Three more races were held yesterday at the Lake Garda opening event of the Melges 20 without changes of top of the rankings. Marco Giannini ITA and his team finished first. ----- The ranking list and the event facebook page with photos and videos.
As we reported a month ago, fully-crewed sail racing in Switzerland was restarted with manageable safety measures specified in individual Covid-19 annexes to the Sailing Instructions under the self-responsibility of the organizing authority. One of many events held so far was the first Act of the 2020 J/70 Lake Constance Battle raced over the past weekend with 37 boats on the starting line. ----- Have a look at the very detailed report (PDF) published in the J/Newsletter- July 1st, 2020.
Yesterday, seilmagasinet.no published an article, commenting on the interview of Scott Perry, World Sailing Vice-President, of Tuesday (hit Google translator button for English or your language). ----- President Kim Anderson DEN confirms that the PR firm TSE was involved in his presidential campaign in coordination with the Danish Sailing Federation and the Danish Olympic Committee, which is considered legal by the Danes. ----- Regarding the signature of a service contract with TSE by Andersen shortly after his election without approval by the Executive Board may be considered a conflict of interest infringement. Comes in addition, that the previous TSE relation has not been mentioned when this outsourcing business was on the table. Efforts are being made today to bring a formal complaint against Kim Andersen to the World Sailing Ethics Commission, the second complaint of Andersen in a short time. The first, where there is talk of forgery of signatures, is currently under consideration.
Mikkel Thommessen NOR, the editor of the Norwegian seilmagasinet.no, just published another Act in his investigations about the out-of-line situation with World Sailing, based on an interview with Scott Perry URU, World Sailing Vice President. Facts are, that the international federation is in deep financial problems and is actually "sailing under jury rig", i.e. loans and government support, and the still possible cancelation of the Tokyo 2020/1 Olympics would produce unpredictable troubles. ----- Apparently, strategic and operational decisions with major financial implications have been made based on incomplete information, especially the unforced move from the affordable Office at the Southampton Harbor to expensive downtown London, combined with a headcount increase of up to 30 persons. Contracts have been signed without the approval of the Board. President Kim Anderson DEN might be involved in a conflict-of-interest in a deal with an outside service provider, matter not yet formally examined. ----- No reaction to the article from World Sailing yet available. ----- As previously reported in our news, more and more Member National Authorities, International Classes, as well as Media, hope for a correction of the unpleasant situation by electing a new President and Executive Board in the coming November.
'Defiant', the first AC75 racing yacht built for the New York Yacht Club 'American Magic', Challenger for the 36th America’s Cup, has arrived in New Zealand, as the first syndicate to have one boat on site in Auckland. After long negotiations, the entry for team personnel and their families was made possible after the team received Corona border exemptions from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The early transfer was planned to leave Pensacola, Gulf of Mexico, before the start of the hurricane season. ----- The official report.
On June 24th, beleaguered World Sailing has held its Mid-Year Meeting with a restricted audience and using video technology for the first time due to the Corona restrictions. Before the meeting, Markus Schwendtner GER, Council member as Chairman of the Classes Committee circulated a letter calling for the meeting to be open to observers, i.e. the Classes, which was denied, as confidential financial information would be discussed. ----- We informed earlier, that World Sailing is in deep financial troubles caused by the mismanagement of the responsible President Kim Andersen DEN and the Executive Board. In a very detailed article in SailWorld published two days ago, Richard Gladwell NZL presents the letter exchange concerning admission to the meeting as mentioned above, and gives above all an overview on facts causing the financial disaster. ----- Federations, international and also national, have been created to serve its members, be it for World Sailing, the Member National Authorities, or on a national basis, the Clubs. Unfortunately, there is always a danger, that officials in charge, lost in self-promoter interests, depart from the principal raison d'être, spending human and financial resources on items of no real value for its member. There is hope, that this will be corrected with a new Executive Board to be elected in November 2020.
The top favorite for the Finn Gold Medal at the 2020/1 Olympic Games in Tokyo is Giles Scott GBR, the 2016 Rio Olympic Champion. ----- A portrait of the successful English athlete.
The Episode 4 of the English Sailing Video Magazine 'On course' contains among other items an extensive interview with Ernesto Bertarelli SUI of 'Alinghi' (start after 17 min.), as well as reports on the easing of the lockdown and single-handed sailing. ----- The video.
Already before the Corona crisis, World Sailing was out-of-line financially due to mismanagement. The fact that the IOC announced support for International Federations with financial problems due to the Corona restrictions was obviously warmly welcomed by the sailing federation. The 42 federations domiciled in Switzerland received in addition financial support of the Swiss Government (not the case for World Sailing London). Details about the amount and form of this support have not been given in the report of World Sailing. With the postponement of the Olympic Games, many federations are facing major financial problems. ----- Normally, the profit of the Olympic Games, mainly from television rights, is distributed after the Games to the National Olympic Committees and the International Federations, the latter categorized as to their importance in the media world. After Rio 2016, sailing considered as "minor sport", received 15 million $ from the IOC, the principal revenue to run the federation. The 2019 financial statements, assumably with a deep red bottom line, have not yet been published, and the 2020 operation seems to largely depend on external credits. It is not known whether and how the financial recovery will be brought about. Concerned circles hope for a new beginning after the election of a new Executive Committee at the General Assembly in November 2020, in person or electronically (Corona restricted).
After a long, successful career competing for the US Sailing Team in the Finn class, Caleb Paine (San Diego, Calif.), Olympic Bronze Medal 2012 in Rio, has decided to end his Tokyo 2020 Olympics selection campaign, where Luke Muller was leading him by 6 points going into the canceled 2020 Worlds on May 8-16. But now with Tokyo 2020 postponed a year, and without a plan for how to resume competition, Paine has decided to end his Olympic campaign and turn his focus to other areas of the sport, especially the America's Cup as a team member of the NYYC Challenger 'American Magic'. ----- All details on the US Sailing Team Website.
On the weekend of July 3/4, the Finn and the Star Classes will hold their annual traditional regatta on the Swiss Lake Thoune . By this morning, there are 11 Stars and 50 (!!) Finns from 5 nations on the entry lists. Online registration still possible.
In today's webinar from sailcoach.com training centre based in Malta, US Radial Olympic candidate Erika Reineke USA gives an interview. Start 6.30am ECT - the details.
For decades, Australians have played an important role on top of the Laser competitions. As a matter of fact, the last two Olympic Gold Medals went down-under to Tom Slingsby AUS (2012) and Tom Burton AUS (2016). These two top athletes are speaking about their careers in an interview.
