– NEW INITIATIVES FROM THE INTERNATIONAL 49ER CLASS
/VP Peter Krüger Andersen
The introduction of the 49erFX has given the 49er Class an exceptional opportunity to develop and increase the growth of the fleet around the world. Further, the recent election of the 49er and 49erFX as core events in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic games provides us with a unique possibility of working with continuity and class growth. With this in mind, the 49er Class would like to introduce a number of new initiatives to take advantage of these opportunities, and to provide more sailors around the world with the option of sailing and competing in our spectacular boat.
Initiative number 1 – The Seiko Coaching Program
The purpose of the 49er Class Coach Program is twofold. Firstly, the Class would like to provide sailors from “small“ 49er nations the possibility to receive quality coaching at major championship and hereby-related clinics. The 49er class will provide the service at a favourable price, with many thanks to Seiko for supporting this program. It will cost an estimated 510 € a crew pr. event, including clinic and regatta. The second aim of the program is to introduce new coaches to the class – that being young and talented coaches, typically in a transition from athlete to coaching, or more experienced coaches who wish to get into the 49er class from other Olympic classes.
General assumptions
The coach program is constructed with the following general assumptions:
- A maximum of 5 teams per Coach.
- If less than 5 teams register only one coach will be provide to cover both 49er and 49erFX teams.
- The 49er Class facilitates class coaches at the following events in 2013, with expansion beyond that in the future: 49er Europeans, 49er Worlds and 49er youth worlds.
- The 49er Class will establish a database of interested and qualified coaches from around the world.
- The 49er Class bears the travel expenses for the class coach.
- The remaining costs are shared between the sailors and the class with the following ratios: Pre event clinics: 50/50, regattas: Class 25%, sailors 75%.
- All coaches are approved by the 49er Class.
If you are planning on attending the youth worlds, europeans, or worlds in 2013 and would like to be part of a pre-regatta clinic and have regatta support, please make an application to the class to be included in the program.
If you are a coach and you would like to work with 49er teams, please send an application to the class
Initiative number 2 – Open 49erFX championships
From 2013 the 49er Class will introduce an open 49erFX event at all major class championships. This is done in order to support the development of talents, to increase participation at major championships and to make an easy transition from the 29er class and other youth classes into the 49er Class. Having men and mixed teams compete in the 49erFX is a wonderful way to include more sailors who want to sail skiffs. We welcome these teams to our championships.
Initiative number 3 – Closer corporation with the 29er Class
At the ISAF annual meeting I meet with 29er President Charles Glover, Chris Turner from Ovington Boats and Dave Mackay form Mackay Boats. We discussed the possibilities of working closer with the 29er class in order to secure a better recruitment into the 49er class. We agreed to work on a program where the 29er builders at the 29er championships and possibly at the abovementioned National and Regional development regattas, could arrange trail sessions in the 49er. So far the talks are based on bringing a few boats to the 2013 29er worlds in Aarhus, hire some experienced “drivers“ and give the kids a ride.
Another thing we discussed was to work on establishing a shared database of coaches who would like to be a part of a shared coach program.
I would encourage all 9er sailors with good ideas on future projects or feedback on the mentioned initiatives to send me an email.
VP/Peter Krüger Andersen
