Sweeping changes to the LA 2028 Olympic sailing format are under scrutiny as sailors prepare to voice concerns at the World Sailing Annual Conference in Dublin from 2–9 November.
World Sailing says the proposed revamp aims to make the sport more “spectator-friendly, broadcast-ready, and accessible”. But sailors and class associations have warned the changes may undermine the sport’s core principles of fairness and consistency.
A major flashpoint is the proposed new race structure. Under the plan, Olympic events would be split into three stages: an Opening Series, a Semi-Final round, and a Medal Series Final. Points may be reset at each stage, shifting focus from long-term consistency to a high-stakes final race.
In some formats, the final could become a single "first-across-the-line" showdown with no points carry-over — a radical departure from current Olympic practice.
The Format Working Group report, published in August, set out race duration targets: 12 minutes for boards, 25 minutes for skiffs and multihulls, and up to 35 minutes for dinghies.
World Sailing's Council backed many of these changes at its September meeting. “We need a format that is simple, fair, and exciting for global audiences,” the report stated.
However, top sailors including Britain’s Micky Beckett have voiced strong opposition. “Resetting points devalues the work put into the Opening Series,” he posted on social media.
Testing is already underway. In October, the ILCA class trialled a version of the new format in Vilamoura, Portugal.
Concerns remain over fairness, strategy, and fleet balance — particularly in semi-finals where uneven group strength could skew outcomes. Smaller sailing nations have also warned that added complexity may raise costs.
The open forum in Dublin is expected to be the main arena for debate, with all stakeholders — sailors, officials, class reps and organisers — invited to contribute. A final decision could be made as early as March 2026.
Decisions taken will impact how Olympic sailing is run in LA 2028 — and could shape the sport’s structure for Brisbane 2032 and beyond.
As Afloat reported earlier, the 2026 ILCA7 World Championships are being staged on Dublin Bay, but the Notice of Race has been delayed until after next week's conference concludes.
