World Sailing is set to hold a special forum as part of its ongoing 2016 Annual Conference in Barcelona as the international governing body looks to establish "the route to successful commercialisation and growing new audiences for the sport" ©World Saili

World Sailing is set to hold a special forum as part of its ongoing 2016 Annual Conference in Barcelona as the international governing body looks to establish "the route to successful commercialisation and growing new audiences for the sport".

The Commercial Strategy for the Sport Forum is scheduled to take place on Wednesday (November 9), providing a platform for delegates and an online audience to share ideas, best practice and discuss World Sailing’s aim. 

It is due to be broadcast on World Sailing's YouTube channel with those watching being encouraged to get involved with the discussions by using the 2016 Annual Conference hashtag, #OurSustainableFuture, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Hosting the forum will be broadcaster, adventurer and sailor, Hannah White, who will be joined by an expert line-up of speakers.

The content will include a talk from Hugh Chambers, World Sailing’s chief commercial officer, on the vision for World Sailing's commercial growth. 

Also speaking will be Mark Turner, chief executive of the Volvo Ocean Race, and formerly the Extreme Sailing Series, on creating world class sailing events.

Uli Lacher, founder of Lacher Consulting, will take a look at consumer research as the foundation of a commercial strategy, while David Abercrombie, chief executive of Yachting New Zealand, will explain how to develop successful partnerships for World Sailing Member National Authority. 

Furthermore, there will be a session on seizing new sports broadcast opportunities with Andrew Preece and Matt Sheahan, executive director and head of performance sailing at sports programming supplier Sunset+Vine respectively. 

World Sailing are keen to grow new audiences for the sport ©Getty Images
World Sailing are keen to grow new audiences for the sport ©Getty Images

The Commercial Strategy for the Sport Forum is one of three open forums to be streamed live and online during the 2016 Annual Conference at the Renaissance Fira Hotel in the Spanish city. 

The Sustainability Forum opened proceedings today and will be followed by the Para World Sailing Forum tomorrow.

The dialogue and engagement of the 2016 Annual Conference will be centred on a theme of "Our Sustainable Future".

Sailing will be laying down plans in a bid to ensure a healthy sustainable future for the sport, as well as the more specific subject of sustainability in the waters of the world.

The forums will feature world leading experts and panel discussions, providing the basis for debate around sustainability across multiple facets of the sport.

The World Sailing Presidential election is scheduled for next Sunday (November 13) when Italian incumbent Carlo Croce will face opposition from Denmark's Kim Andersen and Canada's Paul Henderson.

Croce, whose manifesto is entitled A New Era for World Sailing, has received nominations from 45 Member Associations.