Serious Virus Threat: Olympic Qualification Canceled

Serious Virus Threat: Olympic Qualification Canceled
Serious Virus Threat: Olympic Qualification Canceled

Video: Serious Virus Threat: Olympic Qualification Canceled

Video: Serious Virus Threat: Olympic Qualification Canceled
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The official cancellation of the Genu World Cup regatta in April on Wednesday afternoon with a view to the global spread of the corona virus was no longer a big surprise. Nevertheless, it now causes a considerable need for action at the World Sailing Association and also at the German Sailing Association (DSV), because the World Cup regatt was planned as the last major qualifying regatt for the Olympi2020. European, African and Asian sailors are affected in their chances. You must now hope for an adequate alternative qualification system or the appointment of an alternative competition.

World Cup RegattGenu2019
World Cup RegattGenu2019

Beautiful scenery, but often little wind: a picture from the World Cup regatta from last year. The series has been canceled for this year

As World Sailing announced, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already guaranteed the World Sailing Federation an extension of the qualification period until June 30, 2020. World Sailing wants to announce as soon as possible how the qualification options for the now canceled World Cup regatta are to be created in a new framework. The challenge is huge in times when a number of sailing nations hardly send their athletes on trips any more. Not only traveling athletes are involved, but also boats to be shipped. In addition, there is not an unlimited number of international regattas in which all sailors affected by the cancellation could easily participate. Possibly there will be class-specific solutions instead of a collective alternative. Finn sailor Max Kohlhoff said: "We are lucky that the Finn World Championships will take place in May in Mallorca in a beautiful and fair area. It might be an alternative regattan." In a press release from the World Sailing Association it was initially stated: "World Sailing is now working closely with the IOC and the organizers to reschedule the remaining African, Asian and European qualifications and to ensure that all starting places can be filled."

Kiel Week 2018
Kiel Week 2018

At the Kieler Woche in action, which as a major regatt would also be in the qualification period for the Olympic regatt2020 extended by the IOC: Finn helmsman Max Kohlhoff

The competitive sports department of the German Sailing Association has already prepared for the new scenario. This is not just about the German 470 men and the Finn sailors, who wanted to fight for the last starting place for a European team at the 2020 Olympic Games in their disciplines and are now waiting for the alternative options to be announced by World Sailing must - it is also about the three-part national Olympic elimination of the 470 women and the 470 men, whose third and last elimination regatta after the World Cup at the end of March in front of Mallorca and the Trofeo PrincesSofibis should be the World Cup regatta in the same area at the beginning of April. "We have developed a plan for this and found good solutions that we will publish soon," said DSV sports director Nadine Stegenwalner to YACHT online on the day the Genoa summit was canceled.

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