World Sailing Council supports Events Committee recommendations

The Events Committee report focused on aspects of event management for the LA28 Olympic Games, events to put under review for Brisbane 2032 and plans to reintroduce the World Sailing World Cup. 

For LA28, the report outlined recommended maximum number of opening series races and a race target time for each event to optimise the amount of racing that can be conducted in front of the LA28 audiences within the wind window and session time available. 

Men’s and Women’s Windsurfing and Men’s and Women’s Kite will feature a maximum of 12 races in the opening series with an estimated time of no more than 12 minutes per race. 

Men’s and Women’s Skiff and the Mixed Multihull events will feature a maximum of nine races with an estimated 25 minutes per race, and the Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Dinghy events will feature eight races and are estimated to last between 30 and 35 minutes per race. 

Course layout options, leg lengths and grandstand finish zone recommendations were also passed, aiming to preserve the strategic and tactical value of each race while creating a visually impactful conclusion for spectators and viewers. 

All recommendations were approved with 26 voting in favour, three against and four abstentions – a majority of 78.79%.  

Council also agreed with the recommendation from the Events Committee that the Men’s and Women’s Kite, Mixed Dinghy, and Mixed Multihull events will be reviewed ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. At the end of the review, Council will decide whether to retain the event with the current equipment, retain the event with changes to the equipment or to remove the event and replace with another to be determined. 

The recommendation was approved with 27 voting in favour, two against and two abstentions – a majority of 87.1%. 

Plans to reintroduce a World Sailing World Cup also took a step forward with principles to develop the series in 2026 supported. Advice to create a strategy for the regattas, determine the key factors for ensuring the serries succeeds, and establishing a phased calendar for the World Cup Series and World Cup Final were endorsed with 26 voting in favour, three against and four abstentions – a majority of 78.79%. 

A separate vote to update and clarify the deadlines for applying for reappointment as a World Sailing Race Official was also passed with a 90.32% majority. The proposal from the Race Officials Committee clarifies the term of appointment of a World Sailing Race Official to run until the end of 31 December in the fourth year following the appointment and allows an application for reappointment to only be made in the last year of appointment.