Tornado and Olympics: “Faster, Higher, Stronger” ?

The Olympic Motto adopted by Pierre de Coubertain for the modern Olympics games is crystal clear, “Faster, higher, stronger”( “Citius, Altius, Fortius”) and it has been the drive behind the games for more than a hundreds years now.

Although some MNAs representing their sailing federations at ISAF vote councils still don´t get it….

This simple but nevertheless strong and motivating phrase gives a clear guide to all Olympic sportsman , officials, delegates and executives responsible for organizing the event that is the pinnacle of high performance activity in all included disciplines.

How come the fastest sailors and the ones more challenged in their ability to demonstrate sailing skills are left behind? How come the fastest boat of them all is not allowed to participate?
Multihull sailors don´t ask much, you had 10 medals, just reserve one spot to the highest performer.

This isaf fiasco was not a simple vote where the Tornado lost straight foward.
After two round of votes, there was a change on procedures, managed with obscures arrangements that finally end with the ‘T’ out of the list.
That´s why it hurts even more, no class can reclaim a permanent spot, that is clear, and there are several others wanting to be part of the games.
The Tornado class was not being that popular either, although it was the pinnacle of the sport, we have to recognize that there were not many fleets, and forming new ones with +50,000usd craft was not an easy task.
And for sure that was a factor that made some mnas to finally vote against the T.
But it wasn´t a fair and square vote either, that´s the key point.

So now the multihull community needs to join and plan ahead a solid strategy for 2016.
Which boat is not that important right now, we need to continue working within our local classes and we need to organize bigger Worlds every year.
The Formula 18 and their members are doing an amazing job, 180 boats at last Worlds, and next year we’ll have 200 hundreds for sure at the 10th anniverasary of the class.
The Hobie and Nacra classes also should focus on their championships as they are a key part of the multihull racing worldwide.
The Tornado class will have tough days to come, so the heads of the multihull classes should get togehter and re think was should be done from now.
We have a more clear agenda, we are out, and that´s also an opportunity to do things better.

As wishfull thinking I would like to have F18, Tornado , Hobie and Nacra Worlds at Weymouth to stablish a strong position on our intention to get back where we belong.
Besides that, specifics approachs should be discussed to have a unified front to lobby and negotiate a comeback for 2016.
Multihull racing is stronger than ever with the F18, VX40s, A-Class, a growing F16, the Texel, Tybee and brand classes, now we also have the Americas Cup, so we still have a good inertia flowing.

Please remember the Olympic Motto : “FASTER, HIGHER, STRONGER”, although some choose not to follow what is the very first reason to have an Olympic game. Cause we all know the olympic Creed too: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
We are ecouraged to “fight well”, and that means direclty in sports activities and in administrative ones, as they are key to organize fair events.
So for what we are encouraged to “take part and fight well” ?? to be the fastest, highest and the strongest.

The Olympic creed was denied to multihull sailors after a not so ‘good fight’ on votes procedures, and the Olympic motto was not even considered, cause we all know who represents best the meaning of that great phrase within the saling world….

See you on 2016. Meanwhile Sail Fast, Sail High and Sail Stronger.