World Sailing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids World Sailing |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Sport | Sailing |
| Year of formation | 14 October 1907 |
| Former names | International Yacht Racing Union; International Sailing Federation |
| Membership size | 144 |
| Other affiliation(s) |
|
| Patron | King Harald V of Norway |
| President | Quanhai Li |
| Vice-presidents |
|
| Executive Office | |
| Address | |
| Chief Executive | David Graham |
| Number of staff | Approx. 30 |
| Continental Association | |
|
|
World Sailing is the main organization that manages the sport of sailing around the world. It is officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). This means they help organize sailing events in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Contents
History of World Sailing
The idea for World Sailing started in 1904. A man named Major Brooke Heckstall-Smith suggested that different countries should work together to create fair rules for yacht racing.
How World Sailing Began
In 1906, a meeting was held in London to create a special rule for measuring racing yachts. This rule was called the Metre Rule. On October 14, 1907, this group officially formed the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU) in Paris. This date is considered the start of the organization.
Name Changes Over Time
The IYRU changed its name a few times:
- On August 5, 1996, it became the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).
- Then, on November 14, 2015, ISAF changed its name to World Sailing, which it is still called today.
Sailing Competitions and Formats
Sailing competitions are called "regattas." These events are set up based on different types of sailing, the equipment used, and sometimes the gender or age of the sailors.
Types of Sailing Races
There are several exciting ways to compete in sailing:
- Fleet racing: This is the most common type. Many boats race against each other around a set course. The first one to finish wins.
- Match racing: Two identical boats race head-to-head. It's like a duel on the water, needing lots of strategy.
- Team racing: Two teams, usually with three boats each, race against each other. It's fast-paced and needs great teamwork.
- Offshore/oceanic racing: These are long races, sometimes over 800 miles, even around the world!
- Speed sailing: This is all about how fast a boat can go. It's managed by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.
- Wave riding: This is popular in board sports like windsurfing and kiteboarding.
- Cruising: This is the most common way people enjoy sailing. It can be a short trip along the coast or a long journey across oceans.
Sailing Equipment Categories
Sailors use different types of boats and boards, including:
- Dinghies (small open boats)
- Multihulls (boats with more than one hull, like catamarans)
- Keelboats (boats with a heavy keel for stability)
- Sailing yachts (larger boats, often with cabins)
- Windsurfers (boards with sails)
- Kiteboarding (boards pulled by a kite)
- Radio-controlled sailboats (miniature boats controlled remotely)
Each type of equipment often has its own specific "class" or rules.
Gender in Sailing Events
Most sailing events are "open," meaning both boys and girls, men and women, can compete together. Sailing has also held World Championships just for females since the 1970s to encourage more girls and women to join. For the 2016 Olympics, mixed-gender teams were included for the first time.
Sailor Categories for Events
Sometimes, events have special categories for sailors based on:
- Age
- Nationality
- Disability (for para sailors)
- Sailor classification (based on professional or amateur status)
Rules and Regulations for Sailing
World Sailing is well-known for creating the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). These are the international rules that guide how sailing competitions are run.
Rules for Para Sailing
Para sailing regattas, for sailors with disabilities, follow the same World Sailing rulebook. There are only small changes to allow for special equipment. For the Paralympic Games, strict rules ensure fair competition for all.
Important Documents from World Sailing
World Sailing controls several key rulebooks:
- Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS): This rulebook is updated every Olympic year.
- Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS): These rules cover the equipment used in sailing.
- Offshore Special Regulations (OSR): These are special rules for long-distance offshore races.
- World Sailing Regulations and Constitution: These are the main rules for how World Sailing itself operates.
World Sailing Membership
World Sailing is made up of different groups from around the world.
National Members
World Sailing has "Member National Authorities" (MNAs) from over 140 countries. These are like the main sailing organizations in each country. They can help decide World Sailing's policies. If you have a physical disability and want to learn to sail, World Sailing encourages you to find your local MNA or a sailing club. They want to help everyone enjoy sailing.
Class Associations
World Sailing officially recognizes over 80 different types of boat "classes." Each class can hold its own world championship.
Other Affiliated Members
Some other groups that work with World Sailing include:
- Offshore Racing Congress (ORC)
- World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC)
- International Radio Sailing Association (IRSA)
- International Monohull Open Classes Association
Major Sailing Events
Sailing at the Olympics
World Sailing is in charge of the Olympic Sailing Regatta. Sailing has been a part of the modern Summer Olympic Games since 1896, only missing the 1904 games.
To help sailors prepare for the Olympics, World Sailing organizes these events:
- Sailing World Championships: Held every four years, this event combines the World Championships for all Olympic classes and helps decide who qualifies for the Olympics.
- Sailing World Cup: An annual series of sailing competitions held around the world.
Sailing at the Paralympics
Sailing is a great sport for people with disabilities because it relies on equipment. This allows many different paralympians to compete fairly. Sailing was first a demonstration sport at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. It became a full medal sport at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. It was part of the Paralympics until 2020. Efforts are ongoing to get sailing back into the Paralympic program for 2028.
World Championships for Sailing Classes
Each official World Sailing class is allowed to hold its own world championship.
World Sailing's Own Championships and Events
World Sailing also organizes these major championships:
- Sailing World Championships
- Sailing World Cup Series
- Youth Sailing World Championships (for younger sailors)
- Team Racing World Championship
- Offshore Team Racing World Championship
- Women's Match World Championship
- Open Match Racing World Championship
- eSailing World Championship (started in 2018, a virtual sailing competition)
- Mixed Two Person Offshore Keelboat World Championship (started in 2019)
- Nations Cup (match racing)
Special Events Recognized by World Sailing
World Sailing also recognizes other very famous sailing events:
- America's Cup
- SailGP
- Star Sailors League
- The Ocean Race
- World Match Racing Tour
- PWA World Windsurfing Tour
- GKA Kite World Tour
- Foiling Week
Para Sailing
Sailing is a very flexible sport that can be enjoyed by people with many different types of disabilities. This is because the equipment can be adapted. In many parts of the sport, disabled sailors can compete equally with able-bodied sailors.
World Sailing also manages disabled sailing globally through its "Para World Sailing" brand. This happened after the International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) joined World Sailing in 2014. The goal was to have one main organization to support sailors with disabilities and make rules consistent.
Important People in World Sailing
Presidents of World Sailing
The president is the leader of World Sailing. Here are some of the past presidents:
- 1946–1955: Sir Ralph Gore
- 1955–1969: Sir Peter Scott
- 1969–1986: Beppe Croce (Italy)
- 1986–1994: Peter Tallberg (Finland)
- 1994–2004: Paul Henderson (Canada)
- 2004–2012: Göran Petersson (Sweden)
- 2012–2016: Carlo Croce (Italy)
- 2016–2020: Kim Andersen (Denmark)
- 2020–present: Quanhai Li (China)
Presidents of Honour
These are special honorary leaders:
- 1958–1991: King Olav V of Norway
- 1994–2023: King Constantine II of Greece
- 1994–present: King Harald V of Norway
Race Officials
To make sure sailing events are fair and run smoothly, World Sailing recognizes four types of officials:
- International Judge: Makes decisions about rules during races.
- International Measurer: Checks that boats meet the rules for their class.
- International Race Officer: Organizes and runs the races.
- International Umpire: Makes quick decisions during match racing.
Official Awards
World Sailing gives out special awards to recognize great achievements in the sport.
Rolex World Sailor of the Year
This is a very important annual award sponsored by ROLEX. It is given in two categories:
- Male World Sailor of the Year
- Female World Sailor of the Year
If a team wins, the award usually goes to the whole crew or the main skipper.
Sailing Hall of Fame
The ISAF Sailing Hall of Fame honors legendary sailors. The first six members were added on November 5, 2007:
- Olin Stephens (USA)
- Dame Ellen MacArthur (Great Britain)
- Paul Elvstrøm (Denmark)
- Barbara Kendall (New Zealand)
- Eric Tabarly (France)
- Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (Great Britain)
Seven more people were added in 2015:
- Dennis Conner (USA)
- Alessandra Sensini (Italy)
- Harold Vanderbilt (USA)
- Sir Peter Blake (New Zealand)
- Buddy Melges (USA)
- Valentin Mankin (Ukraine)
- Torben Grael (Brazil)
Beppe Croce Trophy
This award is given to someone who has volunteered a lot of their time to help the sport of sailing. Many famous sailors, rule experts, and boat designers have received this trophy.
Images for kids
-
World Sailing logo
See also
In Spanish: Federación Internacional de Vela para niños
