Yachting New Zealand, Windsurfing and Olympic Success

YNZ & Windsurfing & Olympic success.

Author: Bruce Kendall

October 2009

Back ground.

YNZ has never taken a roll in the development or management of a class or it’s class association or the promotion of a discipline other than in mono hull yachting. [The YNZ optimist “have a go” program.]

YNZ have recently shown an interest in windsurfing and its Olympic pathway, hence the meeting on Friday 9^th Oct 2009.

Olympic Class windsurfing is New Zealand’s most successful medal winning sport from 1984 to 2008. Yachting has not won a sailing medal since 1992.

Some people have recognised that the future potential of NZL winning medals in Windsurfing may be under threat from 2016 on and something needs to be done now to prevent this.

YNZ’s current position

YNZ is the governing body for all sailing in NZL.

Historically 60 to 80 % of YNZ’s annual funding comes from SPARC who are mainly interested in funding the elite end of Olympic Yachting.

Sport and Recreation NZ “SPARC” is YNZ’s biggest “customer” and SPARC are buying Olympic medals from YNZ.

SPARC have always have had and still do a policy of not funding the sports development, only the elite end of the sport.

For YNZ to provide these medals they currently provide the following.

1. Some coaching for the ISAF youth classes.
2. Full time coaching for the Olympic Sailing classes.
3. Part time coaching for Kate Ellingham. [Windsurfer]
4. Funding and a range of services for the elite Olympic squad members
5. Shipping organization and a shipping subsidy for sailors.
6. General admin support for some ISAF events.
7. Management of the Priministers scholarship program.

YNZ’s best carrot to retain sailors from the youth class to Olympic high performance is the Priministers scholarship program. This is government funding to encourage talented sailors with an academic need, to purse their studies while training for an Olympic games and have good potential to win a medal.

For a sailor to qualify for the elite Olympic squad they need to achieve a top over all result at selected international events.

NZ’s Olympic Yachting Competitive History since 1984

Up to 1992 the Olympic classes NZL has been most successful in were from strong fleets in NZL. Tornado, Fin, 470 and Windsurfing. In these classes NZL sailors sailed in high quality fleets in NZL during the European off-season. The top sailors from this group then trained in the northern hemisphere summer. The northern hemisphere sailors mostly only sailed for half a year and NZL sailors sailed all year. This was NZL’s main advantage.

As the northern hemisphere nations have recognised this, they started training all year in good fleets with professional full time national coaches. Countries without the organization or finance to maintain year around training for their Olympic classes with high quality coaching [except in rare occasions] have fallen by the way side.

From 1984 to 1992, USA and NZL were the dominant forces in Olympic Yachting. USA taking the lion’s share of Olympic yachting medals and NZL winning easily percapita. In 1992 USA won 9 Olympic sailing medals, in 1996 [Savannah USA] USA won 3, in 2000 they won 4. Since 2000 they have only managed 2 medals per Olympics. In 1984 and 1988 NZL won 3 in 1992 NZL won 4. From 1996 NZL have won Olympic sailing medals only in windsurfing.

USA has no organization to promote Olympic Yachting nationally and since 1988 no full time national coaches to look after elite squads. This continues to be the case and although USA is one of the biggest financial powers in the world, USA continue to founder in classes that are not well coached and their medal count in the last two Olympics was only 2 at each Olympics.

In the UK the RYA recognised in the mid to late 80’s that they needed a better national development program as they only won one or two Olympic sailing medals each Olympics right up until 1996. Then in the 2000 Olympics their development program delivered results with 5 medals wining the over all Olympic sailing medal count. GBR topped the medal count also with 5 Olympic medals in 2004 and 6 Olympic medals in 2008.

The RYA is fully involved with managing and supplying coaches for a national development program that includes quality coaching from learn to sail right through to the Olympic level. The RYA is the best example in the world to do this followed by others in some disciplines such as France, Australia, Spain, Holland, Italy and China.

New Zealand needs to do the same and focus on developing the less expensive yachting disciplines first such as windsurfing & Lasers then 470’s and so on.

YNZ has a history of not retaining talented successful NZL coaches. Losing talented NZL coaches has a double-edged sword. NZ sailors loose this valuable input and then have to compete against over seas sailors that now have the NZL coaches coaching them. Hamish Wilcox’s knowledge went to Japan and the UK and both counties have won Olympic Medals as a result. The same has happened in windsurfing with Bruce Kendall going to China and Greece. Aaron McIntosh’s Dutch windsurfers will be a real threat to NZL chances in 2012.

Since the 1992 Olympic success, YNZ has done little to promote Olympic Class Yachting around New Zealand. It has not been proactive in developing any Olympic class and apart from the Laser class; numbers in Olympic yachting have dwindled since 1988.

History of Windsurfing in NZL and the Olympics

Olympic Windsurfing has done well in NZL partly due to the same seasonal reasons NZL Olympic yachting did well from 1984 to 1992. Windsurf racing in NZL was attracting big numbers of sailors at many events that Olympic and non-Olympic windsurfers competed at from 1978 until 1992. In the mid 80’s to early 90’s there were some times up to 200 competitors at various NZ competitions. Although the numbers dwindled from the early 90’s, the industry remained strong and the Mistral One Design and race board classes were strong in NZL with a good depth of talent and sufficient support.

Up to 1992 NZL Olympic windsurfing medal success maintained the profile of the sport so people wanting to learn at windsurfing schools and the sales of windsurfing equipment reflected this. Also NZL had manufactures, retailers and outside sponsors promoting the sport. Grant Beck, Paul Page, the Kendalls, Aaron Macintosh, JP Tobin and Scott Fenton have all ridden this wave of plenty.

From 2000 to 2002 YNZ employed Bruce Kendall to coach elite level windsurfing for 6 months of the year. Bruce was also partly employed by the Millennium institute of sport to develop a junior and youth windsurfing program. Paul Page was employed full time by YNZ from 2003 to 2007. Paul provided elite level coaching and improved upon the junior development program. He integrated Mad loop windsurfing school’s learn to windsurf program with Murrays bay yacht club and their windsurf development program. He got a Bic Techno program going. He also organised regular coaching, racing and storage from Takapuna Yacht club. In 2007 YNZ stopped providing regular windsurf coaching or an YNZ contact to manage the development program developed by Paul or give the RSX fleet guidance.

Tom Ashley is a product of New Zealand windsurfing’s plentiful times. From an early age, he and his family have been around this strong NZL windsurfing environment and people. The people he has been mentored by and coached are amongst the best the world had to offer. Bruce Kendall, Barbara Kendall, Aaron McIntosh, Grant Beck, Paul Page and he raced against James Wells and JP Tobin and other top talented NZL sailors. He was also able to afford to train with the best sailors over seas for extended periods of time. He had very generous funding from an individual who was also part of windsurfing’s time of plenty and wanted to “put something back.” YNZ put huge resource toward Tom from 2000 onwards.

The NZL Windsurfing Decline

Around the mid to late 90’s when windsurfing evolved into extremely different forms of racing so that Olympic sailors no longer competed with the general windsurfing population and all forms of windsurf racing became too extreme and expensive, the numbers of competitors racing boards in NZL began to dwindle. The Olympic Windsurfing sport became too different from what the windsurfing industry was promoting and this further reduced the numbers coming into the sport. Around this time, Blake boards, the last local mass manufacture stopped. Also NZL’s biggest importer and retailer went under and major out side sponsorship of events stoped.

Although the industry and numbers of boards on the water declined the Olympic windsurfing class continued to deliver Olympic results due the strong base of knowledge and talent NZL Olympic windsurfers had acquired and they continued to put their knowledge and energy into Olympic windsurfing in NZL. There was still reasonable backing from YNZ so that the elite sailors were able to continue as the industry funding started to dry up.

Due to low numbers of talented and well-trained windsurfers, no structure, guidance, top quality coaching and a weak industry, NZL Windsurfing Olympic success after 2012 is under threat.

NZL Windsurfing’s Current Status.

Either Tom Ashley or JP Tobin and Kate Ellingham are likely to compete at the next Olympic games but for 2016 and beyond, the future at this time looks bleak.

The level of and amount of talent regularly competing in NZL is not as high as it used to be. The numbers of people coming into the sport and being retained is down and numbers of recreational windsurfing is down. Local spots that used to have 10 to 80 boards out whenever there was wind, any time of the week are empty. Due to the increased weight and performance of the equipment, the Olympic Windsurfing Class requires that the sailors need more help to get from entry level to Olympic level more than before. There is no organisation, infrastructure or business promoting and developing windsurfing for the Olympics in NZL. The windsurfing population Talent pyramid is too top heavy. There is no longer any local manufacturer of windsurfing equipment. [Possibly one in Taranaki?] The windsurf importers and retailers sales numbers are down and another long standing Auckland retailer is likely to shut down soon. Things look pretty grim.

Olympic windsurfing in the USA and Australia have been in a worse state since before 2000 and their Olympic successes over the last years reflect this. Their ISAF world cup events attract only one or two locals and over whelming over seas competitors and the total fleet numbers are less than what NZL has in the Sail Auckland event, which has a healthy ratio of local to international sailors. The NZL participation numbers and results spread could still be improved.

There is some activity in the Bic Techno class but the level and amount of coaching is not enough to ensure people coming out of this class will be able to compete well in the RSX class.

There is little or no windsurfing happening in yacht clubs in NZL apart from Takapuna YC [a left over from Paul Pages efforts] and a new push from a parent in Mount Maunagnui.

Windsurfing dose not have the history yachting dose or many land bases [yacht clubs] to have enough parents to promote and run a promotion and development program to ensure the long-term success of the sport. The Optimist and single-handed sailing dose, windsurfing doesn’t.

There are still some successful windsurfing schools in NZL but the drop out rate is high. There is no follow up promotion or pathway being publicized or properly carried out.

Over the years, the New Zealand Board Sailing Association became the New Zealand Windsurfing Association. On a very small budget, it managed the local events Calender, ran events, continually upgraded the learn to windsurf system, and defended and looked after the rights of windsurfers on such matters as water access and life jacket use.

There has been many times since 2000 that Olympic Class windsurfers and windsurfing administrators have wanted to take the lion’s share of money YNZ received as a result of Olympic class windsurfing success. With this money windsurfing could better manage, promote, and develop windsurfing in NZL and ensure Olympic class windsurfing remains strong. As a result general windsurfing would also benefit.

It is hoped that YNZ recognise this and Olympic windsurfing’s current vulnerable position employ a windsurfing development officer and work closely with the NZWA, and the windsurfing industry, coaches and sailors to ensure the health of windsurfing in NZL and NZLs Olympic windsurfing medal winning potential.

YNZ’s Current Development Program.

YNZ recognise they need to promote their sport and windsurfing to the wider community and nurture talent from the very beginning to the Olympic level.

This is happening with single-handed sailing but not very well if at all with windsurfing.

The optimist “have a go” program is backed up with strong and often large fleets based out of yacht clubs and managed by a large number of talented, experienced and dedicated parents who often employ professional and talented dedicated coaches. The large numbers of optimists on the water attract more parents and kids into this class.

Yachting has a large dropout rate after they leave the optimist and before they take on a more senior class.

After the Optimist, due to age or body size, sailors need to move into P class, 420’s, 29ers, starlings, splash, hobbie 16 etc until they are big enough for an Olympic class. This messy in between period is critical to retaining talent but gives sailors the chance to try different sailing disciplines. There needs to be good quality coaching at this transition stage to ensure basic skills needed for the Olympic classes. The YNZ coach development program is increasing the pool of sailing coaches and improving their skills and knowledge so that new and transition stage sailors have a better chance of getting to Olympic classes in better shape.

After the “transition stage” YNZ has full time professional coaches for the single handed and double handed Olympic Classes that have some involvement with these developing sailors, but focus mostly on the elite level Olympic sailors.

Yachting NZL has no coordinated development program for windsurfing.

The Windsurfing Pathway.

There are a number of windsurfing schools around NZ that promote windsurfing to schools and organizations. The windsurf schools teach the basics of how to windsurf. There is a large drop out after people just try or learn to windsurf. There are little or no social windsurfing groups or clubs that meet regularly and there is no recognized pathway for young windsurfers.

The equipment windsurf schools mostly currently use is small sails and wide boards. These are good for the basics but not good to help sailors to learn to sail up wind. The wide boards do not sail up wind well as the shape dose not sail up wind well on its own and they often have inadequate centreboards and fins. Some times the windsurf schools have some long boards with good sized center boards that do sail moderately well up wind but this is often not promoted by the wind surf schools.

There is seldom if any encouragement or instruction from windsurfing schools to teach students how to race a board around a course that includes upwind and down wind legs.

YNZ need to work with the windsurfing schools, industry and local yacht clubs to promote the windsurfing pathway and provide regular coaching at the windsurf schools and yacht clubs to a level where people learn to race well.

Someone needs to be paid to do this work.

1. A Windsurfing Development Officer needs to be paid to manage and carry out the following. They can be funded by a variety of means such as pub charity funding and sponsorships but should initially employed by YNZ so the WDO can go out and get the extra funding.
2. The WSNZ windsurfing instructor program may need to be modified and simplified so windsurf instructors can learn to teach windsurfing through to a basic racing level. This needs to be done by the WDO with the help of the windsurfing schools and the experts in this field and WSNZ and YNZ.
3. It has been proven that for windsurfers to be successful in any discipline they need to learn before they are 15 years old. Many believe this age is as now actually as low 9 years old and high level professional coaching to sail and race properly should start at 11 years old. A windsurfing path way needs to reflect these options.
4. Wide boards need at windsurf schools to be used for the basics of how to up-haul and get going. This is largely the case already.
5. Long boards with centreboards should then be used at windsurfing schools to help the sailors get to terms with sailing up wind and the basics of getting around a course. There are plenty of suitable cheap 2^nd hand long boards available. The windsurf schools need to buy into this extra step. This needs to be managed by the WDO.
6. If young windsurf school students want to continue windsurfing, they should be put on Bic Technos and taught to race. This board is a good transition board for all kinds of windsurfing, it is the strongest junior and youth class internationally and the youth Olympic Class.
7. The Bic Techno and the windsurfing path way need to be promoted in all yacht clubs and junior events. This needs to be done by the WDO. A commission fee for every new Bic Techno sold in NZL could help fund this project.
8. Every windsurfing school and yacht club with any junior program should have 4 to 10 Bic Techno “club boards” with some regular coaching to a race level. Pub charity funding could help with this. The applications should be done by the WDO.
9. There needs to be regular local and regional Bic Techno and RSX racing to help the social element to strengthen and the group to attract more to join the sport. High quality race management and coaching will ensure the sailors improve. The WDO can ensure this happens.
10. When sailors get too big or old for the Bic Techno they can move onto the ISAF youth class which is currently the RSX with the 8.5 and 60cm fin [women’s Olympic Class.] A windsurf path way promotional poster can be put out in the right places to help with this.
11. A windsurf path way poster should be produced and paid for by the various windsurfing companies, YNZ and with the help of the NZL windsurfing magazine. It can show all the windsurfing options and the normal progression to get there and how. The WDO should manage the production and distribution of this poster.
12. There needs to be regular coaching and mentoring for the ISAF youth windsurfing class as there is a big jump to the Olympic high performance level in physical demands and campaign costs. The WDO should be readily available to help manage and advise this.
13. There needs to be regular racing at clubs for Bic Techno, ISAF youth classes, slalom, formula class and the Olympic classes. The NZWA need to manage this with the help of the WDO.
14. The NZL intersecondry schools windsurfing championships needs to be revitalised to help promote windsurf racing in High schools.
15. This program needs to be rolled out in all the main windsurfing population centres first.

Funding.

WSNZ has little or no funding. Historically WSNZ got funding from the NZ water safety council for it’s windsurf instructors manual and reforms.

YNZ receives money only for elite Olympic sailors, high performance coaching and admin.

The Millennium Institute of Sport and Health found funds from pub charities to fund coaching and admin to develop youth windsurfing in the Auckland area.

Stuart Pedersen found pub charity funding for a fleet of Bic Technos in Tauranga.

YNZ should employ a Windsurfing Development officer and help them to obtain better funding for a wage from Pub Charities and other organizations; this program may have a chance of success

Summary.

The best possible outcome for NZL windsurfing as a whole & YNZ is if NZL continues to win Olympic medals in windsurfing long into the future and that the numbers of people enjoying windsurfing safely, grow.

SPARC will continue to fund YNZ and the windsurfing industry will continue to employ and service people.

Wave sailing, free style sailing, race board class, slalom and formula class sailing will all benefit from the Bic Techno and RSX sailors diversifying or just changing disciplines.

The above-suggested program is the best formula for this.
post a comment