After much debate at World Sailing’s Mid-Year Meeting, a new program of ten Events have been confirmed. While 7 Events at Tokyo 2020 will continue, there are three new events but little other detail, according to Craig Leweck in Scuttlebutt.
In what looks like major shake-up in Olympic sailing formats, Ireland's Olympic Silver Sailing Medalist Annalise Murphy demonstated her own ability for change last week with an announcement of a new campaign for Tokyo 2020, even though it appears her former Laser Radial and new 49erFx class will now both remain for Paris 2024.
5 Events to remain unchanged from Tokyo 2020:
- Men’s One Person Dinghy - Laser
- Women’s One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
- Women’s Skiff - 49erFX
- Men’s Skiff - 49er
- Mixed Two Person Multihull - Nacra 17
Note: Equipment for One Person events subject to evaluation
2 Events to evolve from Tokyo 2020:
- Men’s Windsurfer
- Women’s Windsurfer
Note: Equipment and format subject to evaluation
3 new Events for Paris 2024:
- Mixed One-Person Dinghy
- Mixed Two Person Dinghy
- Mixed Kite
Of all the proposals, it was the submission from the Romanian Sailing Federation which was approved. What do we know about these 3 new Events? Not much at this stage.
There are bits of insight in the Romanian submission and the Formula Kite Class, which will be a new form of Sailing to participate in the Olympic Games. Additional statements come from the Finn Class and the 470 Class, which have been used in the Olympic Games since 1952 and 1976, respectively, and hope to retain that status.
The Romanian plan was for the Finn and 470 to remain in use, but all Equipment (ie, boat type) for these Events, or for any other Events for which the Equipment is being evaluated, won’t be decided until the 2018 World Sailing Annual Conference in November.
The challenges ahead are immense. While it is possible to create unique events for the Olympic Games, innovative formats then puts pressure on the Class Organisations which support the selected Equipment. Changes at the Olympic level can be transformative to the wider sport of Sailing.