World Sailing assesses state of the sport

The World Sailing Board convened in London for its annual Mid-Year Meeting on May 18-20, gathering at the Royal Ocean Racing Club and at World Sailing headquarters.

The Board assessed the federation’s progress against the five priorities set by the Board a year ago, including commercial revenues, the Olympic Vision Project, Para Inclusive sailing, digital infrastructure, and team work across the federation, as well as critical matters influencing international competitions, institutional sustainability, and the broader global sailing community.

“This year marks the mid-point in our Olympic Quadrennial and soon will see the start of the qualification events for LA28,” noted World Sailing President Quanhai Li. “This is an important opportunity to assess where we are in the four-year process.

“I firmly believe that with all the work completed by the Executive Office, our Board and our Committee and Commission members, and at national level around the world, that we will be in an excellent position in two years’ time.”

This Mid-Year Meeting serves as a vital checkpoint during the year for the Board to evaluate the progress of ongoing initiatives established during the World Sailing Annual Conference in November, as well as the 2025 Mid-Year Meeting, whilst addressing emergent challenges and opportunities across all disciplines of the sport which can be addressed fully at the next Annual Conference.

With representatives gathered together from across the globe at the central headquarters, the meeting underscores World Sailing’s continued commitment to robust, transparent governance and collaborative decision-making.

A primary focus of the Mid-Year Meeting involved an extensive review of every aspect of the sport, from technical regulations and class management, to the overarching framework governing major and upcoming international regattas.

The Board receive comprehensive updates from specialized committees and sub-committees, ensuring that work to date aligns with the agreed workplans for the year and is delivering the required progress, and that preparations for major events is on target.

In addition to regulatory and operational evaluations, the proceedings also dedicated significant time to World Sailing’s long-term commercial and digital strategies.

By leveraging new technologies, expanding broadcast partnerships and identifying new revenue streams, the federation aims to broaden its global audience, engage the next generation of sailors, and secure a sustainable financial future for the sport that supports grassroots development worldwide.

Central to the meeting were discussions and decisions related to Para Inclusive sailing, strengthening sailing’s contribution to the Olympic Movement, and planned changes to the World Sailing website to improve the categorization process.

The conclusions and formal recommendations arising from this Mid-Year Meeting will be compiled and presented to Council at the next meeting in June, driving the agenda forward for the rest of the year and ensuring a unified direction for the sport.

Details: https://www.sailing.org/inside-world-sailing/organisation/governance/conferences/2026-mid-year-meeting/

Source: World Sailing