AT ITS mid-year meetings in Stresa, Italy, the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) confirmed the Event and Equipment selections which will feature at the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition in Rio de Janeiro.
Following equipment trials held in Santander, Spain, in March, the Mackay FX, referred to as the 49er FX, is the equipment choice for the new two person women’s skiff discipline, while the Nacra 17 was confirmed as the boat to be used in the two person mixed multihull event.
ISAF Council also voted to replace the current men’s and women’s windsurfing events with kiteboarding events for men and women which will feature at the Olympic Games for the first time.
John Derbyshire, RYA racing manager and performance director, said it was ‘a huge blow to the windsurfing community’.
He added: “Kiteboarding made a solid case for its Olympic inclusion at the March trials and although a surprise that ISAF has voted it into the Olympic programme at this stage, it appears that the council of ISAF wished to seize the opportunity, rather than wait until 2020.”
An online petition has been launched by the windsurfing community to urge ISAF to rethink its decision.
Visit change.org/petitions/isaf-keep-windsurfing-as-olympic-discipline
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