2018 Annual Conference – 3 November Recap
World Sailing’s Council concluded their two day meeting on Saturday 3 November 2018 at the 2018 Annual Conference in Sarasota, Florida, USA.
Numerous reports, recommendations not based on submissions, event updates and updates from World Sailing’s CEO were delivered.
Click here to watch the day back on the World Sailing YouTube.
CEO Reports
World Sailing Chief Executive Officer, Andy Hunt, presented the CEO report, financial report, commercial report and stakeholder satisfaction findings.
Hunt showed Council members the 2018 management accounts and looked ahead with the 2019 budget and latest quadrennial budget forecast.
World Sailing released an ambitious five-year strategy for 2018-2022 in May this year. The strategy is broken down into four pillars which include inspiration and participation, membership and governance, sport integrity and leadership in sport.
Each pillar has a clear set of detailed strategies and measures which provides the International Federation with direction over the next five years. Hunt presented an update on the strategy and how much has progressed over the last six months and much of the work is well underway.
One of the measures was to achieve the reinstatement of sailing in the 2024 Paralympic Games. Hunt spoke about the International Paralympic Committee’s decision making process and explained how the sport did not achieve reinstatement. Many Council members voiced their displeasure on the IPC’s decision making throughout the session.
The World Sailing CEO also provided Council members with the findings of a stakeholder satisfaction survey.
Equipment Re-evaluation process
Council approved World Sailing’s Board recommendation on re-evaluation process for the Men's and Women's One Person Dinghy. The following classes will proceed to the Sea-trial phase as part of the re-evaluation process:
D-Zero, presented by Devotti Sailing s.r.o.
Laser Standard and Laser Radial sailboat, presented by ILCA
Melges 14, presented by Melges Boat Works Inc., NELO and Mackay Boats Ltd.
RS Aero, presented by RS Sailing.
Following the equipment-trial phase Council will select the Equipment in 2019.
The Men’s and Women’s Windsurfer Equipment was also placed under re-evaluation in January 2018 and World Sailing’s Council voted on the re-evaluation procedure. The procedure will be published on World Sailing’s website in the coming weeks.
Events Updates
World Sailing Director of Events, Alastair Fox, delivered full reports on World Sailing’s portfolio of events over the last 12 months.
Joined by Klaus Natorp, Head of the Hempel Sailing World Championships, Fox spoke about the Championships which has been widely regarded as the most successful one to date. Broadcast data was presented and more than 30-hours of television coverage was shown in Denmark. President Kim Andersen remarked that in Denmark alone, the coverage was on par with cycling’s Tour de France.
The impact the event had on the city of Aarhus and Denmark at large was presented as well as feedback received on delivering an event the magnitude of the Championships.
On Tuesday evening at the World Sailing Awards, Corpus Christi Yacht Club won the inaugural World Sailing 11th Hour Racing Sustainability Award. The Championships was the first World Sailing event with a sustainability and ocean conservation theme. Fox provided delegates with an update on the initiatives and complemented Corpus Christi’s stunning breeze that provided outstanding competition.
Sailing was not included in the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Sports Programme by the International Paralympic Committee as the sport did not satisfy enough IPC criteria to move forward to the next stage. Fox presented not only the Para World Sailing Championships but the output of Para World Sailing in 2018. Throughout 2018, more than 41 nations have competed in Para World Sailing events and 39 were at the World Championships in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA.
Buenos Aires, Argentina hosted the Youth Olympic Games in October and Fox spoke about the Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding and Windsurfing events as well as the Mixed Multihull and how the format of the competitions worked. The Youth Olympic Games saw two countries win an Olympic sailing medal for the first time. The Dominican Republic and the Philippines stood on the podium for the first time in Buenos Aires.
Dakar, Senegal will host the next edition in 2022.
Further updates were provided on the Hempel World Cup Series, the 2019 Olympic Test Event, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
International Class Associations
Applications from the Diam 24, International Windsurfer Class Association and 12 metre, Divisions A to D, all received International Class Association Status and the 12 metre Division E will receive Classic Class Status.
Governance Commission
Maria Clarke, the Independent Chair of World Sailing’s Governance Commission, presented the findings of the Commission following the commencement of their work in May 2018.
The Commission held a series of meetings and engaged with stakeholders in the lead up to the Annual Conference and held a Governance Workshop earlier on in the week.
Clarke presented feedback on questionnaires distributed to World Sailing’s stakeholders and presented early ideas for possible reform.
Based on feedback received throughout the 2018 Annual Conference, the Commission expects to further develop detailed proposals on which it intends to consult widely in Spring 2019, with a view to proposing any changes to the Constitution and Regulations at the Annual General Meeting in November 2019.
Looking ahead to the Annual General Meeting 4 November
World Sailing’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 4 November. The decisions over the last two days made at World Sailing’s Council will be ratified at the AGM.
Members of the AGM will consider a special resolution related to Submission 031-17.
