Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is the full name of the Event?

    The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

  2. When and where will the Event be held?

    Perth 2011 will be held between Saturday 3 and Sunday 18 December, 2011. It will be held in locations around Fremantle including Bathers Bay, Fishing Boat Harbourand Challenger Harbour. The Event Village will be set up at The Esplanade.

  3. How many athletes will be competing at Perth 2011?

    About 1420 international sailors, from about 80 nations, will be competing at Perth 2011. There are only 380 places in total, in the sailing competition, at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

  4. How many boats will be at Perth 2011?

    About 950 international boats will be in Perth for the competition, with an additional 120 officials’ boats and 250 coach boats also expected.

  5. How many Olympic sailing events are there?

    There are 10 events; i.e. 10 gold medals will be awarded at Perth 2011 and subsequently 380 sailors will compete in the same 10 events at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The equipment used for these events will be the same at Perth 2011 and at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

  6. What is the relationship between Perth 2011 and the London 2012 Olympic Games?

    The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships is the principal qualification event for the sailing events of the 2012 London Olympic Games. Seventy five per cent of the nations competing at the 2012 London Olympic Games will be selected from the ISAF Perth 2011 Sailing World Championships.

  7. How often are the ISAF Sailing World Championships held?

    The ISAF Sailing World Championships are held every four years with the next Event scheduled for Perth (Fremantle) in December 2011.

  8. How big are the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships expected to be?

    The Event will be four times larger than the 2012 London Olympic Games Sailing Competition and about three times bigger than the America’s Cup Defence, which was held in Fremantle, in 1987.

  9. What is the Emerging Nations Programme?

    The Emerging Nations Programme(ENP) was initiated as part of Western Australia Pty Ltd’s winning bid to host the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, in Perth, in December 2011.

    Athletes from developing sailing nations, who are on the cusp of qualifying for the Olympics but due to difficulty in accessing quality coaching, equipment and facilities are identified and subsequently invited to participate in the ENP camps, in Perth.

    At each of the 20-day camps, about 12 athletes will build on their sailing skills and knowledge under the guidance of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games gold medallistBelinda Stowell and former World #1 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Coach Arthur Brett. Belinda and Arthur’s extensive sailing knowledge and skills are being shared with these athletes in the hope that they will qualify to represent their countries firstly at Perth 2011 and then compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

  10. What are the classes involved with the ENP?

    • RS:X -Men
    • RS:X -Women
    • Laser -Men
    • Laser Radial -Women

  11. Will there be extensive media opportunities leading up to and at the Event?

    YES.There will be plenty of opportunities now, in the lead up to and at the Event for print, radio and television media outlets in Western Australia, nationally and internationally.

    EMERGING NATIONS CAMPS

    Leading up to the Event there will seven Emerging Nation Programmetraining camps. These will be held at the Fremantle Sailing Club on the following dates –

    • Camp 1 –22 July 2009-3 August 2009
    • Camp 2-20 November-11 December 2009
    • Camp 3 –6-27 February 2010
    • Camp 4 –3-20 May 2010
    • Camp 5 –20 November-12 December 2010
    • Camp 6 –12 February-14 March 2011
    • Camp 7 –28 November-20 December 2011 (includes the Event, 3-18 December 2011)

    The media will be informed about media opportunities leading up to each camp.

    PERTH 2011 INTERNATIONAL REGATTA

    The dates for the Perth 2011 International Regatta have recently been confirmed. This event will run from Saturday 8th January-Sunday 16th January, 2011.

    AT THE EVENT - PERTH 2011

    There will be plenty happening at the Event. There will be racing on every day of the 16-day event. All 10 events will run at Perth 2011 with about 1420 top international athletes vying for a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The excitement and exhilaration of the sport of sailing will be coming up close, as the sailors bring the racing and action right into the shore.

    Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbour will be a central location during the operations of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. As well as hosting the Laser and 470 Class boats (therefore 4 of the 10 events) its proximity to other key Event areas such as Challenger Harbour, Bathers Bay and the Esplanade make it a natural meeting point. It is also planned for the medal presentation ceremony to be conducted in the middle of the natural amphitheatre at the north of the Harbour, with resultant massive electronic and print media exposure opportunities for the Harbour.

    The vast array of restaurants and attractions in Fremantle Fishing Boat Harbourcombined with its utilisationfor the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, will ensure its visibility to a worldwide audience.

    The media is welcome to be at the Event everyday and Perth 2011 Media Liaison representatives will be able to assist with queries.

  12. How many visitors are expected to come to Perth during the Event?

    About 4,000 worldwide accredited personnel. Tens of thousands of worldwide visitors are expected to converge on our shores.

  13. How do I find accommodation in Perth for the Event?

    Please visit our website - www.Perth2011.com -and click on the Accommodation section for all your accommodation needs in and around Perth and Fremantle.

  14. Will on shore spectators be able to see the competitors in action?

    Yes.Spectators will be able to see the competitive racing up close, as the sailors will bring the action very close into the shore, off Fremantle. Centre course will be within metresof the grandstand and shore based vantage points.

  15. Besides spectators at Fremantle, how many people worldwide are expected to watch the Regatta?

    More than half a billion households or 564 million viewers worldwide are expected to watch the Regatta on television and through the Internet.

  16. How long has sailing been a part of the Olympic Games?

    Sailing made its Olympic debut at the Paris 1900 Games. It was not included at the subsequent St Louis 1904 Olympic Games, because of transport issues, but returned to the Olympic programmefor the London 1908 Games and it has appeared at every Olympic Games since. As such, sailing has a rich and vibrant history and is viewed as being an integral part of the Olympic Games.

  17. How many sports are there at the Olympic Games?

    Sailing is one of only 26 sports on the programmefor the London 2012 Olympic Games.

  18. How will the Western Australian economy benefit from this Event being held in Fremantle?

    The Event is expected to generate approximately AUD$41 Million for the Western Australian economy.

  19. Has Perth ever seen anything in sporting history as big as this?

    This is a huge and extremely exciting Event and is one of the biggest sporting events held in Perth since the 1962 Empire Games. This will make sporting history in Western Australia and something that you do not want to miss being a part of in 2011.

  20. What sailing/training opportunities are available in Perth?

    Please contact the Sailing Manager, Michael Downing, at Perth 2011 on (08) 9335 2688, or call one of the sailing clubs located near the race course –

    • Fremantle Sailing Club –+61 8 9435 8800 or
    • Royal Perth Yacht Club –+61 8 9389 1555.

  21. Where can I learn to sail?

    Please contact:

    • Yachting WA on +61 8 9386 2438 -www.wa.yachting.org.au or
    • Yachting Australia on +61 2 8424 7400 -www.yachting.org.au (Email: ywa.office@wa.yachting.org.au).

  22. Who or what is ISAF?

    ISAF stands for the International Sailing Federation, the world governing body for the sport of sailing. ISAF is more than 100 years old, has over 120 Member Nations and is officially recognisedby the International Olympic Committee as the governing authority for sailing worldwide.

  23. Are there exciting sponsorship opportunities with Perth 2011?

    Yes. Perth 2011 is a very big international Event so the opportunities to promote your business to a worldwide market in the lead up to and at the Event are endless. Please call Sales Manager Peter Bowman on +61 8 9335 2688 to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

  24. How can I become a Perth 2011 volunteer?

    Please sign up to become a Perth 2011 volunteer on our website www.perth2011.com or ring the Perth 2011 office on +61 8 9335 2688 and speak with Sailing Manager Michael Downing.

  25. How can I become a Member of the Event?

    Three fantastic Perth 2011 Membership packages are available – the exclusive John Bertrand Club, the exciting Gold Medal Club and the relaxed Crew Club. To find out more or to purchase your limited Perth 2011 membership visit the website – www.perth2011.com.