Sailor Status Guideline to Qualify for VISA and VIOC Funding
- Passed by VISA Executive Committee to go into effect 3/1/2005
- 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
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 level our sailors must be pursuing goals and show growth
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 either award status level, if criteria are met, or ask for more results to satisfy criteria.
- Athletes are encouraged to submit results to VISA and update them in a timely fashion. Please see attachment: VISA Status Sailing Resume Example
- In addition to a resume, the sailor should present a schedule of events they hope to sail in the upcoming year and where they expect to travel.
- 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, 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 Core Group as they are held annually and the fleets are both large and competitive.
- With VISA’s permission, one regional regatta such as Hyannis Race week or the Mid Atlantic’s for Optimists may be substituted for a Core Regatta in order to gain “C” status.
- Only one regional substitution is permitted.
- These Regattas were chosen because of their consistent competitive nature and because all VI sailors are eligible to enter.
Nationals | North Americans | Orange Bowl | Mid Winters | New Englands | Buzzards Bay | US Youth Champs | |
Optimist | X | X | X | X | X | ||
Club 420 | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
I420 | X | X | X | ||||
29er | X | X | X | ||||
Laser | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
Laser Radial | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Additional Core Events / Clarification / Classes
Optimist
Nationals, Opti NAM, Orange Bowl, Mid Winters (New Orleans), New England’s, Canadian Nationals, Opti SUD and Worlds
Club 420
Nationals, NAM, Orange Bowl, Mid Winters (Jensen Beach Fl), Buzzards Bay, and Bemis Finals. Top 2 HS Nationals, Top 2 College Nationals
I 420
NAM, Orange Bowl, US Youth Champs, Worlds, European National Championships
Laser
Nationals, NAM, Orange Bowl, Mid Winters (East or West), Buzzards Bay, Youth Champs, LOCR (Lauderdale) , OCR (Miami), Pacific Coasts, and CAC Games. Top 2 at Cressy Final
Laser Radials
Nationals, NAM, Orange Bowl, Mid Winters (East or West), Buzzards Bay, Youth Champs, Smyth, LOCR (Lauderdale), OCR (Miami), Pacific Coasts, and CAC Games. Top 2 at Cressy Final
29er
NAM, Orange Bowl, Youth Champs, European National Championships,
Worlds
IC-24
St. Thomas International Regatta, BVI Spring Regatta – 1st to 3rd place
Sunfish
Worlds and CAC Games.
Nacra 15
Youth Worlds, US Youth Champs, North Americans
Hobie 16, Olympic Board RS-X, Nacra or any other existing competitive class
If you choose a class other than those listed above, VISA will work with you and set criteria for achieving VISA Status in this Class. Examples are all National, Continental and World Championships.
Match Racing
As Match Racing grows in importance, VISA will use results to qualify sailors
- Three top 3 finishes in a grade 3 event give C status
- Three top 3 finishes in a grade 2 event give B status
- Three top 3 finishes in a grade 1 event give B+ status and VISA will consider additional funding, if it is available
Status Levels
“Not Active”
- Former ranked sailors who are not actively campaigning
- This athlete will receive no funding until they become active through notice to VISA
“D” Local Status
- A club sailor who has not reached a level of proficiency that will get them consistently in the top 15% of the finishers in local fleets.
- Sailor should receive encouragement from local Yacht Clubs and be eligible to participate in Club sponsored clinics, usually at a fee of $50 / day.
- This athlete will receive no financial help from VISA
“C” National Status
- Qualifying for CAC Games gives “C”.
- National Status can also be achieved by finishing in the top 15% of the fleet in three of the Core Regattas listed above within the last two years.
- This athlete 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 / day
- “C” Sailor is CAC Games Eligible
“B” International Status
- A sailor who has finished in the top 10% of the Fleet in three of the Core Regattas will be awarded “B” status. These top 10% of fleet finishes need not be limited to one boat class, but must be achieved within the last two years. A person may qualify by using different classes, i.e. Laser and 420 etc.
- Qualifying for The Pan American Games gives “B” Status
- This athlete will receive a B stipend from VISA to be used for Approved Regattas.
- Events deemed as Olympic qualifiers would also have entry fees paid by VISA if VIOC money is available. This athlete is also eligible to attend all clinics sponsored by VISA and VI Olympic Committee at a fee of $50 / day.
- This athlete may receive additional funding for travel, housing or coaching from the VIOC if it is available to attend Olympic qualifying events
“B” Sailor is Pan American Games Eligible
“A” Olympic Status
- Once an athlete has qualified for the Olympics (not through Wild Card Process) VISA, in conjunction with the VIOC, will endeavor to provide as much funding as possible for travel and expenses to at least two pre Olympic events and the Olympic Games.
- Coaching, whenever possible and practical, will also be provided.
- “A” status terminates after the Olympic 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 neither encourage nor discourage this athlete but no funding will be made available.
CAC Games (2 years preceding Olympics):
- VISA will make every attempt to fill the positions awarded the USVI in as many sailing classes as possible.
- Athletes 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.
- VISA will work with the VIOC to provide as much help as possible to prepare the sailors for these Games
Pan American Games (1 year preceding Olympics):
- VISA will make every attempt to qualify a sailor in as many sailing classes as possible to the Pan Am Games.
- Athletes with a “B” status or better interested in sailing at the Pan American Games should make their intent known to VISA and present a choice of 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.
Olympic Games:
- VISA will make every attempt to qualify a sailor in as many sailing classes as possible to the Olympic Games.
- Athletes with an “A” status interested in sailing at the 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 Olympics by gaining “A” status in the years preceding the Games or a possible Wild Card, this athlete should make their intent 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 athlete 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 is interested in sending qualified athletes to the Olympics and not those going just for the “experience”
Core Regattas, 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 athletes 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 | Finish | Entrants | Percentile |
| 2012 | North Americans (laser) | 14 | 155 | 9% |
| 2012 | Buzzards Bay (laser) | 4 | 92 | 5% |
| 2011 | CORK (laser) | 8 | 48 | 17% |
| 2010 | St Peter Valentine (opti) | 8 | 161 | 5% |
| 2009 | Worlds (opti) | 63 | 250 | 16% |
When submitting resumes:
- Please go through all results and put qualifying events in bold print
- Resumes should be submitted in chronological 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 are stale and will be looked at, but in most cases will not be used for consideration of status.