Neil Pryde RS:X Selected For 2008

In a packed room at the Marriott hotel in Copenhagen, the ISAF Council has voted on the equipment to be used in the 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta in Qingdao.

In the windsurfing event, for which two options were brought to the table: The Mistral One-design and the Neil Pryde RS:X. The Neil Pryde RS:X was the recommended board by the ISAF Windsurfing Equipment evaluation panel and was also recommended by the Events, Women’s Sailing and Executive Committees earlier in the week.

Rich JEFFRIES, chairman of the evaluation panel, was invited to answer questions from the Council and it was clarified that the Neil Pryde RS:X board was being proposed with one sail. The President also clarified that the building of the new board would be handled solely by Cobra in Thailand and distribution would be handled via six worldwide distribution centres.

After debate that revolved around the clarification to MNA’s that ISAF would have a high level of control over the pricing and level of availablility of the board, as well as reassurance over the class contract, which will be negotiated by the Executive Committee and the board manufacturers, Council voted 26:12 in favour of the Neil Pryde RS:X board.