fast, here is a short roundup why every proposed slate for the 10 sailing medals should include
windsurfing
- Windsurfing is the biggest sailing discipline on the planet
- Windsurfing attracts spectators and the media
- Windsurfing offers the least expensive route into the Olympic Regatta for small and emerging sailing nations
- Windsurfing is safe and easy to learn and offers little risk to other water users
- Windsurfing is a beach lifestyle sport, which appeals to the Facebook generation not the Flinstones generation.
- Windsurfing has a broadcast TV audience in more than 150 countries, and an internet audience in 169 countries
- Windsurfing offers an evolution not a revolution using the most tightly controlled one design equipment.
- Windsurfing has a well established development pathway that is growing strongly
- Windsurf racing takes place in the same wind speeds as other Olympic Sailing Events
- In the last 7 Olympiads, medals were won by windsurfing athletes from 5 continenents
Windsurfing has earned its place in the Olympic Sailing family. Leading as it does in the drive to boost sailing’s glocal audience with ground breaking new media initiatives, adapting its format to the new reality of paying spectators with its City Centre Racing Grand Prix Tour and having in place the RS:X Evolution providing enhanced performance with no increase in price.
We invite all MNAs to include windsurfing in their submissions to the 2011 ISAF Mid Year Meeting