Mixed classes at the Olympics?

May 13th, 2008

ISAF made the ruling today that it would stand by the November 2007 decision and the following classes will be represented at the 2012 Games.

Women’s Events
1 person dinghy
2 person dinghy
Keelboat (match racing)
Windsurfer

Men’s Events
Windsurfer
1 person dinghy
2 person dinghy (high performance)
2 person dinghy
1 person dinghy (heavy)
Keelboat

Sadly the multihulls are still out, but with their exclusion, why not invite a mixed class into the scenario? There are plenty of guys sailing with girls across many classes, so who is to say that another class can not be invited into the Games?

At International, National and local events guys and girls sail together all the time in double handed classes, so wouldn’t it make sense to encourage these sailors to continue along this path with an achievable goal being what ISAF regards as the pinnacle of yachting.

Women’s match racing has made it’s way into the Olympic Games, so there is no reason a mixed class can’t be there either…

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