Saving Sailing in the Olympics
Saving Sailing in the Olympics
by Eric Faust, ILCA Executive Secretary
The International Laser Class Association (ILCA) is surprised and disappointed by the announcement that the World Sailing Board has recommended to select new equipment to replace the Laser and Laser Radial Classes for the one-person dinghy events in the 2024 Olympic Games.
The announcement comes as part of the equipment reevaluation process that has been ongoing since May of this year. According to the published reevaluation procedure, the board’s recommendation is now meant to be presented to the World Sailing Council for acceptance or rejection at the upcoming World Sailing Conference later this month in Sarasota, Florida.
The Open Laser Championships for 2018 were held in Brisbane and hosted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. A total of 175 Lasers competed across 4.7, Radial and Standard rigs in breezes ranging from 6 knots up to 20 knots gusts on windward – leeward courses. The days were hot with mostly good afternoon sea breezes and occasionally the threat of an afternoon thunderstorm. Although sailing was cancelled on one day due to a lack of breeze, eleven of the scheduled twelve races were completed. 