On the Wire with Roland Gaebler

An interview with ITA President Roland Gaebler about the ISAF mid year meeting.

ISAF Mid Meeting Summary

Yes, it looks good for an Olympic Multihull comeback. A complete turnaround since 2008. The ISAF Committees are in favor for Multihull action again. ISAF President Goran Petersson was very positive about the inclusion of multihull in his opening speech of the ISAF Council meeting in Balaton. I believe this says it all.

The Olympic Commission made a presentation on how Olympic Sailing must look into the future to stay strong in the Olympic Program. They showed us real facts and a mix of information from both IOC and ISAF with a clear visible strategy on how to reach that goal. There are many points Olympic Sailing must work on to fulfill the criteria of the future Olympic Standards: More Action and Speed. More Media. More Spectators. More Ticket Sales. More Nations.

And here we go: The US Sailing Federation wants 5 Men and 5 Women disciplines. It sounds logical and fair especially in Multihull sailing where we have the most mixed teams in sports. If the IOC and ISAF want a real spectacle for the media and public they have to establish Olympic Multihull for Women and Men. They have it in their own hands. We just need to present them with the right tools to create the ultimate sailing action for the Olympics.

About Phil Jones interview on the Daily Sail (25th May) where he states that Olympic sailing material must be inexpensive, widely available around the world, have youth appeal and allow us to deal with a range of weights, sizes and different sailing skills

I totally agree with the statements the Olympic Commission made. If you read carefully, you can see what IOC wants for our sport. Phil Jones and his team made it visible. Now we must do our homework.

Inexpensive: I have competed in 5 Olympics and I can say exactly what is going on. I was Head coach of the German Sailing Federation for many years and I know the budgets the MNAs have to spend on Olympic Sailing. And there are some hot stories inside this.

If we look into a 4-year campaign the Tornado budget sits somewhere in the middle amongst the existing Olympic classes’ budgets. Due to the fact that we have such high quality, one boat can be used for the whole campaign and after that, you can still get a very good price on the second hand boat market. With the new and stricter One Design Rules we managed to reduce the cost massively. On top of this we will have supplied One Design Sails at the Olympics if we get our Olympic status back. This way the teams will only need one set of sails per season. No more expensive sails and mast testing.

One boat, one mast and four set of sails in a 4-year Olympic Campaign. We calculate a financial investment of 5.000 € per year in a 4-year Olympic Campaign on materials. This way every nation and every sailing team can afford an Olympic Campaign.

Widely available: We have boat builders with exceptional quality around the globe. Just order a boat and rock the races. We have strict and proven One Design Rules which guarantee us boats with the highest possible quality and with excellent One Design measurements and certificates. Builders need one week to build a boat and it is ready to be sent to any nation in the world. Ready to sail out of the box.

Youth appeal: We deliver the most action for the audience. Together with the Skiffs we attract the youth at the Olympic Games with a very spectacular style. We show sailing in its most action loaded way. Our presence at TV and media values is at the top of small boat sailing. All this motivates the youth to start sailing.

Another example: the multiple World champions and Olympic Medal Winners John Forbes, Mitch Booth, René Schwall and the famous Hagara Brothers started sailing Tornados between 15 and 18 years old. We have sailors that went out from the Optimist straight into the Tornado. We support the youth with our legendary medal winning coaches.

Range of Weights: No question, we have the widest weight range in Olympic Sailing. Teams between 130 and 165 Kg sailed in the 2008 Olympic Games and before. If you mix up the sizes, a 100kg sailor can team up with a 60kg sailor. The light youngsters with a team weight of 130kg will be flying in front in light winds. The point is: all weight comes to one trapeze attachment point in the mast. So the Crew or Helm does not need to be of a specific weight. And we have mixed teams and women teams sailing the Tornados

Your impression about Tornado being reinstated as an Olympic class after that meeting

First of all we have to get our Multihull discipline in again. This is the main challenge. And we want to do it together with all our Multihull friends worldwide. We are very open to discuss the issue with other classes and manufacturers. After that we can discuss which Multihull class should be Olympic again. You all know that the Tornado Class is highly motivated and well prepared to offer ISAF and IOC the best One Design Quality for Olympic Multihull Sailing.

But there were more points at the ISAF Meeting that we have to take into consideration. Media Coverage, Spectators and Ticketing. A major point at the Olympics for the Multihulls and the Tornado is that we received the IOC Golden Rings Award for the best TV coverage at the 2008 Olympics. On top of this we have the information that the Tornados brought the highest media value to some ISAF World Cup Events before 2008. This says it all.

I think we should sail all our future races like the Olympic Medal race. It is much more emotional, spectacular, visible and understandable. In Qingdao the break wall and grandstands were full. Why should we sail outside peoples’ eyes? We want to sail as close to the audience as possible. Maybe we need a new race-style like Speedsailing? The Tornado has the biggest sail area to sail close to shore. If I look to Rio Olympics 2016, I see the perfect sailing arena. We should definitely sail there because the Tornado has the F1-image and the spectators will come automatically.

At our Championsrace and Speedsailing events, which are “Arena-Style” sailing formats, we got 40.000 spectators in one weekend. Transfer this to the Olympics. We can easily attract 100.000+ spectators at the Rio Olympic Sailing Arena. We can guarantee the IOC top media results and great ticket sales. Just by bringing the Multihull spectacle meters from the audience, we deliver a lot of entertainment to the crowds. Multihull and Skiff can be the top-sellers of Olympic sailing in Rio. And the youth wants to see action otherwise they will go to other sports. We are “Ready for Rio”!

Our advantage x disadvantages against other Multihulls

Tornado was specially made for the Olympics. This boat was born for the Medal Race. But first we have to look into this question on a more technical way to avoid high costs and technical problems. At the moment I do not see any other boat that has the quality to handle the hard Olympic sailing schedule. Many manufacturers have no idea how tough Olympic sailing is. We are talking about 200+ days of ultra hard sailing each year. For example: the stiffness and the quality of a Marstrom Tornado are exceptional. Marstrom uses a high temp/pressure autoclave to produce the hulls in the highest quality technique possible worldwide. These hulls are not getting softer with time. We have boats sailing in the top which are older than 10 years. And other Tornado boat builders have made brilliant quality boats as well.

There are other classes around who became softer after a year of wild sailing. Now imagine the complaints a manufacturer will get, if the boats cannot handle the Olympic sailing stress. It can be a nightmare and ruin a cat manufacturer easily. Only the very best boat builders can be challenged to present a boat for the Olympics.

I think every class has its own advantages and disadvantages, its own sailing highlights but for Olympic Multihull I believe the One Design Tornado offers the best package.

And why should we go back to Aluminum mast? I say clearly no. Marstrom makes an excellent and outstanding quality One Design carbon mast with the best measurement and certification system. I never thought it would be possible but for the past 6 years the masts are all the same. I am still sailing with the same carbon mast I bought in 2005.

The Aluminum mast always had problems with corrosion. After a front loop capsize the mast often bent and was not really the same after. Aluminum cannot really be a strict One Design because the metal quality and building tools change a lot from year to year. Carbon is by far the best choice for the mast.

Why did the Finn and 49er change to Carbon mast? And the 470 is discussing it too? Why should we go back to Aluminum Mast? No way. Also for safety reasons I am 100% in favor for carbon. I can rig up the boat easily and quickly after a capsize and continue racing. Also for very light teams it is safer. The mast cost me 4000 € and still delivers endless sailing fun after all those years.

On the Tornado, the carbon mast and the new One Design sails guarantee a team-weight range from 135 to 165 kg. This allows people from all weights and sizes to sail on a Tornado.

Can the F18 Class or other single models out of the F18 range be a bigger challenger than the Tornado for the Olympic Multihull spot?

We welcome any Class to challenge us. Why? We have a very good friendly relationship with the F18 and other classes too. We have big harmony in the Multihull scene. Why should we destroy that? And you can see that many Tornado sailors sail F18 too. They have big fleets and it is a real good market. The F18 is a great class for thousands of weekend sailors and some Pros. This is the type of boat for the big mass and it is strongly powered and promoted commercially by many manufacturers on each continent. But it has an open design rule. This way it makes it impossible to make the F18 class an Olympic one. Only single F18 manufacturers can come with their One Design models. But they should think about it before they make a bit for the Olympics. There is no big profit to be an Olympic Class. I think the Olympic status can destroy the F18 class, because more Olympic professionals will get very serious and the weekenders will disappear soon. Also if single F18 manufacturers came up, it can create the same disaster in the class. Instead I hope we get support from the F18 class for our Olympic comeback.

We welcome any F18 or F16 sailor and sailors from Hobie, Nacra, AHPC and other classes and brands with Olympic ambitions. Before they talk about Olympics, they should sail a Tornado. She/he will get full support from the ITA to establish a professional Olympic Campaign. We will offer our best coaching legends to bring new talents to the Olympics. We want a good relationship with all the other classes. They brought us great talents in the past and we hope we get new talents for the Olympic Multihull future.

Critics around and against the Tornado?

Some criticized our Tornado hull design due to some new designs that came up with Wavepiercer hulls and curved/lifting centerboards. But also if we look deeply in the F18 Class from the technical side, they are also at their Boxrule limit. Dr. Martin Fischer (designer of the Capricorn and the Wild Cat) said it. And the F18 is still sailing with Aluminum Mast and straight centerboards. This is also not the latest design update. The only class who is up to date in Hull and Foil Design is the A Class. But they have no Gennacker and you sail alone.

We can discuss endlessly which design is the best for an Olympic Multihull. There are no secrets around. If we want to go with the completely latest design in the next Olympic century, we need curved centerboards/foils, Wavepiercer hulls, carbon mast, ultra light weight combined with maximum sail area to allow all sailors and weights to sail. If the overall boat is not light enough, curved/lifting foils makes no sense. All this is a real technical challenge and only some boat builders can manage this. The latest advanced techniques do not always fit with the Olympic Spirit. Also if there is only one little technical problem, it can end in a disaster for a Cat manufacturer at the Olympics. We have the experience and can handle all the Olympic challenges.

Some critics came up for the transportation of a Tornado. But I see no difference between transporting a F18 or a Tornado. If you do not want to disassemble the hulls, you need a trailer with canting system. It makes no difference on most streets if a boat is 2,60m or 3m wide. On a global Olympic tour, you transport your boat mostly in containers. So why go smaller than 20-Foot for an Olympic Class? Or should we sail on a Cat which is 2,50m wide to fulfill the police rules for trailer driving? Please not for an Olympic Class.

But before we discuss the newest designs’ aspects for a new Olympic Multihull, we should have a look at the bigger picture. Why destroy the Tornado Class with an established worldwide structure and develop a new class from the bottom? And what will this new class deliver? More speed and action than the Tornado? For sure not. I hope ISAF will see this, before we get an Olympic Multihull Selection event. I wish we get the support from the whole Multihull Scene for the Olympic comeback of the Tornado straight away. And I hope ISAF Committees will vote straight away for the Tornado for 2016 Olympics.

ISAF said we must reduce the cost of Olympic Sailing. There are many ways to do it. First of all we must see where the money burners in a Olympic budget are. Individual travel is one topic. We can save a lot of cost if we travel together. 10 Tornados are going in one Container. How smart is this? We need containers full with boats going to the ISAF World Cup destinations, different regattas and other major events. Then we just fly in and enjoy the race. And the next cost cutter is to go with strict high quality one design. Maximum quality for a fair price. Accessible and affordable for all nations and sailors. The Tornado will offer this.

But there are many other points to discuss how to reduce costs, before we calculate every cent on Olympic Multihull materials.

ITA plans to get there (Olympic)

We will sell our strength. 40 years of history has created a class which is sailing on each continent. We have a worldwide acting class association and many races on each continent. And we have strict and proven One Design Rules. Also I see many women in Tornado too as Crew and Helm.

We have the focus on the future. Young sailors are our future and we will invite them to test the Tornado. We want to cooperate with youth classes to promote the Olympic Spirit and deliver them the action where they search for. Our legends and masters will coach them and help the MNA´s and Clubs to re-build their national Multihull Program. We want to be part of the “ISAF connect to Sailing” Program. We want to help Nations to develop Multihull Sailing and we want to cooperate with other Multihull Manufacturers to promote our sport in all levels.

At the 2008 Olympics we had many sailors from Laser, Windsurfing, 49er and 470 in our class as Helm and Crew. Great to see them winning the medals! We have youngsters in the class that went directly from the Optimist to the Tornado. Some already rocketing the course in a wild style. They are on standby for Rio 2016.

Then we have the most mixed teams in our sport. Maybe we should have the first mixed Olympic Sport Discipline? Why not. We were proud to see Carolijn Brouwer at the helm of a Tornado winning a Vice World championship and sailing the Olympics in China.

Test a Tornado. We invite all sailors to test the ultimate speed sailing machine. Our boat is easy to helm and to handle. That is the reason we deserve the “Open” or “Mixed” spot at the Olympics.

Why do you love Tornados?

Speed. Speed. Speed. Just fly and sail. This boat creates a great feeling every day. Pure enjoyment to sail. It is purebred racing at its best. Since we have the double trapeze and the big Gennacker we fly the hull from 3 knots on. Every day of Tornado sailing is a great day in life and I am very very happy I have done it for the last 20 years. I can say this because I have been sailing mono- and multihulls from 14 to 140 foot as a professional for 30 years.

For sure Extreme40 and the ride with Steve Fossett on his 140-Footer is an absolute great experience. Also I like A Class cats and other high speed Multihulls. But if I want to have the real and direct “cart driving” feeling, I go out with the Tornado. On top of this, I can race with my lovely wife. For me a 20 foot cat is the perfect size for 2 persons. 6meter long and 3meter wide is giving the most fun. And the Tornado is lighter and still faster than most of the other Multihulls on the market. We just enjoy the speed in all conditions. The Tornado is so easy to sail. Just with two fingers you can helm the boat in any wind. And with the new booms and blocks my wife loves the easy sheeting as a crew.

If Olympic again would you campaign again? With a mixed crew?

Yes, we will do it. We love the Olympic Spirit. My experience and the dynamic power of my wife give us the best stepping stone for an Olympic Campaign. We are still young enough to sail. We want to build up an Olympic sparring team and share our experience with young sailors who have the same Olympic ambitions as us. Only if the generations work together, we can achieve a great future. The Olympics with athletes from 200 nations is one of the greatest events on earth. I hope we can make it and motivate the youth to come with us.

Word of wisdom for all Tornado sailors being them professionals or not

Just enjoy every day of sailing! What else is better than flying around with the gennacker and on double trapeze? Do not take racing too serious. Get the wind and ride the waves. High speeding on a Tornado is the ultimate sailing experience. Invite your friends and kids to sail with you. Show them how much fun it is to sail a Tornado. Just Sail & Fly and enjoy the life!