On Friday 14 May the World Sailing Council agreed, at the 2021 Mid-Year Meeting, to recommend Individual Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding (Formula Kite) as the first alternative event.
They then voted to recommend the Individual Men’s and Women’s Two Person Dinghy (470) as the second alternative event.
The two alternative event proposals, ranked in order of preference, will now go to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IOC deadline for this is 26 May 2021.
The IOC will discuss and vote on the recommendations, which they will compare with the present World Sailing submission for Paris 2024 of a Mixed Offshore Event.
Voting for M01-21 Individual Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the first recommendation was – 33 For, 2 Against.
Voting for M02-21 Individual Men’s and Women’s Two Person Dinghy as the second recommendation – 37 For, 1 Against.
If the IOC decide to reject the Mixed Offshore Event and accept World Sailing’s first recommendation, the Individual Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the tenth event for Paris 2020, it be an enormous boost for the kiteboard racing world.
From nothing they would gain two events in the Olympics.
Markus Schwendtner of the International Kiteboarding Association said, “Today’s vote by Council to propose Men’s and Women’s Kiteboarding as the first alternative events shows the trust they have in kiteboarding. We await the next steps from World Sailing and the IOC and, if called upon, will act immediately to inform our community and continue the growth and development of the discipline.”