Star Sailors League

Last updated
SSL
Star Sailors League SA
Founded2013 (2013)
Legal statusSociété Anonyme (Swiss)
PurposeGlobal inshore sailing circuit
Headquarters
Products
  • SSL Global Rankings
  • (Men + Women + Nations)
  • SSL Gold Cup
  • (Like the World Cup in football)
  • SSL Finals
  • (Annual global skippers finals)
  • SSL Format
  • (Play-offs regatta system)
Key people
Parent organization
Sailing Athletes Foundation
Affiliations World Sailing
Website www.starsailors.com
RemarksThe athletes are the Stars

The Star Sailors League (SSL) is a sports governing body in sailing in charge of the SSL Ranking, the SSL Circuit and the SSL Gold Cup.

Contents

SSL Circuit

The global inshore sailing circuit launched by Olympic athletes in 2012. Supported by the sailing stars like Loïck Peyron and Dennis Conner (SSL honorary chairman), the SSL is recognized as "special event" by World Sailing since 2017. Its main philosophy considers the athletes (not the boats) as the "Stars". Its goals are:

The three main components of the SSL Circuit:

SSL Ranking

From 2019, a wide range of class race results will be gradually integrated into a weekly world ranking inspired by the ATP tennis ranking. At the end of the season, it will qualify the best in the world for the annual final of the circuit (with prize money), and every two years for the SSL Gold Cup. The SSL Global Ranking does not replace the rankings specific to each class but completes them, to offer a simple and attractive overview of inshore sailing to the general public; the SSL Global Ranking will bring together nearly 100,000 athletes in 2021 and will be used as a communication tool in 2019 to promote athletes and the sailing season.

SSL Global Ranking Method

Reference tables for allocation of points

Categories of events
Category1MAJORSSL 4000Major event:                              
  • Olympic Games,
  • America's Cup,
  • SSL Gold Cup & Finals
Category2WORLDSSL 2500World event :
  • a World Championships (Fleet + Match Racing ( MR)),
  • AC Challenger Selection Series
  • SSL Grand Slam (run on several classes since 2021)
Category3CONTINENTALSSL 1000Continental event:
  • a+b Continental Championships
  • c Continental Games
  • d Grand Prix I
  • WS World Cup
  • Regatta with 200 boats or more (Opti: 400 boats or more)
  • MR-Grade W + 1
Category4INTERNATIONALSSL 500International event:
  • AC World Series
  • Olympic qualifier
  • Regional games (4–9 nations)
  • e Grand Prix II
  • Regatta with 80 boats or more (Opti: 200 boats or more)
  • MR-Grade 2
Category5NATIONALSSL 250National regatta:
  • a National championship
  • Local games (< 4 nations)
  • a District championship
  • f Grand Prix III
  • Regatta with 30 boats or more
  • MR-Grade 3
Category6REGIONALSSL 100Regional regatta:
  • Regional regatta with 10 boats or more
  • MR-Grade 4
Category7LOCALSSL 10Local regatta :
  • Local regatta with a participation between 3 and 9 boats
  • MR-Grade 5

a With the exception of MR & all Grand Prix, World + Continental + National Championships with less than 10 boats will be downgraded to the lower category

b Continental: African-Asian-European-Oceania-South/American-North/American-Eastern/Hemisphere-Western/Hemisphere-Championships

c Continental Games: African-Asian-Pacific-Pan American Games

d Grand Prix I:

e Grand Prix II: Sail GP, TP52 Super Series, RC44 Cup, GC32 Racing Tour, 18 Footers

f Grand Prix III: D35, M32, TF35

Classes
Status1OLYMPIC CLASS100%Olympics + Particularities:  49er, 49erFX, ILCA 7, ILCA 6, Nacra 17 Mixed, 470 Mixed + Current America's Cup Class + Match Racing Grade W + Grand Prix I
Status2WS CLASS85%Classes with Official Worlds: 5O5, Dragon, Hobie 16, J/70, Melges 24, Moth, Optimist, Snipe, Star, Sunfish, SSL 47, TP52, Grand Prix II & III, ... (~100 classes)
Status3OTHER CLASS75%All Other Classes : 1-Kronan, Albin Express, Folketboot, MC Scow, Naples Sabot, National 10, P-Boot, Sea Snark, Surprise,... (~ 5000 classes)
Types of competitions
Type1OPEN100%Olympic Classes g: 49erFX, ILCA 6 Reserved for Women / 49er, ILCA 7 Reserved for Men / Nacra 17, 470 for Mixed Teams
America's Cup, SSL: Even if some America's Cup & SSL events require to be qualified to participate, all of them remain "Open" competitions
Type2NON-OPEN40%hReserved for Specific Gender: Reserved for Women, or for Men, or for Mixed Teams
Reserved for Age Groups: Reserved for Cadets, Juniors, Masters, Grand Masters, U20, U21, U23, U30, …
Reserved for Other Groups: Reserved for Professionals or "Amateurs", or for Disableds, or for Owners

g Competitions for Olympic or local Games qualification and for Olympic or local Games remain "Open" competitions

h Competitions that add 2 (or more) of particular types (eg Juniors + Girls) get 20% of the points

Time validity of points

Due to the exceptional situation that occurred for COVID-19, the SSL Management Board decided to change the "Time Validity Points" rule, starting from December 15, 2020, until July 31, 2023.

Time1RECENT100%Recent event: Event ended in the last 104 weeks
Time2MID-TERM50%Mid-term event i: Event ended between 105 and 156 weeks ago
Time3HISTORICAL0%Historical event: Event ended more than 156 weeks ago

i For the Olympic Games, for the AC Qualifiers and for the America's Cup, the 50% rule continues until the next edition (not only 156 weeks ago)

Starting from August 1, 2023, the "Time Validity Points" will return to the usual one (see table below):

Time1RECENT100%Recent event: Event ended in the last 52 weeks
Time2MID-TERM50%Mid-term event i: Event ended between 53 and 104 weeks ago
Time3HISTORICAL0%Historical event: Event ended more than 104 weeks ago

i For the Olympic Games and for the America's Cup, the 50% rule continues until the next edition (not only 104 weeks ago)

SSL Ranking Points example: Optimist World Championship – A 4-Step Process

SSL Ranking Points Example.png

Examples of SSL Points allocated to 6 World Championships

Capture d'ecran 2022-01-05 a 16.21.45.png

Comparison of SSL Scores allocated to the 7 categories of regattas

Graphe Points SSL Ranking.png

SSL Global Ranking: Principles

  1. Fundamental points
    1. Origin
      • The SSL Global Ranking was conceived and continue to be developed by a group of Olympic and amateur sailors.
    2. Philosophy
      • SSL Global Ranking aims first and foremost to offer the first transversal and global ranking of inshore sailors, in complement to all national or international Class Ranking established by the classes and federations.
    3. Goals
      • The SSL Global Ranking aims to represent a reference and an attractive tool of communication used to:
        • Select sailors for the SSL Finals and for the teams in the SSL Gold Cup
        • Promote sailors and their skills
        • Expand the audience of sailing
  2. Technical features
    1. 6 Best Scores
      • The SSL Ranking takes in consideration the best 6 scores of each athlete in the last 156 weeks (note: from January 1, 2023, the "Time Validity Points" rules will return to the usual one, i.e. last 104 weeks).
      • Exception: All scores allocated for category 7 competitions are added up without any limitation of numbers
    2. All Rewarded
      • All athletes who have participated in one race receive point(s). The winner gets basically from 10 to 4000 points and the last ranked 1 point.
    3. Weekly Update
      • The SSL Global Ranking is updated weekly and published every Tuesday at www.starsailors.com/ranking.
    4. Filters
      • The SSL Global Ranking can be filtered according to 3 criteria:
        • By Gender (Men – Women – Open/Global)
        • By Class of boats
        • By Nation
    5. Skipper & Crew
      • The SSL Global Ranking produces 2 distinct Rankings:
        • The SSL "Skipper" Global Ranking
        • The SSL "Crew" Global Ranking
      • Note: The "Skipper" designation used generically throughout this document refers specifically and only to the "Helmsman".
  3. Eligibility – Integration – Evolution
    1. Eligibility: Athletes
      • All athletes without any restrictions (age, sex, status) who are on an official regatta ranking and who have finished at least one full race, may appear in the SSL Global Ranking.
    2. Eligibility: Events
      • All events which meet the criteria below can be integrated in the SSL Global Ranking:
        • Competition validated by a class recognized by World Sailing or by a National Association
        • Competition in real time (= no Ratings & Handicap Systems) with monotype boats or development sailing classes < 30 ff
        • Inshore competitions organized for a maximum period of 15 continuous days. (Exceptions: America's Cup and SSL GC)
    3. Integration steps
      • Weighting based on Event Category, World Sailing classes, open/restricted events:
        • Major events: (4) Olympic Games, America's Cup, SSL Gold Cup & Finals
        • Special events: (4) World Match Racing Tour (MR), ACWS, SailGP, SSL Grand Slams
        • Classes with Status 1 / Olympic Classes: (8) Finn, Laser (M), Laser (W), 49er, 49erFX, 470 (M), 470 (W) Nacra 17
        • Classes with Status 2 / WS Classes: (~100) 5O5, Dragon, Hansa 2.3, Etchells, J/70, Melges 24, Moth, TP52, Star, …
        • Classes with Status 3 / Other Classes: (~5000) Sabot, MC Scow, P-Boot, Sea Snark, Folketboot, Optimist, National 10, …
    4. Rules & evolution
      • The SSL Global Ranking rules are based on the rules that were used in a DEVELOPMENT PHASE from January 2013 to December 2018. During the development phase, to simplify development of the system only results from a single class were used.
      • The SSL Global Ranking will be in a TRANSITION PHASE until December 2021, as dozens of classes and thousands of athletes are added.
      • From 1 January 2022 forward, the SSL Global Ranking will be in its OPERATING PHASE. New classes will be added to the system only at the start of a calendar year, i.e. no new classes will be added during 2022.
  4. SKIPPER / CREW – SCORING FEATURES
    1. "Skipper/Crew"
      • Rules The helmsman and each crew member from one team are awarded the same number of points.
      • All crew members of a team who have participated in one race receive the same number of points for the SSL "Crew" Global Ranking; this rule remains fixed, whatever the number of races sailed by each crew member and whatever the number of crew members having participated.
      • Only one helmsman per team and per event may receive points for the SSL "Skipper" Global Ranking.
      • An athlete cannot be awarded SSL points in the 2 categories if they have participated as a helmsman and as a crew member in the same event. In this case, only the SSL points which are allocated for their role as a crew member are retained.
      • The points awarded in each category ("Skipper" and "Crew" Member) cannot be added together.

SSL Nations Ranking Method

The SSL Nations Ranking takes in consideration:

The SSL Nations Ranking is updated and published on the 10th of each month.

Statistics

Number one ranked sailors

The following is a list of sailors who have achieved the number one position in the SSL ranking since the inception of the rankings in 2013 for Men and in 2020 for Women:

Year-end number one sailor

Countries with Number one ranked sailors

Number one country in the SSL Nations Ranking

SSL Nations Ranking
No.SailorDate reachedconsecutive monthsTotal months
1Flag of Australia (converted).svg AustraliaSeptember 10, 20201111
2Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Great BritainSeptember 10, 20211111
3Flag of Spain.svg SpainAugust 10, 202111

SSL Finals

SSL Finals

YearFirstSecondThird
2013 Nassau [1] Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Robert Scheidt
Bruno Prada
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Mateusz Kusznierewicz
Dominik Życki
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Mark Mendelblatt
Brian Fatih
2014 Nassau [2] Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Mark Mendelblatt
Brian Fatih
Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Fredrik Lööf
Anders Ekström
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Mateusz Kusznierewicz
Dominik Życki
2015 Nassau [3] Flag of the United States.svg  United States
George Szabo III
Edoardo Natucci
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Hamish Pepper
Bruno Prada
Flag of France.svg  France
Xavier Rohart
Pierre-Alexis Ponsot
2016 Nassau YC [4] Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Mark Mendelblatt
Brian Fatih
Flag of France.svg  France
Xavier Rohart
Pierre-Alexis Ponsot
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Robert Scheidt
Henry Raul Boening
2017 Nassau YC [5] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Paul Goodison
Frithjof Kleen
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Robert Scheidt
Henry Raul Boening
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Mark Mendelblatt
Brian Fatih
2018 Nassau YC Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Jorge Zarif
Pedro Trouche
Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Robert Scheidt
Henry Raul Boening
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Diego Negri
Frithjof Kleen
2019 Nassau YC [5] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain
Iain Percy
Anders Ekström
Flag of France.svg  France
Xavier Rohart
Pierre-Alexis Ponsot
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Eivind Melleby
Joshua Revkin

Multiple medallists

#AthleteCountryGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1 Mark Mendelblatt
Brian Fatih
Flag of the United States.svg United States2013
2 Robert Scheidt Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil1214
3 Bruno Prada Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil1102
3 Anders Ekström Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden1102
5 Xavier Rohart
Pierre-Alexis Ponsot
Flag of France.svg France0213
5 Henry Raul Boening Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil0213
7 Mateusz Kusznierewicz
Dominik Życki
Flag of Poland.svg Poland0112

SSL Grand Slams

SSL Lake Grand Slams

YearFirstSecondThird
2015 GrandsonFlag of the United States.svg  United States
George Szabo III
Patrick Ducommun
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Robert Stanjek
Frithjof Kleen
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Mark Mendelblatt
Brian Fatih

SSL City Grand Slams

YearFirstSecondThird
2016 HamburgFlag of France.svg  France
Xavier Rohart
Pierre-Alexis Ponsot
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway
Eivind Melleby
Joshua Revkin
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland
Mateusz Kusznierewicz
Dominik Życki

SSL Breeze Grand Slams

YearFirstSecondThird
2019 Riva del GardaFlag of Brazil.svg  Brazil
Robert Scheidt
Henry Raul Boening
Flag of France.svg  France
Xavier Rohart
Pierre-Alexis Ponsot
Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Paul Cayard
Arthur Lopes

SSL Gold Cup

The SSL Gold Cup has the recognition of World Sailing as an official World cup of nations and will proclaim for the first time in Gran Canaria the best country in this sport. [6] Announced at the 2018 Yacht Racing Forum by SSL Gold Cup Sport Director Mateusz Kusznierewicz as the SSL Nations Gold Cup, [7] it was officially launched in 2019 at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne as a biennial event, to be hosted for the first time by the Cercle de la Voile de Grandson in Switzerland during September and October 2021. [8] [9] Suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic, the first edition finals were changed to October 28-November 20, 2022 at Bahrain, [10] but were postponed, [11] and will be sailed November 10-December 3 in 2023 at the Canary Islands. 40 teams will compete in the SSL Gold Cup Finals, including the world's top 24 sailing nations in the SSL Ranking, plus the 16 teams who came through the Qualifying Series, held from May to July 2022 amog teams placed 25 to 56. [12] The conditions will be the same for all teams, with identical SSL47 boats (a modified RC44) and training made available free of charge to all teams.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alinghi</span>

Alinghi, or Alinghi Red Bull Racing because of the sports marketing branding by Red Bull, is the syndicate set up by Ernesto Bertarelli, racing under the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, to challenge for the America's Cup, as well as other competitions. Bertarelli had raced several smaller yachts named Alinghi previously, but 2003 was his first attempt at the America's Cup. Alinghi challenged for and won the 2003 America's Cup in Auckland New Zealand and successfully defended it at the 2007 America's Cup in Valencia, Spain. Alinghi lost the America's Cup to the Golden Gate Yacht Club and their team BMW Oracle Racing in a Deed of Gift match in Valencia, Spain in February 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Sailing</span> International sailing sports body

World Sailing (WS) is the world governing body for the sport of sailing recognized by the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russell Coutts</span> New Zealand sailor

Sir Russell Coutts is a world champion New Zealand yachtsman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Dickson (sailor)</span> New Zealand sailor

Christopher Stuart Dickson is a sailor from New Zealand. He was world youth champion three years in succession and later became world match race champion three times. He also skippered several yachts in America's Cup racing, and for New Zealand at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and in numerous other sailing competitions.

Fernando Echávarri Erasun is a professional yachtsman in the Olympic Tornado class. Teaming with crew Antón Paz Blanco, he became the Spanish, European, World Champion, ISAF Sailor of the year in 2005, Olympic gold medallist at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games held in Qingdao.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ihor Matviienko</span> Ukrainian sailor

Ihor Matviienko is a Ukrainian sailor and Olympic Champion. He won a gold medal in the 470 class at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, together with Yevhen Braslavets. He also competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics. Also, Matviienko is the World and European Champion in 2001. He is a President of the Sailing Federation of the Dnipro, President of 470 class association of Ukraine and Founder of sailing school and club MIR yacht club in Dnipro, Ukraine.

Darren Bundock is an Australian sailor from Gosford, New South Wales. He won a silver medal in the Tornado class at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Bundock and current crewmate Glenn Ashby are the 2007 world champions in the Tornado class and ranked number one in the event going into the 2008 Summer Olympics. However, they were beaten by the Spanish crew and won silver. He was an Australian Institute of Sport scholarship holder.

Terence "Terry" McLaughlin is a Canadian sailor and Olympics silver medallist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sailing (sport)</span> Amateur or professional competitive sport

The sport of sailing involves a variety of competitive sailing formats that are sanctioned through various sailing federations and yacht clubs. Racing disciplines include matches within a fleet of sailing craft, between a pair thereof or among teams. Additionally, there are specialized competitions that include setting speed records. Racing formats include both closed courses and point-to-point contests; they may be in sheltered waters, coast-wise or on the open ocean. Most competitions are held within defined classes or ratings that either entail one type of sailing craft to ensure a contest primarily of skill or rating the sailing craft to create classifications or handicaps.

Chris Draper is a British sailor who has won multiple World and European championships and a bronze medal at the Sailing at the 2004 Olympic competing in the mixed 49er. He has been a winner of the Extreme Sailing Series and was helmsman for Luna Rossa, Italy's America's cup challenger 2011 to 2015. In the 34th Americas cup he became the first Britain to helm in the Louis Vuitton cup final. For the ACWS & 35th America's Cup between 2015 and the Cup event in Bermuda in June 2017 he held the position of Sailing Team Manager / Tactician and Wing trimmer for Softbank Team Japan. In 2019 he became CEO and Wing trimmer for the Great Britain team racing in the newly formed SailGP, racing the F50 hydro foiling catamarans in a global racing circuit. In 2021 he joined the Japanese SailGP team as a Wing Trimmer. winning multiple events during the 2021/2022 SailGP season and finishing runners up overall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Burling (sailor)</span> New Zealand sailor

Peter Burling is a New Zealand sailor. He was the 2021 America's Cup winning skipper and helmsman, and the 2017 America's Cup winning helmsman of Team New Zealand. Burling won an Olympic gold medal in the 49er class at the 2016 games and silver medals in the 2012 and 2020 Olympics.

John Forbes is an Australian sailor and has competed at three Olympic Games, winning a bronze at Barcelona 1992 and silver in 2000 at the Sydney Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesco Bruni (sailor)</span> Italian sailor

Francesco "Checco" Bruni is a professional sailor from Italy, together with James Spithill, helmsman of Luna Rossa during the America's Cup 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olivia Price</span> Australian sailor

Olivia Price is an Australian sailor. She represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics in sailing, and won a silver medal.

Karol Jabłoński Polish regatta helmsman, skipper, ice sailor. One of the most versatile sailors, succeeded in sea sailing, match racing and ice sailing. Several time World and European champion. Recognised in the international sailing environment, participating in international regattas. Started his career in the Baza Mrągowo sailing club, current representative of Olsztyn Sailing Club.

The 2017 Louis Vuitton Challenger's Trophy was a sailing competition held to determine the challenger in the 2017 America's Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switzerland at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Switzerland at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo

Switzerland competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Swiss athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games in the modern era, except for a partial boycott of the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne in protest at the Soviet invasion of Hungary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lithuania at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Lithuania competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the nation's eighth consecutive appearance at the Games in the post-Soviet era and tenth overall in Summer Olympic history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ireland at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

The team of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, which competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, represented athletes from both the Republic of Ireland and those from Northern Ireland who choose it instead of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the team's twenty-second appearance at the Summer Olympics, having attended every edition since 1924 except the 1936 Summer Olympics in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uruguay at the 2020 Summer Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Uruguay competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the nation's official debut in 1920, Uruguayan athletes have appeared in every edition of the Summer Olympic Games, with the exception of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, because of its Uruguay's support to the United States-led boycott. Uruguay left the Olympics with no medals earned.

References

  1. "SSL Finals". Star Sailors League.
  2. "SSL Finals". Star Sailors League.
  3. "SSL Finals". Star Sailors League.
  4. "SSL Finals". Star Sailors League.
  5. 1 2 "SSL Finals". Star Sailors League.
  6. "Gran Canaria is ready to host the SSL Gold Cup, the first Sailing World Cup by Nations". Sail-World. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  7. "Star Sailors League goes next level". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  8. "Football World Cup in Sailing launched". Sailweb. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  9. "Notice of Race". manage2sail.com. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  10. "Star Sailors League:Bahrain to host SSL Gold Cup Final Series/". World Sailing. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  11. "Problems halt SSL Gold Cup Finals". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
  12. "'Football World Cup' of Sailing is back". Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Retrieved 1 October 2023.