November 2003 ISAF annual meeting 2003 – King Constantine talks about the Athens Olympics Wednesday, 12 November 2003 The following speech was given by His Majesty King Constantine at the annual awards ceremony of the International Sailing Federation, which took place on 12 November 2003, in Barcelona, Spain. FULL SCRIPT For the past 43 years, I have been speaking on the ISAF annual dinner in English, which is not my first language. This worries me because... The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. The Greeks drink excessive amounts of red wine and retsina and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans. So I am worried that you can eat and drink what you like but it is speaking English that kills you. Your Royal Highness, You honour us with your presence this evening. It is well known to all us sailors, your love for our sport. It gives me great pleasure to watch you race with my daughter Alexia as part of your crew, especially when you compete against your father the King and your brother the Prince of Astourias and you beat them. We are also delighted your husband, the Duke of Palma joined us. He is not only a great athlete and an Olympic champion, but he is also a great guy. We will forgive him for choosing the wrong sport. Your Excellency President Samaranch, All sailors and members of ISAF are aware that during your presidency of the IOC, you have shown great benevolence and support. We can't forget that we went from 6 medals to 11. You always kept as your goal the unity of the Olympic Movement as a whole and treating us all as a big family. Thank you for coming this evening to our dinner. Paul, you as President of ISAF for the last 9 years, you have achieved a lot for our Federation and for our sailors. I am optimistic that you will continue to do the same as you and all of us share the same goal for unity and love for sailing. I was delighted to be in Athens for the Athens Regatta 2003 and other test events in August, and to witness the fantastic work that has been, and is being undertaken for the 2004 Olympic Games. Sailing is the only sport on the Olympic programme to have benefited from two test events, with the Athens Regatta 2003 the final test. With all the main construction completed, the venue is certainly impressive. In size, it could probably hold double the number of athletes and boats that will be in Aghios Kosmas next August. Being this size, the venue, will be a fantastic legacy for future generations of sailors in and around Athens as it was in Barcelona. Alongside a fair competition, a legacy is one of the priorities of the International Olympic Committee and ISAF. I am happy to say that ISAF's and the sailors' response and feedback on all aspects of the regatta -venue on the water organization- were excellent. The weather was fantastic, not a cloud for the duration of the event, with good and testing wind conditions. Of course, I was delighted that our Greek sailors competed so well, with podium places for Nikos Kaklamanakis in the windsurfing mens event, and Σοφία Μπεκατόρου and Αιμιλία Τσούλφα in the double-handed women's event. The remaining qualification regattas for each of the Olympic events will be next year, when approximately 20% of the total quota of country slots will be allocated. The 2003 ISAF World Championship was a first - the inaugural combined Championship for the Olympic Classes with 1472 athletes, 71 nations and 993 entries. In respect of podium places, 20 different nations claimed the 33 medals. There is no question that this Championship marked a turning point for the sport. Whilst critics cast doubt on the feasibility and success of such an event, ISAF, the Classes and the sailors have driven the Championship forward. If there were any problems, these were not insurmountable and will of course be reviewed for the future. The benefits of such a Championship certainly outweigh any disadvantages. The social interaction between all was superb. The media coverage achieved surpassed anything the classes could achieve individually. The racing was as good as it gets, with conditions to suit all. ISAF is exceptionally grateful to the Diputacion of Cadiz, the Deporte Andaluz, the Organizing Committee, the three host towns- Puerto Santa Maria, Rota and Elcano- and all the local staff and volunteers who worked together to ensure a successful Championship. Congratulations to all the sailors who competed so well in Cadiz, and, of course, the Gold Medallists, many of whom have joined us tonight. Where next for 2007? ISAF has received many expressions of intent, Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Bids will be received by 1 March, with an evaluation process undertaken, prior to a final decision on the venue at the ISAF Mid-Year Meeting in June 2004. Each year a plethora of speed or distance records are swept aside, and we are all impressed by these incredible vessels that blast their way through the waves to take the records. I was proud to have more than a close relationship with one of the most significant records this year. My son, Crown Prince Pavlos was grinder onboard Mari-Cha IV, his father in law's Bob Miller's boat, when it broke the West to East Transatlantic record completing their 2925 mile crossing in a time of 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds, shaving a phenomenal 2 days, 3 hours 2 minutes and 56 seconds off the previous record set by Bernard Stamm. Subject to ratification, Mari-Cha IV also re-wrote sailing history by becoming the first monohull ever to sail over 500 miles in one day, bettering the record, of 484 nm (set by John Kostecki's Illbruch on 29 April 3003 during the Volvo Ocean Race). I met the crew as they arrived in Falmouth. With the bravado and cheek that characterizes youth, my son gave me his wind jacket that he wore during the crossing and said 'Now you know how it feels to be a champion'. This is our sport - the diversity spreads from Offshore to Olympic, windsurfers to radio sailing. For the past few days, all of you have being working hard participating in various committee meetings. I am happy to see that the need for maintaining and strengthening a cohesive strategy for sailing over the next years is been tackled. It has been decided that Offshore Racing Council is now a Congress, which means that Vice Presidents George Andreadis and David Kellet are promoted from Conselieri to Congressmen. Also a very positive dialogue has taken place, with the organizers of America's Cup. Maybe Russell Coutts can give us a clue this evening about the venue for the next America's Cup. .... just between us you understand. It goes without saying, that I support our President's submission on the increase of the participation of women in Council and on the Executive Board. ATHENS OLYMPICS In so far as 2004 is concerned, let me convey to you the excitement brewing in my country, in view of next year's Athens Olympics. My family and I had the chance to visit a number of cities and villages in Greece in the past few months, and I can tell you, that from the mainland to the islands and the heart of the Games in Athens, the Olympic Spirit is truly lighting up Greece. I have called on the Greeks in the diaspora to light up this flame around the world, and warm everyone up to the purest product of the human spirit. I ask you now, you the sailing diaspora, to pass on in every possible way, the principles which gave birth to the Olympic Games. Every four years, Humanity is given a chance to remember and celebrate the ideals of solidarity, faith and egality. And what better time to revert to these ideals than now?..... When worldwide people, countries, alliances, are struggling to structure a new humanity on tender ground. Just the other day, the UN unanimously voted in favour of Greece's and IOC's proposal, for the world to adhere the notion of ΕΚΕΧΕΙΡΙΑ -global truce- throughout the duration of the Games. Perhaps it is important for world leaders to contemplate whether a fortnight every four years is enough? This is a global celebration; one to which we should all contribute. We can do this by supporting the leaps accomplished in my country by the collective efforts of the ATHOC staff, the volunteers, the athletes, the people in the cities and the villages even all the political parties.