ISAF Council Decide Ten Sailing Events For 2012 Olympic Games

The ten sailing events for the 2012 Olympic Games have been decided by the ISAF Council during the 2007 ISAF Annual Conference.

Today in Estoril, Portugal, ISAF President Göran PETERSSON led the ISAF Council in over two hours of debate and discussion before the ten events were decided. The final slate of events was voted on by the members of the ISAF Council, which is formed of the ISAF Executive Committee (elected for a four-year term in November 2004), 28 appointed members (representing each of the regional groups of sailing nations), and representatives of the Offshore Committee, ISAF Classes Committee and a Women’s Representative. The selection of the ten events is subject to final confirmation from the International Olympic Committee.

The ten events selected by the ISAF Council for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition are:

One person dinghy – Men
One person dinghy heavy – Men
Two person dinghy – Men
Two person dinghy high performance – Men
Windsurfer – Men
Keelboat – Men
One person dinghy – Women
Two person dinghy – Women
Keelboat match racing – Women
Windsurfer – Women

ISAF President G?ran PETERSSON said: ‘The selection of events for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition will have a significant impact on the sport around the world. Sailing has a long and glorious history as an Olympic sport and has been on every Olympic programme since 1908. The ten events chosen for the London Games provide a perfect showcase of the wide range and diversity of sailing. I am certain they will form the backbone of a terrific Olympic Sailing Competition in 2012.’

The ten sailing events at the 2012 London Olympic Games will be held at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. The equipment for the ten sailing events at the 2012 Games will be selected by the ISAF Council in November 2008.

The Vote

The voting was extremely close and there was a palpable sense of tension in the meeting room as the Council awaited the results. In total there were 36 ballot papers – two Council members did not vote (the Classes Committee representative did not vote and Vice-President Nucci Novi CEPPELLINI was absent) and the President saved his vote in the case of a tie.

The results of the vote were:

Men – top six events selected

One person dinghy – Men (36 votes)
Windsurfer – Men (35 votes)
Two person dinghy – Men (34 votes)
Two person dinghy high performance – Men (34 votes)
One person dinghy heavy – Men (33 votes)

Keelboat – Men (23 votes)
Multihull – Men or Open (21 votes)

Women – top four events selected

One person dinghy – Women (35 votes)
Windsurfer – Women (34 votes)
Two person dinghy – Women (31 votes)
Keelboat match racing – Women (21 votes)

Two person dinghy high performance – Women (20 votes)
Multihull – Women (3 votes)

The ISAF President said, ‘Congratulations to the ten events which have been selected. With the introduction of the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship and the ISAF Nations Cup we have seen a massive growth in women’s match racing and I am delighted and excited to welcome it on to the Olympic programme. I extend my thanks to the multihull which has been on the Olympic programme from 1976 to 2008 – we are sorry to have to say goodbye to such an old friend.’

Of the ten events selected, keelboat match racing for women is the only one which does not feature on the programme for the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition. It will be the first time women’s match racing has been on the Olympic programme and reflects the massive recent growth in this area of the sport.

About the ISAF Council

The ISAF Council is the final decision making body of ISAF. It is chaired by the ISAF President G?ran PETERSSON (SWE), who was elected along with the seven Vice-Presidents for a four-year term in 2004. Along with the President and Vice-Presidents, the Council also includes the other members of the Executive Committee, Presidents of Honour HM King Harald V of Norway and HM King Constantine (both non-voting). There are also 28 appointed members (representing each of the regional groups of sailing nations), and representatives of the Offshore Committee, ISAF Classes Committee and a Women’s Representative. 

ISAF Meetings – www.sailing.org/meetings