W sprawie pozostawania, lub nie, w konkurencjach olimpijskich, aktualnie poddawana jest pod głosowanie propozycja zastąpienia FINNa jachtem kilowym. Głosowanie to odbędzie się w niedzielę 4 listopada na Walnym Zgromadzeniu World Sailing.

Proszę uruchomcie wszystkie możliwe międzynarodowe kontakty, aby wpłynęły na głosujących przedstawicieli.  Każdy głos może być na wagę złota.

Poniżej list Prezydenta IFA Balazsa Hajdu, z apelem w tej sprawie.

Apeluje też nasz delegat – Prezes PZŻ Tomasz Chamera.

Bogusław Nowakowski – prezes PSRKF

 

STATEMENT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL FINN ASSOCIATION

The International Finn Association (IFA), representing the Finn class, is very
concerned that the late and unannounced submission (037-18) by the World
Sailing Board to overturn the extensively discussed and democratically voted
Submission M22-18 in May (including the Mixed One-Person Dinghy event and
clearly indicating the Finn as the male equipment) is further driving our sport into
expensive elitist Olympic events which will result in the decrease of universality
and participation in Olympic sailing.
IFA concerns include:
• A keelboat of the nature proposed by the World Sailing Board would be hugely
costly. Very few nations would be able to justify such an expense. Even if the
boats at the Olympics were provided (by who and for what reason?),
federations would have to buy boats for training and other regattas. This would
limit the event to only wealthy nations and significantly reduce the number of
sailors and nations able to compete for a place at the Olympics.
• The Finn class currently has a significant group of young sailors who are
above 85kg and have ambitions to compete in the Olympics. Even if their
federations could afford to campaign a keelboat, most would have no option
but to stop their campaigns. Many would be lost to sailing. As shown from past
Olympics with medallists such as Paul Elvstrøm, Russell Coutts, John
Bertrand, Iain Percy, Ben Ainslie and Giles Scott, these sailors became some
of the most prominent and famous sailors in the sport. This avenue would be
closed.
• Young sailors above 85kg would have no route to the Olympics. Is it really
honest and practical to suggest that they can just sail the keelboats? [Or go
and play basketball?] That is a misconception. Of course some may, but many
would be unable to switch, either through the extreme cost or the availability of
much older and experienced keelboat sailors in their nation.
• The Olympics should be primarily about youth and participation.
• The Finn class, as the intended equipment for the male part of the Mixed OnePerson
Dinghy event under Submission M22-18, is a reliable option for future
Olympic equipment, without the high risk and expense involved in
experimenting with an untested event with unknown equipment, and which will
have limited attraction to the member nations of World Sailing. In 2018 the
Finn was the first class to fill the quota at the Aarhus Worlds. It is already
established worldwide with huge participation levels and an appeal to the
youth, with a solid class administration producing a foundation of stability and
constancy. It is one of the most affordable and easily accessible classes on
the current Olympic slate. Read further in the attached Appendix.
• Submission 037-18 disregards the extensive work already done to propose the
Duomix option (Submission 047-18), which should be given a chance to
succeed. It is aimed at being the most captivating sailing event in the 2024
Olympic Games, for the sailors and the public, by combining individual
achievement and mixed performance, providing excitement through athletic
sailing performance and exhilarating races against time. It encompasses
extreme skills in dinghy sailing with innovation in technology and formats, with
the focus on the athletes’ performance.
• The practicalities of running a secure offshore keelboat event have also been
well publicised, not to mention similar national or club level regattas and
everyday training sessions. How much consideration has gone into that? And
how much fuel will be consumed by coach boats during a single offshore
training session?
• The aim to meet gender equality has been already met with the current slate
for 2020. In this interview, https://www.sail-world.com/news/211503/WorldSailing-President-on-Gender-Equality it is clearly demonstrated that IOC was happy with the event slate for Tokyo 2020 as being gender equal and that full gender equality on events and athletes was not necessary until 2028.
• Perhaps the real reason for this submission is the hope that Olympic keelboat
racing will attract elusive sponsorship money and increased media presence.
We feel that this event will be only attractive to a very small number of nations
and increase media production costs whereas sailing is already one of the
costliest Olympic sports to broadcast. Has anyone contacted the Olympic
Broadcasting Services (OBS) or the IOC about whether they would be ready
to cover these costs?
In the light of the above, the Finn class calls on all Council members and MNAs
to unanimously reject submission 037-18.
Dr. Balazs Hajdu
President IFA

APPENDIX: GLOBAL SPREAD, EQUIPMENT LONGEVITY AND YOUTH APPEAL
At a time when sailing is reported by many to be in decline, the Finn class is continuing to expand.
There are a growing number of nations and record entries level in many events across the world.
2018 has been another epic season for the Finn class.
The Finn provides a level of performance, accessibility and ambition that is hugely attractive across the age range and across many nations. Not only are the senior fleets as deep and competitive as they have been for a generation, but there is continuous growth in youth appeal, and exponential growth in Masters fleets across the world. Love for the Finn is as strong as ever.
The Finn remains the longest running equipment used at the Olympic Games and while there have been calls for change, this long association has more advantages than disadvantages. It provides stability for MNAs, sailors and manufacturers, giving them confidence to invest in equipment and develop sailor’s skills and expectations. It is a solid and stable platform that nurtures sailors on the tough journey they face to navigate the choppy waters of international competition and of life.
The long history of the Finn has also meant that equipment has become very refined and reliable, with many builders around the world producing high quality Finns and Finn equipment. The Finn is one of just two measurement-controlled classes still in the Olympic programme and that is important. Throughout the class’s history one hull builder has often been the dominant choice for the top end of the class; this is not a disadvantage, but ensures consistency, reliability and confidence in a proven product.
There has also long been a trend for top sailors to steer towards using the same hull type to eliminate any possible differences from their mental approach.
Furthermore, the biggest advantage to be gained in a Finn is not in the hull, but in the choice of rig, and the fleet at all levels have masts and sails made from many different builders across the world. Any Finn sailor worth his salt will tell you the rig is far more important than the hull.
Investment in Finn equipment is just that – an investment. It is not a cost. There is no need to buy 10 hulls and 50 masts just to find the one that is the way you like it. You buy one of each and it comes from the builder the way you like it. It also retains most of its value for many years, as well as remaining competitive.
Indeed it will last for several campaigns and still hold much of its value until such time as the investment can be cashed in.
This has huge relevance for developing grass roots Finn sailing around the world, as there is always a source of economic, reliable and quality equipment for the incoming youth and the vast number of club and Master sailors, who support the class and develop Finn sailing worldwide. There is a structure, if you like, and a pathway, from the smallest club to the Olympic gold medalist that keeps the class healthy and prospering.
Indeed it could be argued that these advantages are because the Finn is a measurement-controlled class. This provides a focus on quality and reliability and, as we all know, manufacturing tolerances are often tighter with measurement-controlled classes than with manufactured controlled one-design classes. Of course the Finn has always been the equipment of choice for the larger sailor and with many studies showing the natural evolution towards larger, heavier men, there remains an even more important need to cater for this demographic within the Olympic programme. There is also a strong case that these sailors should be given the opportunity to helm.
Results of past surveys have frequently backed up these arguments, with the range of top Finn sailor body weights ranging from around 87 kg to more than 100 kg, compared to the helms of all other current Olympic equipment, where actual body weights top out at 87 kg.
The Finn not only caters for the larger sailor, but it also remains a hugely attractive option for many sailors across the world, with unsurpassed levels of athletic ability and sailing skill required to win on the biggest stages. It is the compete package, with unequalled heritage and a solid class administration producing a foundation of stability and constancy.

INTERNATIONAL FINN ASSOCIATION Inc.
IFA Inc. c/o Corinne Rolland-McKenzie
39 rue du Portal d’Amont, 66 370 Pezilla la Riviere – France
Tel: (+33) 4 68 92 60 46 – Email: corinne.mckenzie@orange.fr – Website: www.finnclass.org
IFA Incorporated in Australia – 14 Montana Parade, Croydon, Vic3136 Australia