SPORT - Perth 2011 unveils new master brand

Organisers said 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, 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.

Perth 2011’s goal is to make the cyan blue triangle synonymous with the lead up events prior to the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, held in Fremantle from Saturday December 3 to Sunday December 18, 2011.

The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing 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,” Perth 2011 organisers said.

Perth 2011 is anticipating 5000 visitors, including 1500 sailors from 80 nations set to participate in one of the largest international sporting events in WA history.

The competing disciplines are:

* Laser – Men;
* Laser Radial – Women;
* Star – Open;
* RS:X – Men;
* RS:X – Women;
* Finn – Open;
* 470 – Men;
* 470 – Women;
* 49er – Open; and,
* Women’s Match Race

Promoters said WA’s history port city of Fremantle will have a genuine festival atmosphere for Perth 2011 as the world’s best sailors battle for World Championship and future Olympic glory just metres off the water’s edge along the city’s coastline.

Tourism WA CEO, Richard Muirhead said Perth 2011’s bid success was a result of a major commitment from the State Government to bring world-class events to WA.

“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,” Muirhead said.

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

The first camp, to be held from July 22 to August 3 this year, will be the first of six and an additional test event to be held in the waters off Fremantle between July 2009 and the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing 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 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships and 2012 Olympic Games in London.

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

“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,” he said.

In announcing the decision to award the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships to WA back in November 2007, the International Sailing Federation noted sailing conditions and venue facilities as top priorities in selecting the host city. They also highlighted Perth and Fremantle's strength in these areas, with the famous winds known as the Fremantle Doctor providing ideal sailing conditions and a high level of existing sailing infrastructure.

For more information, visit www.perth2011.com