Living in the Scuttlebutt World

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
The stage was set for 237 of the world’s best sailors from 40 nations to battle it out over six intense days of racing on May 12-17 at the 2025 ILCA6 and ILCA7 World Championships.

As the equipment used for the One Person Dinghy events at the Olympic Games, this was going to be a who’s-who of possible medalists for Los Angeles 2028. The only problem was the venue.

The International Laser Class Association selected the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, host of the 2008 Olympic Games in Qingdao, China. Known for its unpredictable breeze, currents, and coastal fog, there has yet to be a race completed after four days of trying.

“We knew that Qingdao in May could bring light winds,” said Australian Sailing Team Technical Director Michael Blackburn before the event. Everybody else did too, yet this is where a crucial milestone on the road to LA 2028, and the first Olympic class World Championship of the year, chose to be held. Yikes!

Speaking of LA 2028, we still don’t know where the Sailing will be held. Despite what the City of Long Beach claims, or what the parrots at Reuters repeat, the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games has not officially confirmed the venue. Maybe this will be the week… standing by.

The sound of silence surrounding the America’s Cup prompted me to question whether the event had a pulse. With so little news, it was as if the organizers were encouraging apathy, and I will now take full credit for my crabby comments prompting them to reveal the venue for the 38th America’s Cup. You’re welcome!

The report by Curtis Jazwiecki regarding safety regulations, and how over regulation was causing harm to the sport, prompted this reply from a lawyer friend: “I’m not sure what ‘world’ Curtis is living in, but I would absolutely destroy him in federal court. Does he realize that if someone falls off his boat and dies, he and others will have to live with that forever?”

I go back to my original question on this topic: Safety standards keep rising, and while hard to say that’s a bad thing, has it made a difference?

As I told my lawyer friend, I suspect it is insurance companies and legal action that have helped elevate standards since equipment and seminars are measurable, but as Curtis noted, it is seamanship that saves lives, and that is less measurable. More so, with new technology, we have grown less reliant on ourselves. Not a great trend…

A stacked field of 39 teams are entered for the 2025 Etchells North American Championship on May 16-18 in San Diego, CA. This event also offers a tune-up for the 2026 Class World Championship at the same venue. I did these events in 2010 and 2011, and with the anguish of hiking for two-mile weather legs, it was good to have won the world title. It is not something I need to repeat…