The idea was sparked off by the plans for restructuring the ISAF Sailing World Cup, which from 2013 will take place on all five continents with the result that in the long run merely one or two European events will be part of it. This calls for a European trial series. "This is necessary to have when only one event on each continent will be part of the World Cup. The worldwide time-frame will allow for only one Sailing World Cup event in Europe, so we want create a whole new series here in Europe for the athletes," say Jobst Richter, head of the Kieler Woche organizers, and Peter Ramcke, ESC project-leader from Kieler Yacht-Club, unanimously. The idea was born before this year's Kieler Woche, and since then, the initiators from Kieler Yacht-Club have been going full steam ahead to push the creation of the European Cup and find supporting partners.
Headed by the President of the European Sailing Federation (EUROSAF), Marco Predieri (Italy), this new European step was taken jointly in Kiel. A working group with representatives of EUROSAF, Kieler Woche, from Gdynia (Poland), Palma de Majorca (Spain) and Riva (Italy) has been founded to define the qualifying criteria for the European Sailing Circuit by October.
The eight participating nations with Alberto Predieri (Italy/ISAF Board Member), Alastair Fox (U.K. Event Manager), EUROSAF Vice President Dan Ibsen (Denmark, ISAF Vice President and responsible for the ISAF ranking lists) and Rafael Gonzales (Spain/Vice President and ISAF Committee Member) were unanimous: The European Sailing Circuit must be a series of attractive and already existing events, the results of which must clearly reflect in positions on the world ranking lists to offer the athletes a high sportive incentive. The event must serve as a trial series for the ISAF Sailing World Cup and provide young athletes a chance to prove themselves on a high level and qualify for the World Cup. This way, the ISAF Sailing World Cup will enter the European stage not only once a year, but will be of interest throughout the European sailing season and across a number of countries.
