Chirps from Yacht Racing Forum

The Yacht Racing Forum is the leading annual conference for the business of sailing and yacht racing. The 2015 event is December 7-8 in Geneva, Switzerland. Here are some of the updates on day one from the Twitter account:

Ian Walker, Olympic medalist and Volvo Ocean Race winning skipper
– The sea is our playing field, let’s look after it. Three circumnavigations have shown the deterioration of the world’s oceans. Sustainability matters.
– Are kids getting over coached at youth level, so they leave the sport early?
– A lot has changed for the better in sailing, but are any more people taking part in the sport at grass roots level?

Alistair Fox, ISAF Events Manager
– Everything we are trying to do with the Olympics has the aim of helping other parts of the sport.
– We want to showcase the heroes in the Olympics.
– IOC is placing requirements for all Olympic sports to have people from every corner of the world competing at the Games.
– Probably been more media coverage of pollution in Rio, than about any other sport in the lead-up to the Games.
– Paralympic Sailing is now completely under the umbrella of ISAF. The Para chairman Betsy Alison is looking to get Para sailing back for 2024.
– With Robert Scheidt in the Laser, we could see up to half a million spectators watching the Olympic Regatta in Rio.
– Vital to create drama, create heroes in the Olympic Games. Rio is going to be a challenge for many reasons.

Volvo Ocean Race
– Hakan Svensson: We spent 9m euro on Puma in the Volvo Race and it took us 18 months to get 100m euro return on investment. I think that’s OK.
– Marketing director Gabriella Ekelund: Team SCA met or exceeded most of its Key Performance Indicators in the Volvo Ocean Race.
– Sarsfield Brolly: We went away from live coverage of Volvo Race, too expensive, went back to post-produced shows.
– Volvo Ocean Race’s Nick Bice: We used to be reactive in early days of VO70s, but now we apply expertise in different areas much earlier. We knew the sailors were going to treat the VO65s like a rental car, we had to overbuild them. Has seen three of the latest IMOCA 60s in build. He wouldn’t want to race them round the world in Vendee.

America’s Cup
– America’s Cup World Series UK director Rob Andrews talks about challenges of selling tickets at sailing events, especially when no racing. 40% of spectators at America’s Cup World Series in Portsmouth were between 45 and 64 years old. Useful data for tailoring the America’s Cup spectator experience.
– Matt Sheahan, journalist: Trying to sell TV rights for 2013 Cup was a disaster. Making it free, plus that great finale, changed everything.
– Gary Jobson: Twice in my long career I’ve seen sailing reach far beyond its normal fan base – 1983 America’s Cup, and then the 1987 Cup.

Assorted
– Andrew Hurst, Seahorse editor: We are absurdly over coaching young sailors, few Optimist champions have gone on to win silverware.
– Andy Tourrell, Extreme Sailing Series event director: Extreme Sailing Series is constantly evolving, but always true to concept of ‘stadium sailing’. Going foiling must not compromise proximity to the shore.
– James Abraham, Sunset & Vine: The average age of a Facebook user is 38 years.