ISAF UPDATE: Pro Sailors Get Regulated

The evolution of sailing has spawned the growth of the professional sailing industry. What has become commonplace is for the podium finishers to be crewed by sailors who earn a daily rate for their time. However, there is concern that professional sailors are adversely impacting the sport, which has led ISAF to review the situation this year to see if changes are needed in the future. Some of the ideas that have already been suggested are:

* Competitor must disclose their pro crew at time of entry, and must pay a higher entry fee based on the number of pro crew.
* Sailors must be certified by ISAF to ascertain a level of ability before they can assume the Group 3 status.
* Pro crew must purchase from ISAF a jumpsuit that can be adorned with their commercial sponsor logos.
* At the end of each race day, pro crew must assist bar staff.

“It is time that pro sailors come out from the shadows and allow their existence to be recognized,” remarked ISAF Secretary General Jerome Pels. “They are earning money off the backs of volunteers, so we believe these changes will help to return order to our sport.”