
支援総額
目標金額 300,000円
- 支援者
- 106人
- 募集終了日
- 2024年6月30日
(English) How to Support from Outside Japan
Thank you for your interest in this project. This page explains how to support our project from computer. Please refer to the following page for details about this crowdfunding challenge.
① Click here for registration
② Registration
③ Please check your e-mail box and access the website to confirm your e-mail address.
④ Click here and Choose the amount of donation with rewards.(Check below for details in English)
As a rule, we do not mail sponsorship appreciation gifts to overseas residents to avoid any legal issues. However, if you come to Japan to participate in the trip , you will receive sponsorship appreciation gifts at the kaiyo yachtharber.(Aichi prefecture)
▼How to choose
⑤ Fll in the information of your credit card
⑥ Fill in address/ information
⑦ Confirmation of your choice
⑧ Write a message to the project
(shown in “comment section of project page)
DO NOT post any personal information on the message.
Thank you so much!
The Meijo University Yacht Club's first overseas expedition. Over the past 25 years, they were denied participation in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships, and 10 years ago, the number of members dwindled to just one. However, they never gave up, and as "Underdog Sailors," they earned a ticket to the World Championships. From March 8th to 10th this year, the Meijo University Athletic Association Yacht Club participated in the "Sail On! The 12th JYMA Select University Competition & U25 Match Race," and despite being their first appearance as active competitors, they finished as runners-up. In the final against Keio University, the novice team that started sailing in college fought valiantly against the experienced opponents, even causing Keio University to incur penalties, but unfortunately, they narrowly lost. However, due to Keio University's withdrawal for reasons such as employment, the runner-up Meijo University was granted the right to participate in the University Sailing World Championships, and they have now secured their ticket. It was a dramatic selection for Meijo University, which has struggled in domestic competitions for the past 25 years.
Using the opportunity of participating in this year's University Sailing World Championships as a springboard, we aim to achieve our goal of participating in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships, which we haven't been able to attend for the past 25 years, and continuously strengthen our team. Although we were recognized as a semi-strengthened club by the university headquarters last year, there have been zero new members with yacht experience in the past three years. It is extremely challenging to continue our activities while balancing club activities, academics, and part-time jobs as we strengthen our team to compete with the nation's top schools. Sailing, in particular, involves a significant financial burden, as we mostly cover the cost of boats, sails, and rigging equipment, which are all foreign-made, out of our own pockets. This situation makes it difficult to create an environment where we can fully focus on the sport. Therefore, we are taking the opportunity of participating in the World Championships to challenge ourselves with crowdfunding, and we hope to use the financial support from everyone to strengthen our team.
The support funds received through this project will be used for travel and accommodation expenses for the University Sailing World Championships to be held at Lake Garda in Italy in June, as well as for training camps and the purchase of boats in preparation for the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships.
History of the Meijo University Athletic Association Yacht Club: The Meijo University Yacht Club was founded in 1950. About 30 years ago, during its peak period, it made a name for itself by achieving excellent results in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships and the National Sports Festival. During this golden era, the club participated in world championships and Japan-U.S. friendly matches, with around two experienced high school sailors joining each year, sustaining the club's operations. The addition of experienced sailors was reassuring from a safety standpoint as well, but...
<The Comeback from Just One Member> However, ten years ago, the number of members in all grades from first to fourth year dwindled to just one. At that time, they were unable to participate in the two-person yacht events and could only compete in the Laser class, which requires just one sailor. Everyone felt that the very existence of the club was in jeopardy.
<Determined to Save the Current Students> The yacht club, with a history of nearly 60 years, had to be saved at all costs. If current students wouldn't join, the alumni would have to take charge! There was no time for embarrassment; alumni over 40 years old took the lead in recruitment, handing out flyers at the school gate from early morning to late at night, and taking turns waiting in the club room during the day to talk to each student individually. Despite the immense effort, we were delighted when new first-year students started to show interest, and we narrowly avoided the club's disbandment. Currently, thanks to the continued efforts of the alumni association, there are 22 current members (from new fourth-year to second-year students), and this year's recruitment efforts brought in about 10 new members, making it one of the largest student yacht clubs in the Tokai region.
<The Dangers and Challenges of the Sea> Yacht racing is a sport that relies solely on the power of the wind to sail across the vast ocean. From the shore, it may appear to be a graceful sport. However, we want you to know that it is an extremely dangerous sport, especially for beginners, who must learn to operate a "dinghy yacht" from scratch—an Olympic-class boat without an engine—and head out to the open sea. The sudden changes in weather and the strength of the wind make it a tough sport that cannot be experienced on land. You need to pull ropes, adjust the angle of the sail, and skillfully steer the rudder to prevent capsizing and sail straight. Anyone who has ever been on a yacht can understand how difficult this is. In fact, nationwide, there are one or two incidents of people getting lost at sea every year. Without proper support from experienced members, alumni, and rescue boats, it would be a life-threatening activity for beginners to engage in alone.
<Although the Number of Members has Steadily Increased...> Fortunately, the number of members has continued to increase from just one ten years ago, and every year we welcome new freshmen with no prior experience. However, our performance has not been impressive, and the last time we participated in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championships was 25 years ago. Back then, our good results allowed two schools from the Chubu region to qualify for the national competition, but now the number of slots has been reduced to one. This has led to frustration and feelings of resignation among some members due to our inability to win the Chubu qualifiers. Even some of the alumni who worked hard on recruitment in the past have started to say, "If we can't win, why not just enjoy yachting?"
<Betting on This Tournament!> Amidst the turmoil, a piece of tournament information came to the coaches. It was the "Sail On! The 12th JYMA Select University Competition & U25 Match Race," held from March 8th to 10th this year at Mikawa Mito Marina in Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture. Normally, we primarily practice with two-person 470 and Snipe classes for the Intercollegiate competitions. However, this tournament involved the J24 keelboat, which is a five-person boat measuring 24 feet (about 8 meters), different in size from the boats we usually use. Moreover, it was a match race, a one-on-one competition, which is completely different from the fleet races (with nearly 40 boats starting simultaneously) that we usually participate in.
The leadership thought, "Other university yacht clubs also have little practice with this, so if we practice thoroughly, we might be able to win even in a short period." Additionally, the event was held in our home area, Mikawa Bay. March is particularly windy, and the coaches believed that if we understood the characteristics of the J24 and practiced sufficiently to cope with the strong winds, we could succeed. They persuaded the initially reluctant current students and started intensive training from November last year.
<Practice Upon Practice, We Will Win!> The training began in Mikawa Bay, and fortunately, a nearby owner kindly lent us their boat. We allocated the club funds to rent a charter boat at Mikawa Mito Marina, where the main tournament would be held, and dedicated every weekend to practice. Initially, we were confused by the differences from the boats we usually sailed, and the strong winds that had started blowing since last November led to repeated failures. One day, a steering mistake in strong winds caused the boat to tilt more than expected, almost resulting in an injury. Even the coach on board questioned, "Was our hypothesis really correct?" However, as days passed, the students steadily improved their sailing skills, absorbing knowledge like a dry sponge soaking up water. Eventually, they became able to handle the boat well enough to grasp its characteristics.
<What to Do About the Lack of Knowledge and Rules for Match Racing!> Unlike the dinghy yacht race format we usually practiced, this time the competition was a one-on-one match race. Only one of our members had yacht racing experience, and even that member had never competed in a match race before. In this situation, an experienced match racer and an alumnus sailor from the Chubu region, who saw the students struggling with the keelboat, decided to provide direct instruction on the basics of match racing. Watching from nearby, they likely thought, "There's no way they can win like this." They took the students under their wing and taught them the fundamentals of match racing from scratch. In such a fortunate environment, the students' determination grew, and they wanted to perform well in the upcoming tournament to repay the support they received. Their morale gradually improved.
<Great Achievement! In Their First Appearance...> As Meijo University had hoped, the Mikawa Bay for the March tournament was hit by typhoon-like strong winds. This led to a different schedule from the original plan, which worked in Meijo University's favor. However, at the opening ceremony, they were considered a completely unknown team, and no one expected them to perform well. They were almost entirely ignored by other universities, truly appearing as a "ragtag group of beginners." The tournament featured 12 of the nation's top universities, including Olympic sailors and experienced dinghy racers, and it began in the strong winds of Mikawa Bay.
First Day of the Tournament: March 8. Due to strong winds exceeding 13 meters per second, only the morning preliminaries were held, and Meijo University couldn't participate in any races due to time constraints.
Second Day of the Tournament: March 9. They won their first match race! However, due to strong winds exceeding 14 meters per second from late morning, the preliminaries ended only in the morning.
Third Day of the Tournament (Final Day): March 10. The tournament headquarters announced an earlier start to complete the preliminary series, with dock-out at 7 AM and the preliminaries starting before 8 AM. While other students were panicking due to the strong winds, Meijo University won three consecutive races, then lost the final preliminary match (despite the opponent being a famous sailor and Olympic candidate, they fought valiantly). As a result, the preliminary series ended with Meijo University in second place with 4 wins and 1 loss. As the race time dwindled, the tournament headquarters considered the end time and announced a final match between the top two teams of the preliminary series. Remarkably, Keio University and Meijo University, both with 4 wins and 1 loss, were selected for the final match. The final battle in the rough sea was a showdown between Keio University and Meijo University.
<Showdown: Experienced Keio University vs. Novice Meijo University> Keio University's team is filled with sailors who started sailing in elementary school. In contrast, most of Meijo University's team members began sailing in college, making them true novices.
In the first race, they were thoroughly defeated. The second race, which would determine the champion with a best-of-two format, was their last chance. If they lost here, it was over. Meijo University managed to gain an advantage in the positioning battle before the start, and just before the start, they forced a penalty on Keio University and had a perfect start! Meijo University led until the final leg, with alumni and supporters watching from the sea thinking, "We can win this!" However, Keio University proved to be one step ahead. They capitalized on Meijo University's mistake in maneuvering downwind, turned the tables, and forced Meijo off course. Unable to reach the finish line, Meijo watched as Keio University cleared their penalty and headed towards the finish. The more experienced Keio University team, composed of fourth-year students, crossed the finish line and claimed victory.
On the water, Keio students proudly sang their school song "Wakaki Chi," while the Meijo team, dejected by their loss, looked crestfallen. Seeing the disappointment on the faces of the current students, the alumni and supporters, who were initially relieved and thinking, "They've done enough; let's praise them thoroughly when we return to shore," were moved. Upon returning, the team captain, then a third-year student named Tamada, spoke to the press, saying, "We didn't expect to make it to the finals, but once we got this far, we thought we could win, so we are filled with regret." Watching the current students grow so much brought tears to the eyes of everyone who witnessed it.
<Despite the Disappointment, They Were Proud Runners-Up and Received a Surprise> At the closing ceremony, they proudly wore matching suits and ties, which they had bought with limited funds thinking they might be useful someday. Though there was some regret, they stood to receive their awards with a slightly bashful look, embodying the true spirit of "men of the sea." Just as the awards ceremony ended, a man from the tournament headquarters approached them and...
"It's not confirmed yet, but there will be a University Sailing World Championship in Italy this year. Depending on Keio University's decision, if the winning team Keio University withdraws, would you be interested in participating?" We were all astonished. The current members, who couldn't even win the regional preliminaries in the Chubu region, suddenly going to the World Championship? Is this really okay? Can we fulfill that role? Everyone was bewildered.
However, a man from the tournament headquarters said, "I watched today's race. It was truly an amazing race. Everyone thinks it's incredible that Meijo University defied the odds and became the runner-up!" With this statement, our thoughts became united. "Let's participate in the World Championship. If we do it, let's aim to win a medal and practice hard. If we try, we can do it."
It was the moment when the underdog Meijo University Yacht Club came together as one, truly embodying the spirit of "Gekokujo Sailors." From here, we needed to gather information for the World Championship. However, the last championship was in 2019, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there had been no tournaments for a while, making information gathering challenging. Furthermore, with the tournament scheduled for June, we had only three months left at this point. Even though we decided to go for it, we had to wait about a week for Keio University's decision, leaving us with very little time.
In fact, the practice for this match race took away from our usual practice time for the Intercollegiate competition, and we trained intensively, leaving us with insufficient funds for the March freshman competition trip to Tsu City, Mie Prefecture. However, without race experience, we cannot win yacht races. In April, the recruitment of new members began, and if we failed to attract new students, the previous issue of declining membership could resurface. Additionally, in May, we had the Golden Week training camp, which required further expenses, and in late June, the Chubu regional preliminaries for the individual Intercollegiate competition were scheduled. Balancing academics and part-time jobs, with yacht practice on weekends, and being unable to go out to sea in bad weather, we anxiously spent the week waiting for Keio University's decision on their participation.
<One Week Later, a Long-Awaited Call> In the freshman competition in Tsu City, Mie Prefecture, we managed to make our first expedition in the Chubu region on a tight budget. Although we finished in a close third place, the current members had a noticeably different look on their faces, showing their determination to win and participate in the World Championship. Then, on the night of March 17th, exactly one week later, the phone rang. "We have received Keio University's withdrawal notice. We will officially notify Meijo University of their qualification for the World Championship."
<Why Crowdfunding? > First Ever for the Yacht Club: Participation in the World Championship with a Keelboat
The FISU (International University Sports Federation), which organizes a tournament similar to the Universiade World Championships held every two years, will host the 2024 championship at Lake Garda in Italy. Fourteen countries and sixteen teams from around the world will gather for this event, chartering a "Dolphin 81" keelboat, a type of boat not found in Japan, with only one day of practice time available on site. The race venue, Lake Garda, is considered the "Mecca of European yacht racing," a luxurious resort area. We had imagined it, but it truly is a "dream stage" for yacht racers.
<The Daunting Financial Barrier> However, we faced a major obstacle on this grand stage: the "financial issue." Since the COVID-19 pandemic, global inflation has accelerated, the European economy has been disrupted by the Ukraine war, fuel prices have soared, and the yen has depreciated to a record low level against the euro, driven by the strongest dollar in nearly 30 years. Additionally, inbound demand has kept airfares high. Lake Garda, being one of Europe's premier summer resorts, has incredibly high hotel and dining costs. Compared to pre-pandemic times, the travel expenses have effectively doubled.
Of course, we are covering as much as we can out of our own pockets, using our savings and working part-time jobs around our studies. We have received some subsidies from the Japan Sailing Federation, the Japan Match Race Association, and special grants from Meijo University, as well as discounts from sailing wear manufacturers and support from many stakeholders. However, this only covers about a quarter of our expedition budget, and the efforts of the individual members alone are far from sufficient. Due to the long-term nature of the expedition, our coach has resigned from his job to accompany the team. Currently, we have no external coaches and rely entirely on support from alumni and the families of current students. Given these circumstances, the only option available to the current students was to launch this crowdfunding campaign.
Additionally, by reallocating the funds saved for daily practice and participation in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championship to the World Championship, our budget for the dinghy yacht has decreased this year, making it impossible to buy new rigging equipment. We are reusing yacht parts from a ten-year-old second-hand boat and using second-hand sails to somehow participate in the Intercollegiate preliminaries, but under these conditions, we cannot perform at our best. Due to the yen's depreciation, a new dinghy yacht costs about 4 million yen. The price of sails has also soared to nearly double what it used to be. We desperately want to solve the financial difficulties that have plagued us for the past ten years. We aim to use the World Championship as a springboard, bring back a medal, and leverage that momentum to secure a spot in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championship.
Using this opportunity to participate in the World Championship, our team's goal for this year is to embody the spirit of "Gekokujo Sailors." We aim to use this event as a springboard to qualify for and achieve top rankings in the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championship, continuously strengthening our team.
However, our team faces challenges in terms of training environment and financial constraints. As a semi-strengthened club, we do not have a sports recommendation system, and all members have entered the university by passing academic exams. Therefore, the primary focus of their university life is academics, and all members find time to work part-time jobs amidst their classes, research, and internships. Some students live alone and struggle with living expenses. Ideally, we would like to practice daily like the top yacht schools, but due to the balance between academics and part-time jobs, we can only practice twice a week, spending about seven hours a day on the sea. Additionally, practice is limited by bad weather and calm conditions, highlighting the difficulty of engaging in a sport that depends on nature.
Even in these challenging circumstances, receiving an invitation to the World Championship at Lake Garda in Italy is a great honor. We have considered training camps outside our usual practice areas, like the University of Tokyo did in 2019. However, the financial burden of participating in the World Championship is significant. The costs involved, including those for training camps and additional expenses, exceed our annual budget, making it difficult for the players and alumni to cover them alone. To address this challenge, we have launched a crowdfunding campaign.
<Project Details (Use of Funds)> The support funds received through this project will primarily be used to cover the costs associated with participating in the World Championship. Additionally, they will be used for boat expenses and training camp costs for the Chubu regional preliminaries of the All-Japan Intercollegiate Sailing Championship in September, as well as for rigging equipment if we qualify for the main event.
Actually, the team members for this year's University Sailing World Championship at Lake Garda, Italy, consist of six people—three men and three women—accompanied by three coaches, making a total of nine participants. However, seven other members, who are not regular competitors, have volunteered to participate entirely at their own expense, expressing a strong desire to experience the atmosphere of the World Championship, learn from international sailors, and improve their skills. While this is a very pleasant surprise, it has resulted in increased local accommodation costs, adding more financial burden on the parents and alumni. Thus, it is becoming increasingly difficult to participate solely with subsidies. Nevertheless, we want to share the significance of this participation with as many members as possible. These additional members have volunteered to provide backup support, including operating the support boat, handling meals, laundry, and health management. This has created an unprecedentedly excellent atmosphere, uniting everyone in the goal of winning a medal.
Since this is our first crowdfunding campaign, we have set an initial goal of 300,000 yen, which is only a part of the necessary amount. This project follows an All-in method, so even if the target amount is not reached, we will still receive the support funds, thanks to the consideration of Readyfor. We kindly ask for your understanding. Please watch over the Meijo University Athletic Association Yacht Club as they strive with all their might, embodying the "Gekokujo Sailors" spirit, from a group of novice sailors to competing on the world stage. We sincerely ask for your warm support.
リターン
5,000円+システム利用料

感謝コース(現地写真送付バージョン)
<特別な返礼品が不要な方向け>
返礼品のお返しがない分、いただいたご支援を
より多く学生たちへの支援にあてさせていただきます。
●御礼メール
(すべてのリターンにメッセージが付きます)
●現地写真をお送りさせていただきます。
- 申込数
- 12
- 在庫数
- 制限なし
- 発送完了予定月
- 2024年8月
5,000円+システム利用料

感謝コース(現地動画送付バージョン)
<特別な返礼品が不要な方向け>
返礼品のお返しがない分、いただいたご支援を
より多く学生たちへの支援にあてさせていただきます。
●御礼メール
(すべてのリターンにメッセージが付きます)
●現地動画をお送りさせていただきます。
- 申込数
- 18
- 在庫数
- 制限なし
- 発送完了予定月
- 2024年8月
5,000円+システム利用料

感謝コース(現地写真送付バージョン)
<特別な返礼品が不要な方向け>
返礼品のお返しがない分、いただいたご支援を
より多く学生たちへの支援にあてさせていただきます。
●御礼メール
(すべてのリターンにメッセージが付きます)
●現地写真をお送りさせていただきます。
- 申込数
- 12
- 在庫数
- 制限なし
- 発送完了予定月
- 2024年8月
5,000円+システム利用料

感謝コース(現地動画送付バージョン)
<特別な返礼品が不要な方向け>
返礼品のお返しがない分、いただいたご支援を
より多く学生たちへの支援にあてさせていただきます。
●御礼メール
(すべてのリターンにメッセージが付きます)
●現地動画をお送りさせていただきます。
- 申込数
- 18
- 在庫数
- 制限なし
- 発送完了予定月
- 2024年8月

箱根駅伝出場を目指す国立大学の本気の挑戦!サポーター募集中!

- 総計
- 139人

一橋大学ア式蹴球部と共に

- 総計
- 25人

私たちのサポーターとなってONE TEAMとなりましょう!

- 現在
- 164,500円
- 支援者
- 24人
- 残り
- 23日

恐竜調査研究最前線 ―極寒の地で生きた、恐竜たちの痕跡を求めて―

- 現在
- 6,340,000円
- 寄付者
- 373人
- 残り
- 7日

漆JAPAN 輪島塗の職人さんに道具を
- 現在
- 2,005,000円
- 支援者
- 103人
- 残り
- 49日

富士市から世界へ チアダンス世界大会へのチャレンジ

- 現在
- 1,000,000円
- 支援者
- 57人
- 残り
- 3日

広島熊野町から1部昇格へ!なでしこ女子サッカーチームの挑戦

- 現在
- 573,000円
- 支援者
- 94人
- 残り
- 52日