Six of the current eight Olympic classes are “single manufacturer one-designs”, in practice monopolies of their rightsholders. Only two classes, the Finn and the 470 are measurement controlled one-designs, open for anyone to build and sell, as long as they comply with the rules.
In part 1, we looked at the two different one-design approaches, single manufacturer one-design SMOD and the measurement controlled MCOD. In this part 2 we look at how the opening of single manufacturer classes could be conducted, with benefits to the sailors in mind.
Our way of making sails is primarily based in the philosophy that we have had since the beginning: Quality starts with design. This captures the long term investment into the research and development that WB has made from the beginning. This philosophy guarantees long lasting quality sails for both a competitive and a leisure sailor.
A peak inside a professional sailor’s mind during an important race. The author, Jonathan Lobert, is an olympic medalist, and both European Champion and Silver medalist in World Championships in 2017. I write here to share my feelings during the Medal Race of the Finn Gold Cup, which was held in Balaton, Hungary in September…
For London 2012, WB-Sails made a big research & development effort, mostly centered on Star sails. With the Star out of the Olympics, our R&D focus between 2012-2016 has been much on the Finn, but also on the 470. These two are the only Olympic classes left for which independent sailmakers are still allowed to design sails.
The four year Olympic cycle is turning towards its end: Rio is only two months away.
The X Sail Racing Team’s boats AUDI e-tron and AUDI Ultra scored a double victory at the X-35 World championships in Denmark: e-tron won Gold, and Ultra Silver. A sizable R&D work preceded the design of the World Champion sails. The computer was used to design and simulate 24 different configurations. The main focus was…
“This is like an old marriage” Freddy Lööf and Anders Ekström re-united in Star Sailors League after 6,5 years. They finished second in the final, winner-take-all race, after convincingly winning the 9 races qualifier. In the qualifier, they were 20 boats, the final was between 4 top boats from semi-finals only. Olympic Champion Fredrik Lööf…
Not in the music business, and not in sailmaking at the top level, either.
It seems that the Royal House did in fact notice that Sweden won the Olympic Star gold not so long ago. Our both Star boat medallists, Fredrik Lööf and Max Salminen will receive an additional medal called “H.M. Konungens medalj”, which roughly is translated as “The Medal of His Royal Highness the King”. The ceremony…