World Sailing's Council met for the first day of a two day meeting on Monday 14 May at World Sailing's Mid-Year Meeting in London, Great Britain.

Discussions on Paris 2024 Olympic Events, Para World Sailing Events and Formats, Sustainability Agenda 2030 and safety reporting were held.Following a lengthy debate and decision making process, the Events for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were confirmed.

Ahead of the meeting, it was announced that the following Events and their Equipment would remain unchanged.

Men's One Person Dinghy - Laser*
Women's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial*
Women's Skiff - 49erFX
Men's Skiff - 49er
Mixed Two Person Multihull - Nacra 17
*subject to separate equipment re-evaluation

World Sailing's Council debated the remaining five Events at Paris 2024 and confirmed that the remaining five Events would be:

Men's Windsurfer
Women's Windsurfer
New Event, Mixed One-Person Dinghy
New Event, Mixed Two Person Dinghy
New Event, Mixed Kite

Paris 2024 Olympic Events

Fifty six submissions relating to Paris 2024 Olympic Events were presented to World Sailing's Council following the withdrawal of M42, M43 and M63. World Sailing's Council members received recommendations on the submissions from the:

Board - http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/BoardYellowPaper-[24025].pdf
Constitution Committee - http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/ConstitutionCommitteeYellowPaper-[23968].pdf
Events Committee - http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/EventsCommitteeYellowPaper-[24023].pdf
Equipment Committee - http://www.sailing.org/tools/documents/EquipmentCommitteeYellowPaper-[24024].pdf

Each Council member was invited to speak for up to three minutes on the 2024 Olympic Events. Starting with members from Group A, statements were delivered from each Council member representing the groups followed by Offshore, Women's Forum, Class Association and Para World Sailing representatives. World Sailing's Vice Presidents' and the Chairman of the Athletes' Commission followed and the statements concluded with the President.

The first stage of the process saw Sarah Kenny, Events Committee Chair, present her Committee's recommendations the Council.

The first recommendation was to proceed on the basis that all Equipment proposals be deferred until the 2018 Annual Conference. Following the final Event decision made by the Council at the Mid-Year meeting, the Equipment Committee will need to consider the relevant Equipment criteria and the Events Committee will have to consider the format options for the Events. This was agreed by Council and this means all Equipment decisions are deferred to the 2018 Annual Conference. This means the current options open for consideration in November are:

Men's Windsurfer - Current equipment can be retained, evolved or new equipment chosen
Women's Windsurfer - Current equipment can be retained, evolved or new equipment chosen
New Event, Mixed One-Person Dinghy - New Equipment must be selected.*
New Event, Mixed Two Person Dinghy - New Equipment must be selected.*
New Event, Mixed Kite - New Equipment must be selected.*

*New equipment is chosen following equipment trials. Submissions for the 2018 Annual Conference must summarise the main criteria to be used in selecting any new equipment

The second Event Committee's recommendation to approve submission M36-18 was rejected.

In the next stage of the process, each submission was called out in numerical order and submissions M09, M14, M18, M22, M24, M36, M37, M40, M44, M54, M56, M58, M64 and M67 all received a proposer and a seconder. The existing Events and Equipment that will be used at Tokyo 2020 were also an option.

Official representatives of submitters were invited to present a short statement to the Council. During the statements, submission M64 was withdrawn.

Council members then moved into a vote.

For a submission to be successful, it would require more than 50% of the votes cast. If no submission received more than 50%, then submissions would be eliminated. Any submission that received zero votes would be automatically eliminated and the submission which received the fewest number would then be eliminated. In the event of a tie, a run-off ballot would be held.

In the first round, M09, M14, M40, M54, M58, M67 and the option to retain the 2020 Events and Equipment were rejected and M18, M22, M36, M37 and M44 were retained.

A tie break run off was held between M24 and M56 with M56 progressing to the next stage.

The vote between M18, M22, M36, M37, M44 and M56 saw M18, M22 and M36 retained and M37 and M44 moved into a run-off vote. M44 was retained.

M18, M22, M36 and M44 moved into the next vote and M18, M22 and M36 were retained.

M36 was subsequently rejected and it went down to the final vote.

M22 was selected by 22 votes to 19 votes. This net effect of all decisions leads to the lists set out above.

For the Events where new Equipment is required, a Olympic Equipment evaluation process will be held. Further information on the process will follow.

Para World Sailing Events and Equipment

Ahead of the Mid-Year Meeting, the Para World Sailing Committee put forward a slate of Events and Formats for the 2024 Paralympic Games which World Sailing will submit to the International Paralympic Committee as part of the reinstatement process.

Betsy Alison, Para World Sailing Committee representative, presented the submission which was then unanimously approved by the Council members.

The Events and Formats for Para World Sailing for the 2024 Paralympic Competition, subject to IPC approval, are:

Event: One Person Technical (Open Gender)

Format: Fleet Racing; Windward/Leeward Course; Opening Series determines top ten; Medal Race(s)

Event: Single Person Non-Technical - Male

Single Person Non-Technical- Female

Format: Short Windward/Leeward course. Opening Series followed by Late Stage Knock-outs to Finals or Medal Race(s)

Event: Two Person Keelboat (Open Gender)

Format: Short Course Heat Style Racing with Late Stage Knock-outs. "Winner Takes All" Final or Medal Race(s).

On 9 July, World Sailing will submit a 2024 application package to the International Paralympic Committee. Towards the end of the year, the IPC will communicate the sports that meet the IPC criteria and could be included in the 2024 Sports Programme

In January 2019, the IPC will announce the Paris 2024 Paralympic Sports Programme.

World Sailing Strategy 2018 - 2022

World Sailing's Chief Executive Officer, Andy Hunt, presented World Sailing's Strategy which was approved by Council.

The Strategy is broken down into four pillars which include:

Inspiration and Participation - To build a strong profile and image for sailing - using our key points of difference to resonate with people and to give them a lifetime of sport. Presenting the sport in a compelling and engaging way to attract and retain a wide global fan base
Membership and Governance - To provide a professional and valued service to our members that enables the sport to grow in relevance and influence. To establish a governance structure within the International Federation that is simple, clear and transparent to all stakeholders
Sport Integrity - To create and regulate, exciting and safe competition events with fairness and integrity
Leadership in sport - To provide leadership to the sport through strategies that ensure its long-term sustainability and growth. To seek collaboration with partners to deliver successful implementation

Each pillar is broken down into further detailed strategies with measures included.

The Strategy will be publishing on sailing.org in due course.

Sustainability Agenda 2030

World Sailing's Sustainability Programme Manager, Dan Reading, provided Council with an update of the Sustainability Agenda 2030 consultation that had been ongoing following the initial presentation at the 2017 Annual Conference.

World Sailing received feedback from 305 people from 75 nations which enabled the Sustainability Commission to refine and improve the targets.

World Sailing's Council unanimously supported Sustainability Agenda 2030 which will be available online by the end of the week.

Safety Reporting Portal

The Equipment Committee recommended to Council, the approval of a new regulation to ensure MNAs, Classes and Rating Systems report any incidents they become aware of, that fits a set criteria, within 30 days. Council approved the recommendation.

The purpose of the regulation is to ensure MNAs, Classes and Rating systems report relevant information regarding incidents occurring in training or racing, in order to share best practice and raise awareness of increasing safety concerns.

The incident reporting web portal is available here - http://www.sailing.org/sailors/safety/incident-reporting-portal.php.

World Sailing's Council resumes on Tuesday 15 May at 09:30 BST.

Story courtesy of World Sailing

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