Open or Closed Events: Is it Time for a Change?

by Pietro Fantoni

Much has been written (and I have written) about the debate over open or closed events.

Read more about this topic:

Open Questions About Open Europeans and Open Major Events in General

However, after each edition of the European and the Western Hemisphere & Asia Championships, I find myself asking the same questions: What is the best format? Is it an open championship like the Europeans or a closed event like the WH&A? Does it make sense to have two different formulas for two continental events, and if so, why?

Many will remember that, in an effort to revitalize the European Championship, the event became Open starting in 2014. No longer were entries limited to European countries; the championship became fully open, allowing any nation—even non-European ones—to be represented by an unlimited number of boats. The results in terms of participation are clear, as are the results in terms of the quality of the competitors. Just 2 weeks ago in Vilamoura, the fleet included the World Champion team from Argentina, Alsogaray & Sciarra, and the 2023 WH&A Champion team from Chile, Seguel & Seguel. Interestingly, both crews chose to sail in Portugal instead of the event in San Diego. We also saw two top-level US teams (Rodriguez & Scheuermann and Diaz & Baldridge), in addition to many excellent European sailors, for a total of 74 boats.

At the WH&A, which concluded a week earlier, the level of competition was also very high, but the participation was much lower. Is this the right path? Is the WH&A still an attractive event, given the low turnout from some South American countries? In Europe, the European Championship is still considered an extremely important event, and almost every country wants to be present, with every good sailor wanting to represent their nation.

The central argument for keeping the WH&A a closed event is always the same. In Europe, you can travel with your boat on a road trailer, and there are builders or companies that can provide charter boats for those who need them. In North, Central, and South America (and Japan), the distances are so great that it’s often impossible to travel with your own boat, making it necessary to charter boats locally (or to ship your own boat in a container).

However, in my opinion, there are many more arguments for making the WH&A an open event.

What is the impact of a regatta, even a high-quality one, with just over twenty Snipes? From the outside, it looks almost like a local race in terms of participation. The argument about charter boats is a false myth, as participation from some distant countries was low even in San Diego, which is known for having a large fleet with members who would easily make their boats available to sailors from abroad.

An event is attractive not because it’s closed, but because it offers the possibility of participation to everyone—the top sailors and the average ones. If a regatta could potentially have 70-80 boats, it’s more likely that I would sign up and figure out a way to either bring my boat or get one.

Another reason: Is it fair that one event remains closed for an elite group while the other is open? In Europe, the vast majority of sailors are happy and eager to welcome sailing friends from other continents. Why doesn’t the same thing happen for Europeans when it comes to the WH&A? Is there a real reason for this discrepancy?

And you, what do you think?

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Pietro Fantoni (SnipeToday Editor).