Devastating news for windsurfing and the competitors and their families today as windsurfing is dropped from the Olympic program. It is also a huge blow for the Olympics as it signifies the direction towards television friendly sports in an Institution that for me growing up was based upon overcoming human endurance umongst piers. Windsurfing being perfectly positioned to highlight this plight and dropped never the less. I'm not sure what can be done at this point but hopefully it is not the end of windsurfing at the ultimate level. www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/ISAF-Selects-Kiteboarding-For-Rio-2016/?page=-2#lastpost

This may not affect the outcome of the decision for the Rio games but we need to all sign this petition to voice our concern regarding this direction. It may make them reconsider future decisions. www.change.org/p/isaf-keep-windsurfing-as-olympic-discipline

Set up thanks to Chris Guest, a young and gifted windsurfer from the UK.

Signed the petition, joined the facebook group which has over 13000 members in 24 hours, more members than the isaf page has, even sent an email to isaf, they havent replied yet but I'm sure they will get back to me soon.

Maybe its not a popular enough sport to warrant inclusion anymore? Before I get smashed I just want to quickly say that I enjoy windsurfing and think it should be there.

Well Murarrie, I know it seems a bit that way in Australia but in Europe it still has a very strong following so the argument doesn't really stack up. In fact I really can't imagine the reason behind the decision and I have tried to look at it from all angles. Some popular feedback is that it is to make for a more exciting category but course racing in yachting, windsurfing or kitesurfing is going to have exactly the same drawbacks. A more accessible sport? My brother just started kitesurfing and it wasn't a lot less expensive than the RSX setup to get into, which kills that argument. The popularity? Kitesurfing here is more popular but the massive following windsurfing has overseas discounts that also. A lot of people have been blaming the RSX's, saying they are not exciting enough but even the RSX is far more exhilarating than any of the yacht divisions.

Hopefully at the very least the ISAF can give us a reason for quashing a 30 year relationship with arguably the most exciting of any of the course racing options they have.

Indeed. Really, follow the money and you'll see why they dropped it. It's not about sport, challange, technique or endurance. It's about profitability. Sadly enough. :(

formula kiting's gonna be way entertaining as an olympic sport just for it's goofy awkward appearance and mega tangles. like a cyclist crash at the front of the peloton that wipes everyone out. imagine the fistycuffs

was there a minimum wind strength for the olympic windsurfing event to run? I'm curious to know how they run an event if there's not enough wind to keep the kite flying? you're either kiting or swimming, and there's nothing in between

Maybe it's time for the PWA to step up

Hopes, Dreams and Lively Hoods of thousands
have been crushed.

Windsurfing was voted in as an Olympic sport by ISAF 1981 and ever since 1984.

The windsurfing equipment has changed due to ISAF's demands 5 times, more than any other Olympic sailing discipline and windsurfing still has managed to grow back each time.
The equipment changes have not always been due the popular windsurfers vote.

The rule changes & formats introduced by the Olympic Windsurfing Class & it's sailors, have often lead to positive change in the other Olympic Class formats.

In 2012 the Olympic Windsurfing Sport [RSX] is the most accurately consistent one design racing class in the sailing world so it is really a sailor on sailor sport.
The RSX has the widest fair racing wind range of all Olympic Sailing Classes from 2 to 35 plus knots.
It currently has the highest top end speeds of all Olympic sailing classes; it is stronger globally than ever before, more dynamic to watch than most Olympic Sailing classes and has the highest athletic performance of all sailors ever.

The Olympic Windsurfing class has a perfect feeder class from the Bic Techno 293 junior and youth classes. The Bic techno class is the second biggest one design sailing class in the world to the Optimist.
The growth of the Bic Techno 293 class is still on the rise globally & may soon pass the Optimist for this position.

With this single ISAF ballot, so much development work, many windsurfing long-term plans & dreams have been crushed, jobs destroyed and years of training and investment in equipment & knowledge put to waste.

The RSX Olympic Windsurfing class appears to have all the Olympic ideals, but has strangely been crushed by an ill-informed or misguided ISAF council decision.

www.change.org/p/isaf-keep-windsurfing-as-olympic-discipline?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=share_button_modal

Great to see the support, currently over 12,000 submissions on the petition.

Select to expand quote

Upthere said...

Hopes, Dreams and Lively Hoods of thousands
have been crushed.

Windsurfing was voted in as an Olympic sport by ISAF 1981 and ever since 1984.

The windsurfing equipment has changed due to ISAF's demands 5 times, more than any other Olympic sailing discipline and windsurfing still has managed to grow back each time.
The equipment changes have not always been due the popular windsurfers vote.

The rule changes & formats introduced by the Olympic Windsurfing Class & it's sailors, have often lead to positive change in the other Olympic Class formats.

In 2012 the Olympic Windsurfing Sport [RSX] is the most accurately consistent one design racing class in the sailing world so it is really a sailor on sailor sport.
The RSX has the widest fair racing wind range of all Olympic Sailing Classes from 2 to 35 plus knots.
It currently has the highest top end speeds of all Olympic sailing classes; it is stronger globally than ever before, more dynamic to watch than most Olympic Sailing classes and has the highest athletic performance of all sailors ever.

The Olympic Windsurfing class has a perfect feeder class from the Bic Techno 293 junior and youth classes. The Bic techno class is the second biggest one design sailing class in the world to the Optimist.
The growth of the Bic Techno 293 class is still on the rise globally & may soon pass the Optimist for this position.

With this single ISAF ballot, so much development work, many windsurfing long-term plans & dreams have been crushed, jobs destroyed and years of training and investment in equipment & knowledge put to waste.

The RSX Olympic Windsurfing class appears to have all the Olympic ideals, but has strangely been crushed by an ill-informed or misguided ISAF council decision.

www.change.org/p/isaf-keep-windsurfing-as-olympic-discipline?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=share_button_modal

Hi Up There,

Yes, totally agree with you buddy. You can add to the above points that RSX/Windsurfing gives a 'point of difference' to the other classes. They look great on the water too!

...and in my humble opinion, RXS takes more skill to sail than any of the other classes.

Here's hoping that they will re-consider.

what a circus!! Spain voted for kites by mistake!!


www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=windsurfingtour&e=com

Reading between the lines it sounds like the form was confusing and may have something to do with the strange decision. The other thing that is quite positive out of that is they sound quite confident that if the petition receives enough support it may have some bearing on a reversal on the decision.