Girls Want To Go Fast Too!
Published: Thu 26th April, 2007
With an eye towards the 2012 Olympic Games, it is widely suspected that an
event to be added to the sailing competition will be a womens skiff. To
prepare for this possibility, ISAF held an evaluation event in Hyères,
France during the week prior to the French Sailing Olympic Week, where some
of the world’s top women sailors put the 29er, 29erXX, RS800, Cherub Daemon,
Carbonology GT60, and International 14 through their paces. Unfortunately,
like much of Europe lately, there was not much wind to make any grand
conclusions. However, the first hurdle appeared to be achieved: women can
sail skiffs. As for which one, the group was in agreement that they wanted
to be challenged, and many considered the RS800 to be too easy. On the other
end of the scale, there was a sense that the some of the choices were too
big and/ or complicated, such as the Cherub Daemon, Carbonology GT60, and
International 14. Interestingly, on the last day of the evaluation, the wind
finally increased to 12+ knots, and it was the 29erXX that stayed out the
longest due to demand. The possibility now exists for an additional
evaluation event to be held later this year, where the field of boats will
be narrowed, and a final decision to be made. Photos from the Hyeres event
are at http://tinyurl.com/224xqa
* On the eve of the Evaluation event, 29erXX designer Julian Bethwaite (also
designer of the 29er and 49er) provided his comments on the boat, and its
suitability for the Olympics: “It would have been much more fun to go balls
out, strap on racks to the 29er or even do a brand new boat and try and blow
the socks off everyone. Been there - done that – and with reasonable
success! But that’s not what I think this trial is all about. Firstly, we
have a platform of nearly 1500 boats out there and, were we able to turn
them instantly into an Olympic standard, the combined cost to the
manufacturers and the world sailing community would be a fraction of a new
development. Secondly, this is not about power and speed (can’t believe I’m
saying that!) but rather about the paramount importance of the largest
possible majority of the world’s young women being able to sail this boat,
in control, in all conditions.” -- There is much more to this interview:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/jb
Scuttlebutt