October 2, 2020
3 minutes reading time
Auckland, New Zealand is hosting the Aon Youth Sailing World Championships, the 46th edition, from 14 to 20 December 2016. More than 380 sailors from 65 nations sailing in more than 260 boats across nine disciplines will compete in New Zealand.
Presidential candidates question and answers published
World Sailing's Election Committee overseeing the 2020 Election of World Sailing's Officers is pleased to release the Presidential Candidates' question and answers.
World Sailing’s Election Committee overseeing the 2020 Election of World Sailing’s Officers is pleased to release the Presidential Candidates’ question and answers.
World Sailing’s Member National Authorities were invited to submit questions for the candidates to answer. The Election Committee prepared seven questions for the candidates based on the suggestions sent by the MNAs.
The Presidential Candidates standing for election, in surname alphabetical order with links to their candidate profile pages, are:
The questions, hyperlinked to a PDF document with each candidates answer, are available below:
1. Please explain how your skills and experience would allow you to lead a cohesive and effective World Sailing Board.
2. If elected, would you propose any specific changes to the governance of World Sailing?If so, what would they be?
3. What are your views on the development of the Sailing’s Olympic Events and Equipment?
4. World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Programme has been key to promoting event participation, especially for sailors into the Youth Worlds and Para Worlds.What are your proposals for this area of World Sailing’s work?
5. World Sailing’s financial position is publicly known.What are your views on how World Sailing could further seek to strengthen its position in a realistic and achievable way?
6. How could Sailing once again be part of the Paralympic Games?
7. If you were limited to only one new policy or change within World Sailing, what would it be, and why would it be the most important?
A separate selection of six questions have been posed to the 15 Vice-Presidential candidates. Their answers will be published on Monday 5 October 2020.
The election of the President and seven Vice-Presidents will be conducted via an electronic ballot. World Sailing Member National Authorities, in good standing with World Sailing, are eligible to vote and when casting their ballot, must select at least two male and two female candidates for Vice President.
The results of the ballot will be announced on 1 November 2020 at the General Assembly which will be held as a virtual meeting.
Eligible candidates have been endorsed by at least five World Sailing MNAs with the term of office beginning at the close of the General Assembly, at which the Board of Directors are elected for a period of four years.
Voting Process
The 2020 General Assembly will be held remotely and will be conducted in line with World Sailing’s Remote Voting Procedure which is available here.
The first round of voting will be held from 9-16 October 2020. This will be the main voting period for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential election.
In the event that no Presidential candidate receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round, two further rounds are scheduled for 20-23 October and 26-29 October to conduct run-off votes.
The results of the election will be announced during the General Assembly by the Election Committee on 1 November.
If there is a tie between any Vice-Presidential candidates, a run-off vote will commence on 1 November and conclude on 4 November.
Controlling and regulating the process is World Sailing’s Election Committee chaired by Philip Cotton and ably supported by Melanie Willmore and David Kellett, who have overseen the whole process so far. In addition, KPMG have been appointed as the Independent Scrutineer.