2003 CONFERENCE REPORT -
Steven Schrier (GBR) awarded an ISAF Silver Medal
Steven was awarded an ISAF Silver Medal for his long service to the sport of windsurfing and for acting as the eyes and ears of the President over the last few years.

PWA Rule #12
The ISAF Windsurfing Committee strongly condemned PWA Rule #12. This rule currently restricts the ability of PWA members to compete in events other than those sanctioned or recognised by the PWA. Failure to get written permission from the PWA office to enter any other event that the competitor’s own national championship, may result in a fine which must be paid before the competitor can again compete in another PWA event. ISAF will write to the PWA and require them to rescind this rule.

2008 Olympic Events
Windsurfing Men and Windsurfing Women were both selected as events for the 2008 Olympic Regatta. The ISAF Windsurfing, Sailing and Events committees all voted almost unanimously to make the decision now. There had been some questioning as to whether ISAF should determine the inclusion of the two windsurfing events this November, when as yet there is no suitable equipment identified. However, as noted by the Events Committee, it was felt important to give windsurfing a platform for the future, and it is now up to the windsurfing classes and industry to demonstrate that appropriate equipment is available. Following on from the Presentation Event in Cadiz, Spain, ISAF will hold formal Equipment Trials in May 2004 in Torbole, Italy, at the same venue where the 1996 Trials were held from which the 49er was selected for Olympic competition.Equipment will be selected at the 2004 ISAF Conference, however, classes wishing to be considered must indicate their interest in being considered by March 15th 2004 and sign the ISAF Olympic Classes contract by May 1st 2004.  Submissions regarding equipment and/or format must be with ISAF by March 15th 2004 so that they can be considered at the ISAF Mid-Year Meeting, which is scheduled to take place in San Diego, California, USA next June.

New Regulations that apply to the Olympic Classes
From 2005 onwards, Olympic classes must file copies of event agreements and/or contracts with organisers with ISAF as well as ensure that ISAF have copies of their audited accounts. The ISAF council decided that ISAF staff may manage the affairs of classes new to the Olympic regatta until they are properly structured and financially stable. The period of time during which ISAF will manage such classes was not determined.  Any new board will result, in the opinion of Paul Henderson, in a new class being formed and thus in ISAF management.
Prize money is not permitted at the continental or world championships of Olympic Classes unless entry fees are not charged. Further, the percentage of any entry fee charged at an Olympic class event shall be stated in the NoR. All Olympic classes must agree that the 2007 ISAF Joint Worlds are their legitimate Class World Championship.
ISAF now control the media rights of the Olympic Classes. This new move is based on a desire to promote the classes through a sports marketing company and was taken with the full agreement of the classes concerned. It was reckoned that the sum of the whole was worth more than the individual parts.
Finally, the ISAF now have the right to appoint the Race officials (Race Officer, Jury & Chief Measurer) at the continental and World Championships of the Olympic Classes. This new regulation applies immediately.
 
2004 Olympic Regatta – No discards permitted
One of the first items on the Agenda yesterday was the President’s submission 048A-03 regarding the Olympic Regatta format, which addressed the need to make the sport more understandable and to put more focus on the results of the final race at the Olympics. The President highlighted that there are few other Olympic sports, if any, where the Olympic gold medallist is determined before the final race. This situation in sailing makes the sport difficult to understand on a global basis and very difficult to promote from a media perspective. The President’s submission proposed that sailors have to sail the final race and it has to count, but otherwise proposed a similar series format, with drop races and one race on the final day.
However, the debate around the table leaned towards minimizing the drop races, to put more emphasis on consistent performance throughout the series.
Speaking to the submission, renowned sailing journalist Bob FISHER commented, ”The keynote in sailing is consistency. No drop races make the sport more comprehensible. Sailors should prepare their equipment to minimise breakages.”After considerable debate, the Council decided that at the 2004 Olympic Regatta there will be no drop races in any of the events.

Subscription Fees
Moving onto Submission 001-03, the proposal to decrease the annual subscriptions due to ISAF from the national governing bodies for sailing, known as Member National Authorities, was considered. With an increase in other sources of revenue, ISAF is not as reliant on subscription fees, and the Executive Committee had proposed a phased decrease of fees. Approved by Council, from 1 January 2004 all countries in Subscription Category 1, whom are mainly the developing sailing nations, will now only be charged an annual fee of £50. Those countries in Subscription Categories 2 and 3, will enjoy a 50% reduction in their fees. It was also agreed to reduce the fees due from ISAF Classes. The fees for the countries in categories 4, 5 and 6 will be reviewed at the 2004 Mid-Year Meeting.

Eligibility
In May 2003, responding to the requests of sailors, Council agreed that sailors should be able to appeal issues of class eligibility to ISAF, and ultimately to the Court of Arbitration of Sport. Today, Council approved changes to the ISAF Regulations and Articles to implement this decision. This sits hand in hand with the ability for sailors to appeal cases of ISAF Eligibility, firstly to ISAF and ultimately to the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Women’s Representation
Council then moved onto the submission by the ISAF President, Paul Henderson, to increase women’s representation within the Executive Committee. A leading supporter of women’s involvement across all areas of the sport, Paul’s submission proposed that there be a minimum of two women on the ISAF Executive Committee, up from the current one. With a clear majority, Council voted in favour and from November 2004 ISAF will welcome at least two female Vice-Presidents. Having tackled the need for increased representation within the Executive Committee, Council then moved onto Paul’s submission to increase the female representation amongst their own ranks by 100%. Of the 39 Council Members, there are currently four women, but having again achieved the support of Council, Paul has ensured that from November 2004, there will be at least eight women.

ISAF Committees – Decision to disband technical committees deferred
In the interests of streamlining the committee structure of ISAF, Council considered the proposal to make the Match Racing Committee a sub-committee of the Events Committee. However, reflecting the importance of match racing and the need for a specialized Committee, Council emphatically determined that the Match Racing Committee should retain its status.The proposal to streamline the boat and technical committees of ISAF into one Technical Committee, which would provide more timely and cohesive decision making along with an expanded technical resource from the ISAF Secretariat, was deferred for further consideration.
It is usual practice that the classes selected as the equipment for the Olympic Games meet as one group with representatives from ISAF to discuss the numerous issues surrounding their involvement in the Olympic arena, but today the status of that group was formalised with the creation of an Olympic Classes Commission. Whilst the terms of reference are yet to be finalised, as a Commission they will report directly to the ISAF Executive Committee thus ensuring a clear communication and decision-making route.
Another Commission, the International Regulations Commission was given a new addition to its terms of reference, with the responsibility to monitor and act on issues effecting the environment. This was more of a housekeeping issue, as the Commission already undertakes this role, and as an example of environment related work has undertaken an enormous amount of research and lobbying on issues surrounding water ballast.

Continental Associations
Moving into a new area, Council formally ratified their decision of May 2003 to recognise Continental Associations. Whilst Continental Sailing Associations have existed for many years, they have not previously enjoyed any recognition from ISAF. Terms of Reference have now been put in place and, on application, ISAF will recognise Continental Associations who comply with specific criteria, including objectives of:
(i) The promotion of the sport of sailing in its area of influence;
(ii) The co-ordination, together with local member national authorities of the competition calendars to avoid clash of dates of competitions;
(iii) The establishment of the basis for development and promotion of classes, which are popular in its territorial area, though not recognized by ISAF;
(iv) The promotion of race officials' education and the encouragement of exchanges of race officials between countries in its area;(v) The co-ordination of competition activities with the continental associations and the National Olympic Committees in its area to promote the sport of sailing.

ISAF Race Officials for the 2004 Olympic Regatta selected
ISAF announced the International Jury, Course Representatives and Measurers who will be officiating in Athens:
Technical Delegates: Goran Petersson (SWE) – ISAF Vice-President
                                Jerome Pels - ISAF
International Jury
David Tillett (AUS) – Chairman
Bernard Bonneau (FRA) – Vice Chairman
Eva Andersson (SWE)
Mohammed Azzoug (ALG)
Aaron Botzer (ISR)
Sally Burnett (GBR)
Charles Cook (USA)
John Doerr (GBR)
Kamen Fillyov(BUL)
Josje Hofland Dominicus(NED)
Oleg Ilyin (RUS)
Giorgio Federico Lauro (ITA)
Quanhai Li (CHN)
Pertti Lipas (FIN)
Jack Lloyd (NZL)
Marianne Orvin Middelthon (NOR)
Bill O’Hara (IRL)
Takao Otani (JPN)
George Panagatiou (GRE)
Joern Richter (GER)
Ralph Roberts (NZL)
Ana Maria Sanchez del Campo Ferrer (ESP)
Jan Stage (DEN)
Totos Theodossiou (CYP)
Eric Tulla (PUR)
Stephen Tupper (CAN)
 
Course Representatives
Paul Bastard (FRA)
Annika Ekman (SWE)
Nelson Horn Ilha (BRA)
Helmut Jakobowitz (AUT)
Tony Lockett (GBR)
John Parrish (NZL)
Rafael Serrano (ESP)
Paul Ulibarri (CAN)

Measurement Committee
Jean-Pierre Marmier (SUI) – Chairman
Cliff Norbury (GBR) – Also measurer Mistral
Simon Forbes – ISAF

Measurers
Santi Bastida (ESP) – 470
Francesco Ciccolo (ITA) – Yngling
John Goldsmith (AUS) – Tornado
Barry Johnson (AUS) – 49er
John Koopman (USA) – Star
Jean-Luc Michon (FRA) – Laser
Nicki Nocke (GER) – Europe
Juri Saraskin (EST) - Finn

Media Rights
Support was given to ISAF’s objective of developing a television strategy for specific events, with focus on the Olympic Class events initially.ISAF is the first owner of media rights for events using the Racing Rules of Sailing, but for certain events transfers the rights back to the Class or Member National Authority. With the changes to the regulations approved, ISAF may now retain these rights for specific events.

Racing Rules of Sailing
Appendix B
Council approved a proposal from the International Formula Windsurfing Class to amend RRS Appendix B to include all windsurfing disciplines from 2005 onwards, with the principle additions being slalom, freestyle and wave jumping. A working party made up of Pertti Lipas (FIN), Kamen Fillyov (BUL), Luc Rogiers (BEL) and Rory Ramsden (GBR) has already started work on submission 133 to ensure that a final draft of the proposed version of the 2005>2008 Appendix B is ready by December 31st 2003.
RRS 16.2 – Changing Course
Whilst the Racing Rules Committee favored the removal of RRS 16.2, otherwise known as the “Anti-Hunting Rule”, the Council considered a submission to clarify the wording, which was approved amended as follows:“In addition, when after the starting signal a port-tack boat is keeping clear by sailing to pass astern of a starboard-tack boat, the starboard-tack boat shall not change course if as a result the port-tack boat would immediately need to change course to continue keeping clear.

In total, the Racing Rules Committee considered in excess of 100 submissions to the RRS. Between now and 1 May 2004, the Racing Rules working party will finalise the changes to the RRS 2005-2008, and the new rule book will be made available to all Member National Authorities by 30 June 2004. The new edition of the RRS 2005-2008 will come into effect worldwide on 1 January 2005

Effect of High Performance Sailing on Youth
Several submissions were on the table to introduce age ranges within certain ISAF Class Championships and the introduction of a minimum age limit at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. But with a working party already appointed to consider the effects of high performance, these submissions were deferred pending a report from the working party at the 2004 ISAF Mid-Year Meeting in early June.
The classes will have to do some background research to ensure that they put forward strong arguments for retaining their existing age breaks. Failure to do so might result in the ISAF imposing their own arbitrary age breaks.

ISAF Events
ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship
Last year, in order to provide some longer term guidance on youth classes, Council agreed to identify the list of classes which may be selected for use at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. 2003 saw Council amend the specification for the multihull open event, which will now be sailed with a spinnaker at the 2004 Youth Worlds. To minimise the cost to competitors, Hobie Cat Europe has offered to supply one spinnaker kit to each nation for training, whilst the International Hobie Class Association has offered to provide coaching clinics.The entry fee for the 2004 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, which includes equipment charter, food and accommodation, was agreed at US$75 per person per day

ISAF Classes
Provisional ISAF Recognised Status was granted to the Formula Experience Class.The various technical committees of ISAF considered numerous submissions for changes to class rules and class constitutions. A full report will be made available and changes will be posted on the ISAF website.

Anti-Doping Code
Complying with the standard World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) template, which applies to all International Federations, Council reaffirmed their decision of May 2003 in approving the revised ISAF Anti-Doping Code, which will come into effect from 1 January 2005.

World Championships
All Classes holding ISAF status is entitled to hold one World Championship a year, with additional gender, age or disciplined defined World Championships allowed.In the interests of maintaining the value of the title World Championship the Events Committee has amended the existing minimum boat and country participation criteria, as detailed below, which will come into effect from 1 January 2005. The average shall be taken across three consecutive events.
CLASSES              OPEN EVENTS           OPEN                             GENDER/AGE/DISCIPLINE
                               Boats                            Countries Continents        Countries Continents
Centerboard Boat   30                                 8              3                      5              2
Keelboat                 25                                6               2                      4              2
Multihull                  25                                6               2                      4              2
Windsurfing             40                               10              3                      5              2