SPORT - NoR for Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships

The world’s top sailors have now been officially invited to take part in the Perth2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships to be sailed off Fremantle in December.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) and Perth 2011 have published the Notice of Race (NoR) for the event, which is expected to attract more than 1300 athletes from 80 nations competing across 10 Olympic class events.

The NoR states the key conditions for the championships, detailing the rules, regulations, entry and qualification guidelines, format, scoring, schedule, venue and courses.

Perth 2011 event director, John Longley said that elite international sailors were coming to Perth with their eyes focused on winning a place to compete in next year’s London Olympic Games.

As well as hosting the battle for World Championship glory, Perth 2011 is the principal qualification regatta to decide 75 per cent of the national places for the sailing events at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

“The sailing world will be focused on Perth this December,” said Longley said. “With the support of the Federal and State Governments and our many sponsors, we will put Perth, Western Australia and Australia in the international spotlight. Overseas sailors are relishing the thought of competing in the ideal conditions off Fremantle.”

For the first time in 2012, sailing will introduce women’s match-racing at the Olympic Games and the discipline will join the nine-fleet racing events to contest their world championship in Perth.

All fleet racing events in this year’s Worlds will sail an opening series before the top-10 in each event contest a double-points Medal Race to decide the final positions. The Medal Races have a target time of approximately 30 minutes and will take place close to the shore to allow spectators to get close to the action.