Olympic equipment selection for 2012

The selection of equipment to be used in the 2012 Olympic Regatta has, understandably, aroused passions, "to change or not to change, that is the question!".

The details of the process are described in the summary of ISAF meetings and agendas.

ISAF Regulations specify the events are decided 5 years before the Olympic Games, and equipment to be used is selected 4 years before. Windsurfing Men and Windsurfing Women have already been approved (unanimously) as events in the 2012 Olympic Games.

Equipment proposals for 2012 had to be submitted to ISAF by 15 March 2008.
To be accepted by this deadline the following was required:

• a detailed submission prepared;
• an Olympic Classes  contract signed. (this is a 3 way agreement between the Class, Supplier and ISAF)

A Working Party was established by ISAF to collect,and report on, the submissions received.

From this point, very briefly, this is what happens (quoting from ISAF Events Committee minutes May 2008):

The schedule for decisions relating to Events and Equipment for the 2012 Olympic Regatta is:

• in May 2008 ISAF agrees the options for Equipment to be chosen in November based on Equipment submissions received, and the voting process;
• in November 2008 ISAF decides the Equipment;
• in May 2009 ISAF confirms the names of Events for the 2012 Olympic Regatta.

"Windsurfing Men" is an "Event", the choices of equipment for men & women's windsurfing event  are:

Formula One Design (FOD) & Neil Pryde RS:X.

The ISAF Windsurfing Committee has as an Agenda item the 2 proposals. The Agenda is published - but we still await the supporting papers, i.e. the detailed proposals.

A recent open letter from Svein Rasmussen puts that case for change, this letter kicked off a discussion on the UKWA forum.

Neil Pryde have also released a very comprehensive document RSX beyond 2008 (15MB PDF).