WIMRA Executive Director Liz Baylis hopes for positive future of women’s sailing in Olympics
Women’s International Match Racing Association (WIMRA) Executive Director, Liz Baylis, discussed the present situation of the women’s sailing and hopes for a good future of the sport in the Olympics.
Baylis believes that women’s sailing will grow as a sport in the coming years.
The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Council removed women’s keelboat event from the Olympics 2016, through voting. The removal of sport came as a disappointment to WIMRA, but since the decision
has been made the Association should look forward to improve the standard of women's sailing.
The Women’s Match Racing has grown incredibly throughout the world in the past 10 years. In the year 2000, there were only 20 events of women's sailing, while it grew to 80 events in 2010. The skippers
ranking list has increased from 115 in 2000 to 320 now and the Women’s Match Racing has reached many other countries like Republic of South Africa, Slovenia, El Salvador, Croatia, Korea and India.
Women’s sailing has been added to the Olympics 2012 due to the efforts put by WIMRA to promote the sport in the world. The recent decision of it's removal from the 2016 Olympics by ISAF though, will
not diminish the reality that the Women’s Match Racing is a growing sport and a dynamic discipline.
WIMRA Vice President, Lotte Meldgaard Pedersen said, “I don't think that match racing has ever been adopted by the Sailing World Cups to use its full potential, so not really a surprise that women's
keelboat/match racing is out again. I'm sure match racing will be fantastic events at the Pre-Olympics, ISAF Worlds in Perth and at the Olympic Games 2012. And match racing will for sure survive also outside the Olympic programme, no doubt about that.”
WIMRA is committed to promote the women’s sailing and its events around the world and Lotte believes that the Women’s Match Racing event in 2012 Olympics will be exciting, riveting and media friendly.
She also said that they are working to develop the sport outside the Olympics too.
The women’s sailing is a healthy sport for the female sailors all around the world and they should be given equal opportunities to take part in the game. WIMRA, in this regard, is putting a lot of
effort to make sure that women’s sailing is recognised throughout the world.
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