By Gary Anderson

November 16 - The ISAF Council have voted to retain the Rio 2016 Olympic programme for Tokyo 2020 ©Getty Images Following a meeting of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Council, members have voted to retain the ten Olympic sailing events scheduled to take place at the Rio 2016 for Tokyo 2020.

At a meeting of the ISAF Council back in 2011 members controversially voted to change the Olympic programme for Rio 2016, which saw the introduction of two new events, a women's 49erFX competition and a new two-person mixed multihull event (Nacra 17).

These new disciplines will replace the men's Star class and the Elliot 6m women's match racing event, which only made its debut at London 2012.

Following a meeting of the Council in Muscat today, at the ISAF's Annual Conference, delegates have decided to keep the same programme of ten events for the next two Olympics.

Along with the two new classes for Rio, sailors will also compete in men's and women's board RS:X, men's one person dinghy Laser, women's one person dinghy Laser Radial, men's and women's two person dinghy 470, men's skiff 49er and heavyweight men's one person dinghy Finn.

The ISAF also revealed that it will seek to obtain additional medals from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Tokyo 2020 and, if successful, kiteboarding events will be selected first.

The Elliot 6m women's match racing event will not be part of the Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020 Olympic sailing programmes ©Getty Images The Elliot 6m women's match racing event will not be part of the Rio 2016 or Tokyo 2020 Olympic sailing programmes ©Getty Images

























There were also some key changes approved to the Olympic sailing format and qualification process for each of the ten classes at Rio 2016.

Two full reserve days will be scheduled for each event before their medal race to ensure the competition schedule will be completed in its entirety.

The men's and women's 470, Laser, Laser Radial and Finn will each sail a 10 race qualification series with two races per day with one final race encompassing the top ten.

The 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17 will have a qualification series of 12 races with three races per day and one final race with the top ten boats competing.

A similar format will be followed in men's and women's RS: X classes however these will be subject to review by the ISAF Technical Delegates, the Olympic Management team and the RS: X Class following the 2014 and 2015 Olympic test events.

The new qualification system will be subject to IOC approval, expected in February 2014, and the ISAF added that further decisions on target times, race management and final schedule will be finalised by May 2014.

Alongside these new changes, the ISAF also approved a revamp of its Sailing World Cup series, which according to the governing body, will help "to build a clearly understood and professionally organised Olympic sailing annual calendar that each year crowns one undisputed world champion in each Olympic event and enables athletes, national teams, the Olympic Classes and ISAF to generate significant sporting & commercial value beyond the Olympic Games."

The ISAF has announced a revamp of the World Cup series which will be replaced by a season-long World Championship series climaxing in a Grand Final ©AFP/Getty ImagesThe ISAF has announced a revamp of the World Cup series which will be replaced by a season-long World Championship series climaxing in a Grand Final ©AFP/Getty Images






















Following the conclusion of the ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander, Spain, next September, the ISAF Sailing World Cup will be replaced by a new annual ISAF Sailing World Championships for the Olympic Classes.

The ISAF Sailing World Championships will be comprised of a Grand Final, four ISAF Sailing World Championship rounds and a fifth Class Championship round.

Qualification for the Grand Final will be based on performance at all of the ISAF Sailing World Championships rounds with only the top 10 competitors in each class securing a place at the end-of-season Grand Final.

The winner of the Grand Final in each class will then be crowned the undisputed ISAF Sailing world champion.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
November 2013: Sailing world descends on Muscat for week-long ISAF Annual Conference
May 2011: Mixed sailing to get Olympic debut at Rio 2016