Sailor Status Guideline to Qualify for VISA and VIOC Funding

Updated 6/1/06, 7/1/06, 8/10/08, 6/15/09, 5/10/10, 7/1/12, 4/22/15, 5/19/16, 2/14/17, 5/22/18, 5/15/19

Intent

To develop deserving athletes and help them get the National and International experience necessary to eventually represent the USVI at the Olympic Games.
Our funding is extremely limited and must be used where it has been earned; VISA is in no way discouraging athletes from attending events on their own.
To remain active at a given status level our sailors must meet the status requirements.

Administration

The Vice President of VISA will administer this program with a committee of two additional people appointed by the Executive Committee.
This committee will receive results submitted by sailors and make a determination on their application for status.
The committee will award status level if criteria are met.
Sailors are encouraged to submit results to VISA and update them in a timely fashion. Please see Example VISA Status Sailing Resume, for resume format.
In addition to a resume, the sailor should present a schedule of events they hope to sail in the upcoming year.
An allotment of funds will be designated by VISA each year in June, to be divided proportionally among those sailors who achieve A, B, or C status. These funds may be used for travel, entry fees, food, and coaching and equipment rental.
Sailors must submit invoices and proof of payment to be reimbursed by VISA.

The following Regattas are considered our Core Events to establish Status:

These Regattas will be called the Local Events and Core Events as they are held annually. The Local events are less competitive than the Core Events and will establish C and D Status. The Core Events have large, competitive fleets and will establish A and B status.
These Regattas were chosen because of their consistent competitive nature and because all VI sailors are eligible to enter.

Core Events: For ALL Classes

World Championships
Europeans
North Americans
South Americans
Nationals
Mid-Winters
Any Pan Am, Youth Olympics, Olympic Game Qualifying Events

Additional Core Events/ Clarification / Classes

Optimist	Orange Bowl	Opt. Regatta – STT	New Englands	Opti SUD
Club 420	Orange Bowl		Buzzards Bay
I 420	Orange Bowl	US Youth Champs
Lasers	Orange Bowl	US Youth Champs	Buzzards Bay	Miami OCR
29err	Orange Bowl	US Youth Champs
Nacra 15		US Youth Champs

Local Events

MLK – St. Thomas
BVI Champs – BVI
Pan Pepin – Puerto Rico
Crucian Open – St. Croix
Columbus Day – St. Thomas

Match Racing

As Match Racing grows in importance, VISA will use results to qualify sailors.

Three top 3 Finishes in a grade 3 event gives C Status
Three top 3 Finishes in a grade 2 event gives B Status
Three top 3 Finishes in a grade 1 event gives B Status and will consider additional funding.

Status Levels

“Not Active”

Former ranked sailors who are not actively campaigning
This sailor will receive no funding until they become active through notice to VISA.

Local Status – D

A sailor who has not reached a level of proficiency that will get them consistently in the top 15% of the finishers in Local Events.
Sailor should receive encouragement from Local Yacht Clubs and be Eligible to participate in Club Sponsored clinics, usually at a fee of $50.00 a day.
This sailor will receive no financial help from VISA
This sailor will be recognized on the VISA website

National Status – C

A sailor finishing in the top 15% in three Local and one Core Regattas within the last two years will be awarded “C” status. This sailor is CAC Games eligible;
This sailor will receive a C stipend set by VISA each year which may be used to cover Approved Regatta expenses they attend and be eligible to participate in all VISA sponsored clinics at a fee of $50.00 a day
This sailor is Central American Caribbean Games (CAC) Eligible.

International Status – B

A sailor who has finished in the top 15% in three Core Regattas will be awarded “B” status. These top 15% of fleet finishes need to be in one boat class for two of the three events, within the last two years. This sailor is Pan Am Games Eligible
This sailor will receive a B stipend from VISA to be used for Approved Regattas.
Events deemed as Olympic Game qualifiers would also have entry fees paid by VISA if VIOC money is available. This sailor is also eligible to attend all clinics sponsored by VISA and VIOC at a fee of $50.00 a day.
This sailor may receive additional funding for travel, housing or coaching from the VIOC, if it is available, to attend Olympic Game qualifying events.
“B” Sailor is Pan American Games Eligible.

Olympic Status – A

Once a sailor has qualified for the Olympics, Pan Am Games, or Youth Olympics (Not through Wild Card Process) VISA, in conjunction with the VIOC, will endeavor to provide for travel and expenses to at least two pre-Olympic Games events and the Olympic Games.
Coaching, whenever possible and practical, will also be provided.
“A” status terminates after the Games and must be reestablished each 4 year cycle.

Representation

VISA will sanction sailors who have achieved the appropriate status for each of the following events.

If necessary, VISA will either hold local qualifiers or more favorably select specific off island regattas as qualifiers that fit into the submitted training schedules of those sailors that express interest in representing the USVI.
If a sailor wants to represent the VI at an event that they have not as yet qualified through their status to attend, VISA will not discourage this sailor but no funding will be made available.

Youth Worlds

Sailors with a “C” status or better interested in sailing at the Youth Worlds should make their intent known to VISA and present a choice of boat and training schedule at least 9 months before the event.
USVI Qualifiers for each class will be designated by each USVI class association. If there is not class association formed, VISA will designate the qualifying regatta.
There will be no additional funding for this event outside of the sailors status level.

Central American Caribbean (CAC) Games (2 years preceding Olympics)

2018 Barranquilla, Columbia 7/19 -8/3
2022 Panama City, Panama 4/22 – 5/8

VISA will make every attempt to fill the positions awarded the USVI in as many sailing classes as possible.
Sailors with a “C” status or better interested in sailing at the CAC games should make their intent known to VISA and present a choice of boat and training schedule at least 9 months before the event.

Pan American Games (1 year preceding Olympics)

2019 Lima Peru 7/26 – 8/11
2023 Santiago, Chili 10/6 – 10/22

VISA will make every attempt to qualify a sailor in as many sailing classes as possible to the Pan Am Games.
Sailors interested in sailing at the Pan American Games should make their intent known to VISA and present a choice of a boat and training schedule at least 12 months before the event.
VISA will work with the VIOC to provide as much help as possible to prepare the sailors for these Games.

Youth (14 -18) and Olympic Games

VISA will make every attempt to qualify a sailor in as many sailing classes as possible to the Youth and Olympic Games.
Sailors interested in sailing at the Youth and Olympic Games should make their intent known to VISA and present a choice of boat and training schedule at least 24 months before the event.
VISA will work with the VIOC to provide as much help as possible to prepare the sailors for these Games.
If a “B” sailor hopes to qualify for the Youth and Olympics by gaining “A” status in the years preceding the Games or a possible Wild Card, this sailor should make their intention known to VISA 24 months preceding the event with a training schedule and list of qualifying events they hope to attend.
VISA will work with the VIOC to get the sailor qualified to the best of their abilities as long as the status committee feels the commitment is there to perform to an acceptable level at the Games.
VISA in interested in sending qualified sailors to the Youth and Olympics Games, not those going just for the “experience”.
Sailors should be actively trying to Qualify for the Pan Am Games.

	M/W	M/W	Mixed	M/W	M/W	Mixed	Mixed	M/W	Keel
Youth Worlds	Laser /Radial	RSX	Nacra 15	I420	29ers
CAC Games	Laser / Radial	RSX	Hobie 16			Snipe	Sunfish	Kites
Pan Am Games	Laser/ Radial	RSX	Nacra 17		49er FX	Snipe	Sunfish	Kites	Lightning (3)
Youth Olympics		RSX	Nacra 15					Kites
Olympics	Laser / Radial	RSX	Nacra 17	470	49ers			Kites	2 man Keel Boat

Core Events, Continental, and World Championships

VISA will encourage and sanction sailors with an “A” or “B” status to attend these events and work with VIOC to provide additional funding for coaching, housing or travel, if it is available.
Other sailors may attend these events but will not receive funding from VISA.

Sailing Resume Example

VISA Status Sailing Resume

[Sailor Name]

[Contact Information, including email address]

Year	Event/Boat	Finish	Entrants	Percentile
2017	C420 North Americans – skipper, gold fleet	51	128	40%
2017	CORK International 29er – skipper, gold fleet	11	32	34%
2018	C420 Midwinters – skipper, gold fleet	21	75	28%
2018	Helly Hansen Jr Team NOOD Chicago	8	13	62%
2018	C420 NE Championship – crew	7	74	9%
2018	Annapolis Yacht Club Junior Annual	10	44	23%
2018	Severn Sailing Association Sandy MacVikcar	9	41	22%
2018	C420 Nationals – skipper, gold fleet	30	146	20%
2018	Hyannis Regatta	24	116	20%
2018	C420 North Americans – skipper, gold fleet	13	173	8%
2018	CHUBB US Junior Championship Bemis Cup	1	20	Winner / 5%

When submitting resumes:

Please go through all results and put qualifying events in bold print
Resumes should be submitted in date order by type of boat.
Older qualifying events will become less important if the sailor is not actively sailing on an international level.
After two years events will be looked at, but in most cases will not be used for consideration

Sailor Status Guideline 2019/2020