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2012 Olympic sailing cities reach out to young people

A  group of UK teenagers are working hard to ensure the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games do not pass by the youngsters in Weymouth and Portland.
 
The Young Ambassadors of Weymouth College have been to the past Olympic sailing site in China and recently to London to gather information on how best to involve the local community in next summer’s sailing competition.

Their visit to London followed a 2010 trip by several Young Ambassadors to Beijing, to find out about the Olympic legacy of the 2008 Games on young people in China, where they were amazed to find out about how many youngsters volunteered. 

They think of inspirational athletes and a major sporting event that will put Weymouth and Portland on the map. 2012 should be all about getting young people to make the most of opportunities at the Olympic Sailing Games.

Read the full article in the Dorset Echo

 

Countdown to 2012 London Olympics Begins: But How to Best Promote Sailing?

Think back to the iconic images of the 2008 Beijing Olympic games that splashed across the front pages of newspapers around the world. There was Usain Bolt, crossing the finish line on his way to being crowned the world's fastest man. There was Michael Phelps, arms raised in victory as he clinched a record-breaking eight medals in swimming. There was not, however, a snapshot of a fleet of 470s rounding the windward mark. In fact, the most mainstream media attention sailing may have gotten was quick glimpses of endless gobs of algae blooming in the waters at Qingdao just weeks before the event.

Ben Ainslie wants this all to change.

As London celebrated its one-year countdown to the beginning of the 2012 Olympic Games last week, a column by the celebrated sailor and three-time gold medalist appeared in the Daily Telegraph. Ainslie addresses the perennial problem of not only getting people excited about following Olympic sailing, but getting people excited about following - and participating in - sailing in general. He writes:

Like many other Olympic disciplines, sailing has a tendency to be almost entirely overlooked by the wider world once the Games are over. I can understand that because it is difficult to follow, whether live or on TV. It is confusing to the casual observer.

In football or cricket you know when someone has played a blinder. With sailing most people have no idea what the competitors are up to or how much skill they are exhibiting on the water. Plus, there are so many different classes and categories, from solo around-the-world ocean racing to inland dinghy racing. No league to follow. No regular fix.

I’ve seen it happen four times already — in Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing. The interest builds and then just as quickly dies down. I’m hoping that having a home Games will make the difference and this time we will retain more than just a passing interest although I’m not sure how.

Do we need to be more colourful as individuals? Grow our hair long and get caught driving golf buggies down the M4? Perhaps we should try to develop the televisual side of the sport to make it more appealing and easier to follow? That is what they are trying to do with the America’s Cup with the switch to super-fast multihulls and good luck to them. Although I’m not a massive fan of the rule change I really hope it proves successful because it might provide a template for other types of sailing.

All I know is that the next year represents a massive opportunity for sailing in this country and we must capitalise on it. We must get the message out there that the sport is far more accessible than people think. The classic response is ‘oh, I don’t live by the sea’, but in fact most sailing at a basic level takes place on lakes and reservoirs. Ellen MacArthur famously grew up in the middle of Derbyshire. We must get the point across that it is a myth that you need to be from a privileged background to have a go. Down where we compete in Weymouth you can ‘Sail for a Fiver’ and there are similar schemes up and down the country. Give it a try. You won’t regret it.

Meanwhile, the London Olympics planning committee has some other ideas about making sailing accessible to everyone. While earlier plans broached the possibility of keeping a public waterfront park close to the Weymouth venue open to all spectators, the planning committee now looks to fence off the area as a ticketed venue.

John Burtwistle, a municipal councilman in Weymouth, was quoted in another article as saying: ""When the award of the Olympics to London was first made the councils involved down here said they would do everything in their power to promote the games. The bottom line is that they are trying to make Olympic sailing a pay-per-view event in Weymouth."

There are less than three hundred and sixty five days for this debate to play out before the torch is lit: hopefully Ainslie's wishes for sailing will become a reality this time around.

Photo credit telegraph.co.uk

Can the iPhone make you the Ultimate Sailor?

 

With the accessibility and convenience of the Internet on phones, virtually any and all information is at one's fingertips. 

The revolution of the iPhone and its applications, or apps, has taken the technology world by storm and leaves no field of interest unexplored, including all elements of sailing. Apple & iTunes supplies an app for every need, concern, want, and interest for sailors. 

Whether you're learning the ropes or have had a lifetime of experience, 'there's an app for that' on the iPhone.  Listed below are a few of the top sailing applications for iPhones, check them out and see which ones best fit you!

For the Skipper-in-Training:
- SailX     
Simulating a full-featured sailing environment, learn the ins and outs of sailing and racing through this communally interactive app.  Through the SailX tactical trainer, get access to real-time regattas and communicate with other online sailors in addition to simulated sailing environments.  The app features three racing formats (fleet, team, match-race), five boat types (laser, catamaran, skiff, team, keelboat), and tons of simulations ranging from wind effects to sheet control.  SailX allows you to get access to live regattas while simulating real life scenarios, so you can be knowledgeably ready for anything.
- You-Tack Pro  
 For those who still need to brush up on their racing rules, You-Tack Pro is any captain's dream.  The app is a comprehensive way of learning and reviewing all the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing through illustrations, explanations, 3D animated quizzes, definitions, and description.  This easy to use app tests your sailing knowledge through simulations of real life scenarios; some of the quizzes include 'Sailing Upwind', 'Windward Mark', and 'Learning Signals'.  An added bonus: the quizzes are taken from the International Sailing Association Federation Case Book for 2009-2012.  Save your quiz results and specific rules in the favorites folder for a quick brush-up before any race.

For the savvy navigator & tactician:
- iNavX 
Looking for an easier way to keep your charts handy?  The iNavX app keeps all the official NOAA RNC US water marine charts in the palm of your hand.  iNavX covers all West Coast, Gulf Coast, East Coast, Great Lakes, Alaska, Hawaii, and US Virgin Islands charts in detail.  In addition, the app's built in GPS helps you plot your current position, map waypoints & routes, and track your progress.  Plot, zoom, scroll, and navigate with this 5 star rated app!

For the sailing history buff:
- History of Sailing  
Expand your horizon of sailing knowledge with this friendly, illustrative app.  The History of Sailing app covers the history of sailing through facts, illustrations, and engaging stories.  Browse through chapters of sailing physics, history, and points of sail to become a full-fledged sailing history expert.  One reviewer testified, "I had my friend who knew nothing about sailing give this a read for 30 minutes, he was able to carry on a conversation with me about sailing physics.  It’s a great guide to what sailing is all about."

For the 'can't-get-enough-sailing' enthusiast:
- Live Skipper 
One of the first multiplayer sailing games for the iPhone, Live Skipper is a virtual regatta simulator.  Create a boat, choose sails, watch the weather, and start competing in races around the world with real virtual opponents.  This app brags a 50,000+ player community, with the favorite feature being the real weather conditions simulated.  With a new race beginning every Friday, only one of the competing boats can come in first place.  Now you can get your sailing fix on or off the water.

- American Sailing Association 
Designed for new and experienced sailors, the ASA app is designed to fit and enhance the sailing lifestyle.  This app has everything for everyone: learn the art of typing knots, brush up on the identification of nautical flags and vessel lighting, find sailing schools in your area, and tons more.  Need to look up a quick term?  The app comes with a full sailing glossary for reference.  Want to check the forecast?  The app has direct access to the ASA Social Media Gateway, featuring national and satellite radars, tropical conditions for US cities, 5-day forecasts, wind data, and tide predictions.  Interested in to-the-minute sailing updates?  Use the app for direct connection to ASA's Facebook updates and Twitter feed.  ASA has always maintained a mission to "promote education and safety throughout the sailing community", and they continue to do so through their extensive app.

Download these apps and become the handiest sailor on or off the water.  Turns out, the ultimate sailor can fit right in your pocket.

And here are some other apps mentioned by our Facebook fans:
 - Ayetides
AyeTides displays tides and currents for nearly 10,000 location around the world. It is a stand-alone application and does not require internet access to function. 
 - MotionX GPS 
Designed and used by Philippe Kahn during his record setting Transpacific Run. The app has a virtual compass for navigation and a stopwatch to record time, distance, speed and average pace. MotionX-GPS is a great way to compare results from one race to the next and at the end of the day.
 - Animated Knots by Grog:
Are you all tied up in knots? Well, this app has been created by re-engineering the content of the very popular website, including all the knot tying animations and descriptions.
 - WindAlert
WindAlert is an app that draws from a database that includes over 40,000 weather stations across the globe. Features include favorite lists of weather stations separated into unique user-generated profiles and customizable wind alerts delivered through the iPhone when conditions reach thresholds set by the user.

Did we miss any iPhone apps that you find useful? Or do you prefer Android apps? Let us know by leaving a comment here.

This article was contributed by our guest author, Ali Tortorello, from Boston University, whose family sails out of Cedar Point YC in Westport CT.   

If you also have a story you'd like to share, please contact us and we'll get you published on JibeTalk!

 

A "Clever Pig" Helps Highly Competitive Young Sailors

The Southport Sailing Foundation is a charitable organization from Southport CT that was started several years ago by a group of sailors who grew up racing on Long Island Sound. All shared a passion for sailing and a desire to give back to the sport by helping others.

The mission of the Foundation is to facilitate the preparation, coaching and skill-building needed for youth and young adult sailors to participate and succeed in national and international sailing competition; and to do so in a way that promotes a lasting love of sailing and respect for all aspects of the sport, including seamanship, safety and sportsmanship.

The Foundation has developed two specific tools to help youth and young adult sailors reach their sail campaigning goals: a unique and comprehensive website - http://www.CleverPig.org - and the William B. Cargill Grant Fund that awards modest grants to help sailors offset some of the costs of their racing.
 
CleverPig.org facilitates organizing and managing a sailing campaign for young sailors. It provides tips and tools on how to get started, how to fundraise, write a budget, set a schedule, find and hire a coach and much more. There are copious amounts of information and tools so that young sailors can help themselves.
   - Sailors may create a campaign website on Cleverpig.org to promote their team with potential sponsors and tell supporters about recent accomplishments and future plans using the web page feature.
   - Junior program chairs and parents of young racing sailors have successfully used the ‘Coach Finder’ on Cleverpig.org that provides a thorough list of 140 coaches around the country and the boats they coach. A user of the website can sort by region and/or classes coached to find the coach needed.
   - Venue information such as weather and tide links, as well as local knowledge written by local sailors, can be found in the  venue section on Cleverpig.org. Currently, information for eighty different venues is available. This information has proven very helpful to include in registration packets if you are hosting a regatta, as well as for those going to events outside the Long Island Sound area, such as the Orange Bowl.

Through its special William B.Cargill Grant Fund the Foundation offers modest grants each calendar quarter to deserving youth and young adult racing sailors who are pursuing sailing campaigns. The next due date for grant applications is February 15, 2011. Since the inception of the Cargill Fund, almost fifty grants have been awarded. Of those, approximately half of the recipients were sailors from Long Island Sound. Some of the LIS sailors who have received grants are: Olivia Crane and Ali Blumenthal, Deirdre Lambert and Tracy Doherty, Rob Crane, Connor Needham, Brendan Kopp and Mike Costello, and Erik Storck and Trevor Moore, to name a few. See the complete list of grant recipients to date. Sailors who are awarded these grants will also become members of the newly announced Clever Pig Sailing Team. 

The Foundation relies solely on donations for its funding to support young, aspiring sailors and provide a valuable online resource for sailors across the country. Donations may be made online, or you can mail a check to: Southport Sailing Foundation, PO Box 946, Southport, CT 06890. Donations are tax-deductible because of the Foundation's 501(c)(3) status and will be used to give grants to deserving sailors, as well as help maintain the website, and you can specify how you would like your gift to be used.

P.S.  If you are wondering where the Clever Pig name came from, check out this answer. 

 

2011 US Sailing Development Team is Announced

Fifty-six talented athletes have been named to the 2011 US Sailing Development Team, the youth pipeline team supported by US Sailing's Olympic Sailing Committee.

Included are these sailors from Long Island Sound:
   Laser- Cam Cullman and Dan Del Bello (American YC) and Rob Crane (Noroton YC)
   Radial- Ryan Schmitz (Port Washington YC)
   29er- Andrew and Matthew Mollerus (Larchmont YC)
   49er- Declan Whitmyer (Noroton YC) and Ian Storck (Centerport YC)
   470- Marlena Fauer (Southampton YC).

See the full details at the US Sailing Teams website

Female Windsurfer and First-ever Australian Win World Sailor of the Year Awards

Blanca Manchón (ESP) and Tom Slingsby (AUS) joined the sailing world's list of highest achievers this week in Athens, Greece, as they were respectively named female and male recipients of the 2010 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards.

Born in Spain in 1987, Blanca Manchón has been on the water for almost as long as she remembers, starting out sailing in the Optimist class at only seven years old. She began windsurfing at nine and by age ten she was already participating in her first World Championship, joining the Junior class despite her unusually young age. Manchón had her first international podium at the age of 12, in 1999, when she won a silver medal at a competition in France.

In 2004 she became the first junior to represent Spain in the Olympic Games, in Athens. She had just turned 17 and had placed 7th in the Mistral World Championship in Cesmi, Izmir, Turkey, proving herself as a force with which to be reckoned. Manchón subsequently finished 8th in the Athens Olympic Games in the Mistral class.

Yet the best was still to come, and in 2005 she became the Youth Sailing ISAF World Champion in Busan, Korea, the European Youth Champion and the World Youth Champion, all in the Mistral class. These results lifted her to third in the ISAF World Ranking and she won the Spanish Olympic Committee's "Most Promising of the Year" award. 2005 also marked the first time she was nominated for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards.

Manchón's impressive results continued through 2006, when the Olympic board was changed to the RS:X. She bid adieu to her career in youth sailing with a bronze in the ISAF World Youth Sailing Games in Austria and went on to become the first European Champion in the new RS:X category, winning gold in Alacati, Turkey.

Tom Slingsby is the first Australian to win the award. Like many Sydneysiders,  Slingsby grew up with nautical influence in his life from a young age, and remembers doing his first competitive sailing at eight years old. While tempted by a potential career in tennis, he decided at 15 that sailing was his preferred sport and by the 2004-2005 season, Slingsby had become a regular on the podium.

In 2006 he took the top spot in Hyères and went on to win the Holland Regatta (Medemblik, The Netherlands). He placed second at the Laser World Championship (Jeju, South Korea) and ending the year with two Australian podiums (Sydney International Regatta and Australian Laser Championships).

Slingsby's results following the Beijing Olympic Games were not what they had once been, and he realized that what he really wanted was to win. "I went through a difficult time after the Olympics and 2009 was not a great year for me," said Slingsby. "It was tough and I had almost no good results in World Championship events. So I decided to change a few things up, and I started concentrating more on the process and less on the results and then the results just started to come in." Slingsby set himself back on track with his 2009 win at Skandia Sail For Gold in Weymouth and Portland and finished the year as the Australian Laser Champion. In 2010 he picked up the Etchells national title in January.

Read full report at and view photos and videos at http://www.sailing.org/worldsailor/

2011 US Sailing Development Team Applications Now Open

The youth pipeline team supported by US SAILING’s Olympic Sailing Committee is the US Sailing Development Team (USSDT). The USSDT is designed to provide an elite environment for young sailors, aged 13 years or older, to prepare for the highly competitive world of Olympic Sailing.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2011 USSDT. Interested applicants should submit a resumé of sailing results and a statement of goals. Full details about the USSDT, including links to apply by the November 1 deadline, may be found at the US Sailing website.

There are a few Long Island Sound sailors on this year's USSDT, including Laser: Cam Cullman, Rye NY, 470: Kaity Storck, Huntingon NY, I420: Marlena Fauer, New York NY; Alex Whipple, Manhasset NY; Declan Whitmyer, Stamford CT and Ian Storck, Huntington NY. See the full 2010 roster here.

We'll look forward to seeing the new names selected for the 2011 team.

Photo of Katia DaSilva and Morgan Kiss, 2010 USSDT members and I420 World Championship Silver Medalists, is courtesy of US Sailing.