve.

The question is would sailing suffer if dropped as an Olympic sport...I say no.

Eventually .... Cie


Touche

SO!

they can do it some else's money



Again so!

because you can bet that more that grants money goes to the olympic level

the adminstration of olympic sailing should be split off from the rest of the adminstration

of course no games no $$$$

too bad

if someone wants to go to the olympics as a professional sportsperson than their business model is no good

why should taxpayers support professional sportspeople to such an extent

I guess you're not from the US because that's exactly the way we do it over here.

Craig

Go back to what you quoted - the $3.5M is all earmarked - YA can't spend that money to support small clubs. They (as the peak body) are given the money because the Australian Government wants to see Olympic medals (so they can claim the credit). If sailing is dropped from the Olympics, the money will go to "leotard sports" as LR so eloquently puts it. It won't be spent on sailing at all, but your taxes won't decrease either.

My family are all YA members and always have been. I have contributed (in time also) money for years and not a cent has ever flowed back to further my son's aspirations - we DO open the chequebook (or more accurately the credit card) to allow him to compete against other kids his age who receive enormous support from their State YA's - yet we are the one's paying the travelling and accommodation costs. Believe me, you are not subsidising my son's aspirations at all.

While it's true that Olympic hopefuls may miss out on representing their country because at the same time there is one other person who is a fraction faster, that's part of the allure. It's the hardest, so it's the most strived for. (Incidentally, it's the same for Youth Championships - only one representative per country in each class). And it's only every 4 years. There are world champs every year now for these classes. That won't change if sailing is excluded from the Olympics. But sailing will be poorer because one of the pinnacles will have been removed.

THere are other pinnacles - the Volvo, AC etc. But note how many Olympians are on those teams.

And the Games thing is very, very big. It's so different to a regatta. The experience is always described as overwhelming by those who have been. The national team aspect, the respect for and from competitors from other sports.

Dropping sailing from the Olympics won't solve any problems in other areas of the sport (except envy over funding), but will reduce opportunities for sailors of the future. I would hate to see it happen.

R

It would only suffer as much as any sport would suffer after loosing its premier event.
Would people keep racing sailboats. Obviously they would. I know I would.

It is YOUR opinion that it is sailings premiere event...I wonder how many of your competitors think that?

...I'd think a gladiator blood event might bring in the press!

Sailing at the olympics is a good think and i would like to see it stay BUT

They need to update the boats, the current boats barr a couple are so old and tired designs. If they want spectators and media they need to get with the times and have fast boats that attract interest not slow old fuckers that have been around for years.