The new Perth 2011 brand was designed to represent the substance and prestige of an Olympic qualifying event, the physical and intellectual challenge that is international sailing.

It also represents the excitement of an event that will be four times the size of the 1987 America’s Cup defence held in Fremantle while, at the same time, remaining uniquely Western Australian, officials said at the launch.

Perth 2011’s goal is to make the cyan blue triangle synonymous with the lead up events prior to the World Championships, which will be held in Fremantle, Western Australia from December 3 to December 18.

Guests at the launch heard from Perth 2011 chairman, Ian Campbell, Perth 2011 event director John Longley and Western Australian Olympic gold medallists in the women’s 470 class Belinda Stowell, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson.

The World Championships will be the primary qualifying event for the 2012 London Olympic Games for the 10 competing sailing disciplines.

As the primary qualifying event, the world’s best sailors will converge on Perth in a bid to secure a place for their nation in the 2012 London Olympic Games and the coveted World Championship in their chosen sailing discipline.

An anticipated 5,000 visitors, including 1,500 sailors, from 80 nations are set to arrive in Western Australia for one of the largest international sporting events in Western Australian history.
Richard Muirhead, the chief executive of Tourism Western Australia, said Perth 2011’s bid success was a result of a major commitment from the State Government to bring world class events to Western Australia.

He said; “I am confident that this event, combined with the natural beauty of our aquatic environment, will provide us with a great opportunity to showcase our State on the global stage."

The Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) will be the first initiative Perth 2011 co-ordinate ahead of the World Championships.

The first camp, to be held from July 22 to August 3 will be the first of six camps and an additional test event to be held in the waters off Fremantle between July 2009 and the World Championships.

The ENP will see up to 40 nations that were not represented at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in any sailing discipline invited to Perth for a series of intensive training courses designed to improve their chances of earning a place in the Perth World Championships and 2012 Olympics.

The ENP will focus on Laser and RS:X Windsurfers for both men and women.

Being one person classes that have global representation, they were identified by the ISAF Events Committee as the best route to bring more nations to the Olympics - one of the key objectives ahead of Perth 2011 and the 2012 London Olympics.

Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley said the Emerging Nations Programme was conceived as an additional benefit that Perth 2011 offered the International Sailing Federation as a part of its bid to secure the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

Longley said: “After the announcement of Perth’s successful bid, ISAF, Perth 2011 and Yachting Australia worked to establish the modus operandi for this project.

“The overriding objectives are to encourage and assist developing and emerging sailing nations to participate in the Olympic Sailing Competition and to increase the number of participating nations and their competitors at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.”