“Act in the interests of sport”

May 4, 2019

      "Act in the interests of sport"
      An Open Letter to the President and CEO of World Sailing from the International Association OK Dinghy appeared on the Web, which is not enthusiastic about the changes in the Olympic program.

Here is the text of this letter, which the Association sent to World Sailing with an expression of its concern:

"Dear Kim and Andy,
I am writing in my capacity as president of OKDIA, the OK Dinghy International Class Association, to express our dissatisfaction with the process and decisions taken by World Sailing last year to exclude Finn from the Olympic Games of 2024.

International OK Dinghy Class celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2017 and continues to grow in its popularity around the world. Traditionally, our class has been used as an intermediate stage for the development of single yachtsmen until the Olympic selection campaign was conducted among the Finns. Most recently, our class has seen former Finnists and yachtsmen from many other classes choose the OK boat as their racing dinghy because of the unified design nature of the class, accessibility, world standard racing, including the annual world, European and European championships. same, the “social” nature of our class).

The world championship in the class OK-2019 was held in February in Auckland, New Zealand, where more than 100 yachts competed. Former Olympic Finnist Dan Slater, Olympic gold medalist and former Finnist Freddie Loof, and 17-year-old junior world champion Josh Armit finished third. We are rightly proud of OK Dinghy and we believe that the growing popularity of the class benefits the whole world as a way to promote our great sport in many countries.

The OKDIA Annual General Meeting was held in Auckland in connection with the World Cup in February 2019. At this meeting, the representative of Australia told the audience that the class association sent a letter to the Australian Sailing Federation expressing disappointment at the decision of World Sailing to abandon the Finn class, starting with the 2024 Olympics in favor of a two-person mixed-pitcher boat. There was a general agreement in the hall so that OKDIA would express its dissatisfaction with the general direction of the development of sailing in the world, in particular, with the development of the Olympic classes. The meeting agreed that OKDIA should write a letter to World Sailing and present the views of OKDIA member countries that reflect these views.

I personally have been on the OK boat for almost 40 years, since when I was 16 years old, and I still enjoy sailing and compete with both new and old friends from many countries. I also recently joined the Finn Masters contest and also enjoy the high level of competition mixed with great friendship. With this experience, I can personally express the feelings and anxiety of OK Dinghy class riders regarding the strategic direction of World Sailing – it seems to me that it is not there – and be alarmed at the decisions made. In my opinion, they testify to the absence of leadership in terms of respect for the past, and in shaping a common vision of the future.

On behalf of OK Dinghy class, I implore you and everyone in World Sailing to act in the best interests of our sport and its future, as well as the people you represent.

Yours sincerely
Mark Jackson
President OKDIA ".

143 May 4, 2019 # 8989
                                                    
      
    

Chief Editor

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