President’s Report May 2023

Canadian News

Spring has arrived and as I write this the Toronto Maple Leafs have made it through to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  It is also the time when we bring our boats down to our respective clubs and get ready for both our club racing programs and travelling to out of town regattas. I know I will be making a few changes to my control line management after snooping around other boats at the CanAm Winter series.

On the return trip from Florida I had the opportunity to drop my boat and trailer at the Tred Avon YC in Oxford MD for their Spring regatta. The Tred Avon Yacht Club is a relatively small club located on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay about one hour southeast of Annapolis MD.  It hosted the Star Worlds in 2018. Andrew Parish, Vice Commodore of the club, is working hard to establish a 2.4mR fleet at Tred Avon and he has provided storage for boats migrating north from Florida on their way to their
summer home clubs.

BTW the Spring Regatta was great fun. Although we were blown off the river on the Friday we had seven short course races in very shifty winds over the Saturday and Sunday. I definitely plan to attend the 2024 version of this event.

Jackie Gay of the Victoria Fleet has registered for the 2.4mR 2023 World Championship in Tampere,  Finland July 31 – August 5. At this time 47 competitors have registered with the eventual fleet expected to reach about 90 entries before entries close on June 30. We will be cheering Jackie on as the regatta commences.

Sail Canada has reserved one entry for the 2023 World Para Sailing Championships in The Hague, Netherlands starting August 10. At this point the sailor representing Canada has not been confirmed.

Upcoming Events:
May 20 – 21    Ice Breaker Regatta, Etobicoke Yacht Club, Toronto
June 3 – 4    Fleet Championships, Royal Victoria YC, Victoria
June 11     Kickoff Regatta, National Yacht Club, Toronto

Please see more information at www.canada24mr.com.

Hope to see you on the water soon.

Peter Wood, Class President

Tred Avon YC Spring Invitational 2023

Peter Wood and Peter Eagar raced in the annual Spring Invitational at the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford, MD, and it sounds like the rest of us missed a fun regatta!  Andrew Parish summed up the weekend on the US 2.4 Meter Sailing FB page:

Great turnout, a little rain, some light/heavy winds, just a few little lead changes, lots of laughter, mixed with chile,  pizza and beer.  We are holding 7 boats locally,  looking to build a fleet.  Many thanks to the Race Committee, 2.4mR class officers, TAYC/SSPP volunteers, and Clagett Sailing, followed by a gentleman-like game of Regatta, that made the weekend a great success!  Please come join us next year!

Congratulations on your 1st place finish Peter Wood!  Results here

Used 2.4mR Sailboats Wanted

Not using your 2.4mR? The Canadian 2.4mR class has received inquiries from motivated buyers looking for good used 2.4mR sailboats.

If you have a boat to sell please send the following details to the class e-mail address: [at][dot].

Builder
Year built
ISAF Hull #
Boat Location
Asking Price
Contact information

Peter Wood
Canadian 2.4mR Class Association

Canadian 2.4mR Sailors At Fall/Winter Regattas

In November 2022, 13 Canadian sailors attended the 2.4mR Open World Championships at Davis Island in Tampa, Florida. The competition was heavily impacted by Hurricane Nicole with only six races completed over two of the four scheduled days.  Bruce Millar from Royal Victoria Yacht Club was the top Canadian finisher.  Worlds results are here.

Between January and March, Canadians travelled to Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club (CHYC), Florida, to race in the five-regatta CanAm series hosted by the US 2.4mR US Class Association.  CHYC has been the winter home for 2.4mR sailors for 10 years.

The hospitable club’s top notch regatta management and weather attracted competitors from Victoria, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa along with racers from the US and Puerto Rico. A steady temperature of 27C and good winds ensured close racing.  Again Bruce Millar was the top Canadian.  CanAm results here.  CanAm photos by Fran Burstein  are posted below.

CanAm 2023 Photos by Fran Burstein

CanAm #4, #5

(03/2023)                 https://photos.app.goo.gl/5e2YaipLANhWtJ5T9

CanAm #3

(02/2023)               https://photos.app.goo.gl/aEpX4wHHFwgpW9qQ8 

CanAm #1, #2

 (1/23/2023)           https://photos.app.goo.gl/Mq8TZ8NvdjPPpnAb7                                                                                                

  (1/26/2023)             https://photos.app.goo.gl/vnjJVMGTjWSqzrJS6                    

  (1/28/2023             https://photos.app.goo.gl/rFci2b4L2xnckyGT8 

President of the International 2.4mR Class Association Heiko Kröger’s message following the IPC announcement that para sailing will not be part of LA 2028

2023 February 8

Dear Members,

On 29 January, the IPC announced that sailing would not be reinstated in the Paralympic Games program for Los Angeles 2028.

While World Sailing fought very hard for the return of sailing to the Paralympics with an excellent and dedicated campaign, others did as well. The entire sailing world supported the #backthebid campaign with great passion. It was not only active Para sailors, but also professional teams, Olympic sailors and sailing celebrities who got involved.

In the summer of 2021, World Sailing had launched its campaign to make a sailing comeback at the Paralympic Games and give a new generation of Para sailors the chance to sail at the highest level. There are now 41 nations active in parasailing on five continents. More than 630 active Para sailors are registered with World Sailing.

Over the last few years, World Sailing and Para World Sailing have run workshops to educate coaches and sailors in many countries with great success, motivating federations and clubs to develop sailing for people with disabilities.

“Despite this setback, our commitment to our Para sailors, to the continued growth of Para sailing and to the wider Para sport movement will only grow stronger.”

With this clear statement, David Graham (CEO World Sailing) comments on the decision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

According to World Sailing’s statement, it is clear that Para sailing will be continued and further developed at a high level worldwide. The current decision of the IPC does not change this!

Due to the discontinuation of the Paralympic status, the promotion of sailing programs for people with disabilities will be reduced or completely cancelled in many countries.

It therefore remains a challenge to further develop sailing for people with disabilities worldwide.

Para sport is an important part of the inclusive sporting world. Without the knowledge, experience and support of Para Sport, inclusion in sport is unthinkable.

The Int. 2.4mR class has always been inclusive – long before the term inclusion entered the sports world. We are known worldwide as the pioneer of inclusion in sailing and will continue to be so. Hardly any inclusive class has such a large international spread with as many regattas as we do.

Para sailing has been part of our class for over 25 years and it is therefore a matter of course that we as a class stand united behind Para sailing worldwide.

This is the declared aim of all our NCAs (National Class Associations) and is consistently implemented accordingly by the EC (Board of the Int. Class).

For example, by revising the Norlin One Design Rule (NOD Rule) in December (AGM), we have re-established the prerequisite for future close cooperation with World Sailing in the field of Para Sport. The joint organization of the Open 2.4mR Worlds and European Championships with the Para Worlds and European Championships is another important step towards an inclusive future.

At this point, I would like to emphasize that the Para sport is not the central and only focus of our class, and that we as a board care about all areas that are important for the future of our class. However, due to the current decisions, it was important and right to temporarily give special attention to this area.

Heiko Kröger

President of the International 2.4mR Class Association