No skiff at 2016 Olympics

punter

Super Anarchist
1,474
1
From twitter:

DarrenBundock Darren Bundock

ISAF Executive Committee recommendations are out. Supporting Star, mixed Multi, 2x470 but No Skiff!! Holly shit!

Rather crazy news from the idiots at ISAF.

 

l4k

New member
38
0
It sounds like there is still a way to go on this - although ISAF have made some odd decisions in the past, surely they won't manage to remove skiffs altogether?? I suspect a slate with minimal changes will emerge - something like 2 x boards, 2 x laser, finn, 49er, star, 2 x 470, mixed multihull. But this ISAF, so they could easily fuck ther whole thing up...

 

JimC

Not actually an anarchist.
8,241
1,188
South East England
What is the point of having all of these committees if they don't get listened too??
You can listen to someone and take on board everything they have to say without agreeing with their conclusions. The exec committee and events committee have different terms of reference and different viewpoints, so its scarcely a suprise that they come up with different conclusions, especially in this situation where there are no good answers. Both committees are small largely self selected groups containing mostly people from first world countries. Council on the other hand is a much more representative body.

Lets face it, if there was a good and obvious answer to the class selections everyone would be shouting out a consensus. As there isn't everyone comes up with their own answers, all with a healthy dollop of personal or national prejudice... There is a huge rich first world bias to the particpants online, and I wouldn't expect Council, which has a much more varied makeup, to come up with a decision we'll like.

 

learningJ24

Super Anarchist
4,344
391
If we can't agree on classes on a pretty homogeneous board, how can committees that have more greatly varying interests agree? Everyone here agrees that Olympic sailing ought to promote the sport however a percentage of the decision makers are concerned with TV and revenues.

Personally, there should be a mix of the tradlitional and cutting edge in the Olympics. A high speed skiff (fun to watch) as well as a multi-crew keelboat (what most people sail) would be an appropiate mix. The more the Olympics (and the America's Cup) move toward the cutting edge of design, the less relevant they become to the majority of sailors.

 

Board skiff

Super Anarchist
1,606
672
It's the lacknof consistency that gets me, more than the choice of events itself. Why do they have to change the events so frequently? The equipment may change over time, but the actual events ought to be virtually unchanged from one Olympiad to the next. And yet here we have multis out, multis in, womens skiff as a real prospect and then possibly no skiff at all. Shambles. Utter shambles. Feel very sorry for the guys campaigning, especially those who may miss out for 2012 but may be realistic prospects for Rio. If you don't know whether your event, let alone specific class will be at the Olympics in 5 years time how are you supposed to plan and prepare?

 

JimC

Not actually an anarchist.
8,241
1,188
South East England
I usually agree with Richard Gladwell, but I reckon he's off the plot there. I don't reckon the Exec Slate is any better (or any worse) than the Events slate. Neither, to my way of thinking is anywehere approaching least worst option. I do wish people would get off this TV slate. Sailing doesn't do television well, and we need to live with that. Arguing about classes is a bit like arguing over whether gloss paint, acrylic paint or emulsion is the most entertaining to watch dry...

 

Steam Flyer

Sophisticated Yet Humble
47,989
11,674
Eastern NC
It's the lacknof consistency that gets me, more than the choice of events itself. Why do they have to change the events so frequently?
Because we have a committee empowered to do so, and they will change the event in exercise of that power even if the change makes no sense or is outright destructive. That's what committees do.

If you don't know whether your event, let alone specific class will be at the Olympics in 5 years time how are you supposed to plan and prepare?
Good question... ... ... ... ... ... ...

FB- Doug

 

JimC

Not actually an anarchist.
8,241
1,188
South East England
Agreed. But a consistent slate from oneOlympics to the next would be nice.
In practice that's what you usually get and probably will this time. Just shut your ears while all the politicking and posturing is going on. But frankly if you can't cope with a change of boat what on earth makes you think you're a world class sailor. Everyone's in the same position.

 

MR.CLEAN

Moderator
I think that ISAF should require every Class to release exact numbers on how much they've spent to lobby the Exec for their Olympic inclusion. This business seems dirty as fuck - the epitome of back room dealings and power plays with no transparency at all.

 

cantp1

Anarchist
502
3
Montreal, QC
From twitter:

DarrenBundock Darren Bundock

ISAF Executive Committee recommendations are out. Supporting Star, mixed Multi, 2x470 but No Skiff!! Holly shit!

Rather crazy news from the idiots at ISAF.

Just plain terrible... Really hope they don't go ahead with proposition 29 from Puerto Rico...

 

surf nazi

Super Anarchist
I think that ISAF should require every Class to release exact numbers on how much they've spent to lobby the Exec for their Olympic inclusion. This business seems dirty as fuck - the epitome of back room dealings and power plays with no transparency at all.
So because skiffs may not be in the olympics the whole business is dirty ? I guess if skiffs were in , you would not be calling for transparency and would not be accusing people of back room dealing ?

You and many others assume that faster boats means more people watching the sport on TV. Well, the skiffs have been in the olypmics for a quite a few years now. Are their ratings any higher than any of the other classes ? I doubt it. Simply going faster and maybe having more crashes does not equal fannies in front of the TV/computer. Yes, we need to market the sport better but simply pushing skiffs and similar boats isn't going to do it.

 


Latest posts





Top