Snipe in, Star out

APRIL FOOLS’ DAY – THIS IS A JOKE

Lausanne, April 1. The IOC President Tomas Bach, announced today at a crowded press conference in Lausanne that there will be an 11th medal at the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The decision is surprising, since, contrary to all expectations, the class chosen is not the Star, but the Snipe.

The ISAF President Carlo Croce said: “I did not think that the IOC would choose another class for the Olympic Games and I definitely did not expect that the new class would be the Snipe. However I’m sure the Snipe Class, with boats all over the world and such a strong tradition in Brazil, will represent in an excellent way the sport of sailing and the Olympic spirit.”

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SCIRA Commodore Ricardo Lobato, at a press conference convened immediately in Rio, said: “My Country, thanks to the support of our President Dilma Rousseff and the great work done by SCIRA Brazil, has managed to approve a proposal by the IOC that seemed impossible. I’m sure the whole of Brazil will be happy with this decision taken by the IOC. A medal is secure. As Commodore of SCIRA I am sure that the Snipe Class will have a great and immediate benefit with Olympic status.”

Upon hearing the news, Bruno Bethlem sold his 470 and Dante Bianchi was invited to do the same with his 49er. Both will resume sailing the Snipe in Guanabara Bay as early as next week.