Henri van der Aat - a madforsailing interview

The man who has changed the face of racing as we know it.

" The other big development involves moving the finish line for selected fleets to the harbour entrance." Seeing the problem in characteristically clear terms, van der Aat has a simple solution. "We are going to go to the harbour anyway. Why not make that a race?" he asks.
For the time being the programme is limited to just the Europe and the 49er classes. "We will only do it when the way to the harbour is clear of other boats and you don't have to beat to the harbour. When you beat to the harbour the wind is offshore and shifty".

Van der Aat's motivations go far beyond making life easier for the sailors. "When you look at sailing the guys and girls are well trained. They are intelligent. They are good looking and yet there is no social circuit around sailing." Conceding that sailing will never be a big spectator event van der Aat is nonetheless determined to make something more of the shore side than we commonly see now.

"It should be possible for people to come during the day here and see a lot of things. If you finish in the harbour it is one step (in the right direction). Yesterday people went berserk. We do realise that you have to build that for years. It doesn't all happen at once. People need to know that if you come to a regatta like this, there is lots happening without the need to go on the water."

Behind all this I sense an overwhelming desire to do something that is in the best interests of the sport. This passion extends to a desire to provide top quality events and top class regatta management. When so many events suffer from mediocre organisation van der Aat is clear about the secret of success at SPA. "We always get together before the regatta and say the competitors always do the best they can. So we say if you were trying to win an Olympic medal how would you win this race? To really be sharp? To really be committed? To really be on the ball?"

Unlike many race managers, van der Aat refuses to stand aloof from the sailors. It's vital, he says "to listen to everybody. To be around. To talk to the coaches, whoever and make sure that everybody at all times really knows what is happening".

Van der Aat is intensely protective of the 300 people who work for him and for the regatta. "We try to stay away from the word volunteer; we try to call everyone the SPA regatta crew. Whether someone is paid or not doesn't say anything about his commitment. They are all professionals and we try to treat them in that way. There are some people here who are paid and some people who are not paid. It's not what you pay, but the commitment of the people and that is a crucial thing."

As you might expect, a man with such drive and enthusiasm is not prepared to stand still for long. His next big idea is technology. While others talk about the impact electronics will have on race management, van der Aat is about to put it to the test. "The next change will be a technological change: chips on boats, [electronic] identification at the start. We are talking to Brian Willis (Chairman of the ISAF Racing Rules Committee) about having a VHF radio in each boat to tell them about premature starts. We are looking at having a helicopter to relay live pictures to the shore. For sure next year we will have new technology. The price is just going down and down and down. For sure we will have more technology next year, the question is just what", he enthuses.

Though not everyone may like all that van der Aat has done you have to admire him for his vision. Sailing needs more people with this kind of enthusiasm.