As an umpire who has worked with many of you at regattas, and as Chairman of the International Sailing Federation Match Racing Committee, I am very, very pleased to see the re-birth, re-vitalization and re-energizing of the Women’s International Match Racing Association.

Your Association has enormous potential power in the world of match racing. A unified voice will get the attention of regatta organizers, race officials, ISAF and particularly the ISAF Match Racing Committee.

Women’s match racing has become increasingly popular over the years and has had incredible growth in the number of events scheduled and the number of women participants.

Here are just a few statistics:

35% growth in women’s match race regattas in one year from 2005 to 2006 (37 in 2005 - 50 in 2006)

200 women on the Women’s Match Race Ranking List compared to 54 on the Women’s Keelboat Ranking List

40% more MNAs participating on the Women’s Match Race Ranking List than on the Women’s Keelboat Ranking list (29 versus 21).

We expect that there will be more women’s match racing events in 2007 than there were in 2006.

There are some exciting things on the horizon in terms of women’s match racing, and the following are just a few examples.

1. Portugal has applied for grading for 3 new Women’s Grade 3 events in 2007, some with clinics, and they are establishing a new Match Racing Center.
2. There is a proposal (strictly in the planning stages) for an new Grade 2 event in the USA in 2007 that would combine high level coaching both on the land and on the water, plus a rules clinics followed by the regatta.
3. Planning for a women’s worldwide match racing tour in the next couple of years, somewhat similar, but smaller than the current Open World Tour.
4. Nations Cup in 2008/2009, with lots of clinics before most of the Regional Finals.
5. Women’s Match Racing in the 2012 Olympics.

I know that there must be many more plans for new events around the world and your Association is the perfect place for publicizing them and for getting assistance in organizing them. Communication is the key to the advancement of the sport and this website is the perfect place for opening those lines of communication.

Now, if I may, let me talk a little about the current project that is nearest and dearest to me and which is occupying my time more than any other.

The ISAF Match Racing Committee is trying to introduce Women’s Match Racing into the Olympics for 2012. As you probably know, this was tried several years ago, but failed at the last minute at the ISAF Annual Meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2000. However, we feel the time is ripe to try it again, and for several reasons.

First, we believe it is what the women want for the keelboat discipline.

Second, we believe that it is good for the sport of sailing because it is so much more exciting than fleet racing and because it is easier to view and to understand for the general public and it is much more media friendly than fleet racing.

Third, it may help to save ISAF from exclusion in the Olympic Games after 2012. Sailing is in some jeopardy for continuing in the Olympics. It is at or near the bottom of the list in terms of TV exposure and public interest. The International Olympic Committee has reduced the number of medal events for sailing from 11 to 10 for 2012, while mandating that the percentage of women’s representation stay at least where it is currently. And the total number of sailing competitors must be reduced, but that should happen automatically with the reduction in medal events. If I understand correctly, I believe that the IOC wants to see better and easier TV coverage, more understandable scoring and more exciting events on the water. All of that is satisfied by match racing. And the venue in Weymouth, England is perfect for bringing the match racing right up to the sea wall, where spectator stands, media coverage equipment and sponsor banners can be located.

Fourth, the administration and the atmosphere has changed at ISAF and the political climate appears somewhat more favorable.

The perfect solution, in my opinion, is to convert the women’s keelboat from a fleet racing format to a match racing format.

In order to do that however, it will take considerable coordinated effort to persuade the ISAF Events Committee (they recommend the events and disciplines to the ISAF Council), the ISAF Executive Committee and the ISAF Council.

That is where ALL of you can help. We are asking you to use your contacts and your persuasive powers to convince your Council Members, your Member National Authorities and any other influential people within ISAF and your MNA of the need for and desirability of having women’s match racing in the Olympic Games for 2012.

Please feel free to write to Fiona Kidd, the Women’s Representative to the ISAF Council to express your feelings about match racing. You may also write to Adrienne Greenwood, Chair of the ISAF Women’s Committee.

I wish you all great success in the endeavors of WIMRA and in your individual pursuits in the world of women’s match racing and I look forward to seeing each of you at match racing events around the world, particularly at the Olympics in 2012.

Henry L. Menin