A Guest Editorial by Henry Menin - Chairman, ISAF Match Racing Committee

The ISAF Match Racing Committee has filed a Submission with ISAF asking Council to reconsider its decision regarding the removal of women’s match racing from the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. It will take 75% of the voting members of Council to put match racing back into the Olympics. That is a huge hurdle to overcome. This vote will take place in November.

But we are giving it our best shot.

If you, like so many others, are convinced that the match racing in the 2012 Olympics was sailing’s showcase event; that match racing brought sailing into the best light with the public, that it enthralled and entranced spectators, even those who knew little or nothing about sailing, then please contact your sailing federation, your Council members, members of the Events Committee, or anyone who you may know who has anything to do with ISAF, and tell them how you feel. The links for the members of Council and the Events Committee are:

www.sailing.org/about/committees/isaf_council.php
and
www.sailing.org/about/committees/events/index.php

One argument frequently heard against match racing is that it is too expensive compared to other disciplines in the Olympics. The fact of the matter is that for many countries, it is not more expensive. The boats are provided to the competitors for the Olympics and at the various regattas around the world. Sailors do not have to transport boats to the regattas and they don’t have to continually replace spars, sails, foils, sheets and halyards.

Because the teams do not bring their own equipment to events there is no reason to replace equipment over the quad ( i.e. buy new boats for the country qualifiers then again for the Games and yet again for the next Quad). The cost of the match racing capital investment can be amortized over 2 or more Quads.

The cost of running the match racing at the Olympics can be effectively reduced by using the qualifying regattas to seed the event and go straight into the cut throat knock out stages.

The real cost now is in changing to a second two person dinghy/skiff (in addition to the 470) in the 2016 Olympics, casting aside the investment that nations have made in the purchase of the Elliott 6m as training boats, having to purchase new Mackay FX boats (and replacing them periodically before the Games, along with spars, sails, etc.) and in setting up new training programs with new teams, coaches, advisors, etc. It is a complete waste of assets and established programs.

Brazil had already purchased the Elliott 6ms in anticipation that match racing would be in their Olympics.

If you feel that the ISAF Council erred in eliminating match racing from the2016 Olympics, please make your voice heard. Let your ISAF Representatives know! (The email addresses for Council can be found here: ISAF_Council_emails-2012.pdf)