Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships Unveils New Master Brand

Perth 2011 today unveiled its new Master Brand for the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships at the Perth Convention Exhibition Centre in Perth, Western Australia in front of an audience of Australian media and key Western Australian sporting and political identities.

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, which will be held in Fremantle, Western Australia from Saturday 3 December to Sunday 18 December 2011.

Guests at today’s launch heard from Perth 2011 Chairman The Hon. Ian CAMPBELL, Perth 2011 Event Director John LONGLEY and Western Australian Olympic gold medallists in the women’s 470 class Belinda STOWELL, Elise RECHICHI and Tessa PARKINSON.

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.

An anticipated 5,000 visitors, including 1,500 sailors, from 80 nations are set to arrive in Western Australia for one of the largest international sporting events in Western Australian history.

The competition will be held in the events and equipment selected for the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition.

Competing Events
(Event – Equipment)

Men’s One Person Dinghy – Laser
Men’s One Person Dinghy Heavy – Finn
Men’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Men’s Two Person Dinghy High Performance – 49er
Men’s Keelboat – Star
Men’s Windsurfer – RS:X
Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial
Women’s Two Person Dinghy – 470
Women’s Windsurfer – RS:X
Women’s Keelboat Match Racing – Elliott 6m

Fremantle will “come alive” during December 2011 when the eyes of the sailing world fix their sights on Western Australia’s historic port city. A genuine festival atmosphere will sweep through the city as the world’s best sailors battle for World Championship and future Olympic glory just metres off the water’s edge along the Fremantle coastline.

Tourism Western Australia Chief Executive Officer 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 Western Australia.

“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 22 July to 3 August 2009, will be the first of six camps 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 Emerging Nations Programme 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 Emerging Nations Programme 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 Olympic Sailing Competition – one of the key objectives ahead of Perth 2011 and the 2012 London Olympics.

Perth 2011 Event Director John LONGLEY said the Emerging Nations Programme 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.”

On 4 November 2007 it was announced that Western Australia had been the successful bidder and would host the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. In announcing the decision to award the next event to Western Australia, ISAF 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 affectionately known as the ‘Fremantle Doctor’ providing ideal sailing conditions and a high level of existing sailing infrastructure.

To keep up to date with the latest Perth 2011 news, please visit www.perth2011.com.

ISAF Sailing World Championships – www.sailing.org/isafworlds