President's report (Download Here. 150 Kb)

Treasurer's report

VP-Deveopment report

VP-Sailing report

Technical Committee Chairman’s Report

Accounts 2005 (Excel file to download)

Budget 2006 (Excel file to download)

2006 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

9^th of July 2006 – Split, Croatia

MINUTES

The AGM was started by a minute of silence in memory of Zvonko Bezic.

1. National Class Associations

27 voting countries were present: AUS, AUT, BAR, CAN, CRO, CZE, DEN, EST, FIN, FRA, GER, GRE, HUN, IRL, ITA, LIT, NED, NOR, NZL, POL, RUS, SLO, SWE, TUR, UKR, GBR, USA.

2. Minutes from the last meeting

The minutes from the 2005 IFA AGM were approved

3. Accounts

a. Summary of the 2005 accounts approved (APP.1)

b. Budget for 2006 approved (APP.2)

In order to cover all the costs induced by the development activities, it has been decided to increase the builder’s fees for mast, sails and hulls.

4. Elections of Members to IFA Committees

a. Members of the Executive Committee were re-elected. Ali Enver Adakan stepped down as VP Sailing and replaced by Daniel Birgmark from Sweden

b. Members of the Technical Committee were re-elected with the inclusion of John Driscoll.

c. Members of the Marketing Committee were re-elected.

5. Executive Committee Reports (APP.3)

a. the President

b. the Vice-President Sailing

c. the Vice-President Development

d. the Treasurer

e. the Chairman of the Technical Committee

6. IFA Championships

(1)The 2007 ISAF Worlds selection procedure was explained (APP.4)

(2) 2007 Junior Finn World Championship: Moscow (May or June), complete boats and coach boats provided free of charge. Memorendum to be signed soon.

(3) Council voted for the 2008 Finn European Championship to be in Puntone di Scarlino, Italy in early May after Hyeres.

(4)2008 Finn Gold Cup, Melbourne, Australia. The Black Rock YC (1995FGC) will be the host club. The transport of boats will be subsidised in part and Schenker will provide discount.

(5) Gus Miller presented a bid from the St Francis YC in St Francisco (USA) for the 2009 FGC. This regatta will be voted for in the next AGM in Cascais, along with other bids.

7. Olympic Format

It was voted to use the new Olympic format with a final race for the top 10 boats on the last race as well as a last race for the rest of the fleet counting towards the overall results.

8. Finn Web based clinic

Gus Miller presented the web based Finn clinic. All sailing topics will be covered in this tutorial interactive web based tool, where still and motion pictures will be available along with comments and interviews of top athletes and coaches in different languages. The Finn class welcomed the project and will participate with US$6,000 on an overall estimated budget of US$30,000. This great development tool will be available free of charge to any sailor from the end of 2006.

9. Amendment to IFA Constitution:
Replace Part A section 3.4 “…The council has the sole right to approve increased national quota for entry to IFA championships.” By “…The IFA Executive Committee has the sole right…” This has been voted in order to give the IFA EC more flexibility to increase quota when needed.

10. IFA promotion:

a. ISAF Centennial: 1^st of September 2007. Finn actions to be planned include a “Legend race” in Estoril, and “Step in a Finn”, where Finn sailors around the world take young sailors in their boat for a “Finn baptism”. These actions will be relayed on the internet. More ideas are welcomed and should be sent to the IFA secretary.

b. Finn Calendar (to be produced and sold through the country secretaries.)

c. FGC 50^th Anniversary, actions to be planned in Helsinki for the 2006 ISAF Conference, slide show on the last 50 FGC, Special Finnfare edition,…

d. Commercial utilisation of IFA assets: a team of expert is studying the use of the IFA logo and its implications on a large scale.

11. Election of a Finn sailor in the ISAF Athlete commission

The message has been presented to interested sailors and IFA will make a list of candidates. One sailor has to be chosen for representing the Finn sailors in the Athlete commission.

12. Any other business

The Championship rules have been changed and organisers will have to pay for the trip and accommodation expenses for 4 IFA delegates. The entry fee will remain the same and no percentage of the entry nor will any event fee be charged to organisers.

President’s Report

2005/2006

Dear Finn Sailors

Subsequent to the November 2005 IFA Executive Committee (EC) meeting – which followed on from the September 2005 Moscow EC meeting – a draft strategic plan, “Finn 2008” was compiled by the EC and circulated to various stakeholders of the Finn sailing world.

Unfortunately there has been only limited response from the addressees which makes the contribution of Corinne Roland-McKenzie, Michele Marchesini, Tim Carver, Robert Deaves and Andreas Bollongino even more valuable.

Based on these contributions, a strategic plan has been finalised in December 2006.

The following report prepared for the 2006 AGM in Split follows the structure of the strategic plan and summarises the achievements of year 2005/2006 based on the tasks set out in the plan. Comments are printed in capital letters.

Best wishes

Dr Balazs Hajdu

IFA President

1. COMMUNICATION, MARKETING & PR

(Corinne Roland-McKenzie (CRM), Robert Deaves, Andreas Bollongino, Balazs Hajdu (BH))

Marketing activities can be divided into 4 areas:

a) Communication tools: Website, Finnfare, Finnatics, DVD on the Finn, national secretaries

Finn DVD: CRM to contact former Finn event hosts for existing footage, ask coaches + Ben Ainslie / David Howlett to be involved in production. Contents: footage for PR purposes as well as Finn history, past events, boat handling, tuning hints, technical info with publication of the recently digitalised Finn lines etc. Budget to be complied by CRM and Robert Deaves.

AS PRODUCTION COSTS ARE RATHER HIGH, COLLECTION AND EDITION OF EXISITING MATERIALS SHALL BE PREFERRED FOR NOW. INPUT FROM SAILORS AND COACHES ARE WELCOME.

PARALLELY, A WEB-BASED FINN CLINIC IS BEING DESIGNED CURRENTLY NAMED “SOUP TO NUTS”. FROM IFA GUS MILLER, DANIEL BIRGMARK AND ROBERT DEAVES WORK ON THE PROJECT.

Finnatics: new edition needed with article and photo upgrades on the last 6 years, investigation of the possibility of a paper and CD format. Robert Deaves to advise on requirements and necessary time. Budget to be compiled by CRM and Robert Deaves.

ROBERT DEAVES TO PRODUCE AND SELL CURRENT EDITION OF FINNATICS IN CD FORMAT. AN UPDATED PRINTED EDITION SHOULD BE AVAILABLE BY MID TO LATE 2008.

Finnfare: to optimise production costs, new quotations to be received from printers. Based on available funds, should format be changed to a colour version or remain as it is (black and white) but with a few more pages. More featured articles on history of the Finn (story from old sailors), tuning, training tips, interviews, plus more space for country reports as well as actual regatta results.

PRINTERS WERE TENDERED AND PRODUCTION COSTS LOWERED BY AROUND 30% STARTING FROM THE MARCH 2006 EDITION.

Website: we need more photos on the homepage; the system of rotating images would be nice. To get agreement from each national secretary to supply a certain number of words (regatta reports, boat purchases, gossip) or pictures every month. A selection of these will be then also included in Finnfare. BH to revitalise national class secretaries by an email directly addressed to them.

WEBSITE HAS BEEN REDESIGNED. NEW TOPICS AND CHAPTERS INCLUDE UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON WIDER ASPECTS OF FINN SAILING THAN BEFORE.

National class secretaries: IFA needs to improve the effectiveness of internal relations with national Finn class secretaries. Involve them in national/regional level PR work. Ask each secretary to submit a yearly report on each area: development, marketing, sailing, lobby, set goals for the next year etc.

COUNTRY REPORTS FOR FINNFARE ARE STILL MORE THAN WELCOME. A SPONSORING TEMPLATE FOR LOCAL FINN EVENTS HAS BEEN DEVELOPPED BY ANDREAS BOLLONGINO. CONTENT AND APPLICATION OF THE TEMPLATE WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO NATIONAL SECRETARIES AND NATIONAL FINN REPRESENTATIVES IN SPLIT.

b) Sponsorship: to obtain a sponsor for the class through private contacts or involved PR agencies. Please see Annex 1 for a collection of assets IFA can offer to sponsors. BH and Andreas Bollongino as well as all recipients of this paper will be kindly asked to work on this issue involving the Masters sailors and their corporate connections.

THE WORK WITH PR AGENCES COULD NOT START DUE TO THE FACT THAT IFA HAS NOT YET DEFINED THE “PRODUCT” TO BE SOLD TO SPONSORS. THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR TASKS FOR THE NEAR FUTURE. LABELLING AND TRADE MARK ISSUES ARE CONNECTED TO THESE ACTIVITIES OF THE CLASS, WHICH WILL BE SORTED OUT IN DUE COURSE. (SEE THE ISSUE WITH A POTENTIAL IFA OFFICIAL CLOTHES SUPPLIER)

c) Promotion:

Tools

In Moscow the idea was developed to bring out a Finn-Calendar (Poster Calendar) which we are going to sell to Finn sailors, clubs, national class associations, sponsors.

TEST COPIES HAVE BEEN PRODUCED ANS INTRODUCED DURING THE MASTERS WORLD AT LAKE BALATON / HUNGARY. SAILORS SHOWED GREAT INTEREST. SALE SHALL BE PROCURRED AT MAJOR FINN EVENTS AS WELL AS AT LOCAL REGATTAS. AN ORDERING A PAYMENT SYSTEM IS BEING SET UP BY ROBERT DEAVES. NATIONAL FINN FLEETS COULD HAVE A BIG ROLE IN ORGANISING LOCAL/COUNTRY SALES. THIS SOLE PROJECT COULD GENERATE AN EXTRA INCOME TO IFA WHICH WOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO FINANCE A BIGPART OF FIDES (FINN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT).

Events

IFA can create some special events with maximum exposure for sponsors such as “FINN America’s Cup All Stars regatta”. A one day regatta with short races between or close to the 2006 summer AC acts in Valencia, with Finn and Ex-Finn sailors engaged in the AC teams competing. With the media present in Valencia and some of the most famous AC sailors competing in the Finn regatta, this event could secure maximum media exposure for the sponsors.

IDEA COULD NOT BE REALISED THIS YEAR DUE TO OVERLOAD OF AC FINN SAILORS. WE SHOULD TRY IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR AT AN EARLIER DATE.

The other main activity for 2006 is the ISAF November AGM in Helsinki where we could celebrate the Finn Gold Cup’s 50^th anniversary with a possible cocktail reception, a poster presenting the history of the class, potential exhibition of an old and currently used Finn as well as top Finn sailors as hosts or participants of the reception. Details to be agreed by BH and CRM with the president of the Finnish Federation after the first short meeting in Singapore.

TALKS HAVE BEEN INITIATED WITH FINNISH YACHTING ASSOCIATION. CORINNE TO FINALISE EXACT PROGRAM.

BEYOND THAT IFA SHOULD ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE ISAF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS, CORINNE TO INFORM AGM ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE’S IDEAS AND PLANS.

Marketing:

Increased media coverage at specific Finn regattas during the year. Footage to be handed over to major sport and national channels. E.g. to have an appointment with Eurosport or Canal+ and ask for their need in terms of footage (time, style, technical details), prepare in-house footage accordingly and deliver to them. CRM to contact media producers in Paris and liaise with Peer Moberg, Andreas Bollongino, Robert Deaves, BH. Support is welcome from Finn sailors with good TV connections. In respect of the above, the class shall further investigate the use of a tracking and tracing system. The target regatta for the production of the first footage is the Gold Cup in Split. CRM to contact local organisers and TV channels.

IF MEDIA IS PROVIDED WITH READY TO BROADCAST FOOTAGE, THEY COOPERATE. PRODUCTION AND COVERAGE OF COSTS TO BE CONTRACTED IN THE FUTURE WITH IFA MAJOR EVENT HOSTS. EXISTENT BIDDING QUESTIONNARE TO BE AMENDED ACCORDINGLY.

As to future promotion activities of the Finn class in general, we need to identify the messages to promote and include them in regatta media reports or other releases.

Messages:

i. the Heroes in the Finn class (Americas Cup, VOR, Star)

Reborn the “All Star” regatta with AC sailors in the Finn for 1 day event in Valencia, CRM to contact a PR guy at AC management in November 2005 in Valencia

ii. Finn is the passport to any boats or form or sailing (Star, AC, VOR)

iii. Easy = sailors coming from the Lasers jump in and get results

iv. a large source of knowledge available to everyone

v. on mid term not more expensive than other Olympic dinghies

AS REFERRED TO IN SECTION 1/B, THE “PRODUCT” IFA LIKED TO SELL to SPONSORS AND MEDIA IS TO BE OUTLINED.

FUTURE PARTNERSHIP WITH LASER SHALL BE DISCUSSED. COMMON MAJOR EVENTS TO BE HELD TO ENSURE A NATURAL GROWING PATH FROM LASER TO FINN.

d) Lobbying:

To set up and/or preserve a constant and active relationship between IFA and the decision makers of our sport. Communicating our thoughts, ideas and achievements to ISAF Council and Committees, Finn secretaries, MNAs, IOC. BH and CRM to coordinate.

IFA EXECUTIVE OFFICERS ARE TODAY CLOSELY INVOLVED IN ISAF COMMITTESS AND HAVE ESSENTIAL CONTACTS WITH ISAF DECISION MAKERS.

NATIONAL FEDERATIONS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED SUBESEQUENT TO THE MOSCOW FGC AND ASKED TO SUPPORT LOCAL FINN SAILING.

FIDES HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED TO ISAF AND HAD A GOOD RESONANCE FROM THE YOUTH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE ISAF VICE PRESIDENT IN CHARGE.

BEFORE THE 2008 ISAF NOVEMBER CONFERENCE IFA’S PLANS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO BE EFFECTIVELY AND TIMELY COMMUNICATED TO ISAF AND NATIONAL FEDERATIONS. LOCAL LOBBYING BY NATIONAL FINN FLEETS SHALL BE USED AS WELL.

2. FINANCES

(BH, CRM, IFA Treasurer)

Planning forthcoming financial years in advance. Budget for the new year to be finalised by 31 January each year.

FASTER AUDITING OF ACCOUNTS AND APPROVAL OF BUDGETS BY TREASURER NEEDED.

New items include: measurement templates, Finn DVD, 50^th anniversary, video footages for TV, 2 x clinics, AC regatta, payment supports for FIDeS (leasing opportunities, grants, transport costs) for developing countries and newcomers to the class.

IMPROVED PROMOTION AND NEW DEVELOPMENT PLAN (FIDES) REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

Liability insurance issues for events organised by IFA, to be arranged in the contract with event hosts.

DUELY DRAFTED DISCLAIMER TO BE INCORPORATED ON ENTRY FORM. LIABILTY ISSUES TO BE DEALT WITH IN CHAMPIONSHIP CONTRACTS.

OFFICILA IFA CALENDER, OFFICIAL IFA SUPPLIERS, IFA SPONSORS, ISAF GRANTS AND LICENCE FEES FOR MAJOR EVENTS SHALL RAISE FUTURE BUDGETS.

3. DEVELOPMENT
(Michele Marchesini, Clifton Webb, CRM)

a) DVD including a “Learn to sail and tune the Finn” programme (like Sailcoach with the Lasers), tuning guide, footage, trying to involve top Finn sailors in producing the footage). Ask top sailors to share their existing video footage during training to use for the DVD.

TO BE PRODUCED IN THE FUTURE. SAILORS INVOLVMENT DURING WINTER TRAINING WELCOME.

b) Clinics: for sailors and for coaches at major Finn regattas + regionally hosted clinics in developing countries (financed by MNAs with IFA providing the coach). The first regional clinic is to be held in Moscow, with a regional championship in May/June 2006.

REGIONAL CLINICS HAVE NOT BEEN SET UP YET.

IFA should do the same in South America before their continental championship.

c) Re-thinking of the major Finn championship entry quotas. EC had a look at the current system and how it can be improved. EC proposes to amend the Major Ch’s Rules and approve it by the AGM in Split. Current thoughts on this issue include the following:

1. Instead of the country secretary, it shall be the secretary or his/her representative. This person shall be present and vote at the AGM or the spot for secretary or representative at the regatta will be waived the next year.

2. Extra places shall be requested 3 months prior to the event, in writing to the IFA office. The request shall detail: ranking, age, sailing background. The decision will be at the discretion of the IFA EC. IFA think it is important to keep the extra places for the juniors and rookies.

3. The target number shall be the maximum possible competitors in a single fleet.

RAISED QUOTAS SERVE THE INTEREST OF THE CLASS IN THE EYES OF ISAF AND CONTRIBUTE TO PRESERVING A STRONG POSITION AMONG OLYMPIC CLASSES.

d) Junior Cup

One per year either at the FGC or at the Finn Europeans or combined with a Laser major event or any other big event like VOR in-port regattas) depending on possibility, access, price. The regatta should be over 3 days finishing 1 or 2 days before measurement to allow some time for resting but not a long stay abroad.

If after 2-3 years this event proves successful, it can become the Junior European or the Junior FGC.

Junior Cup before Palamos ECh 2006. CRM to liaise with local organisers.

CORINNE TO PRESENT STEP TAKEN IN THIS REGARD AND THE PLANS REGARDING A 2007 MOSCOW JUNIOR REGATTA WITH SUPPLIED EQUIPENT.

e) Providing developing nations and juniors with Finn gear, information etc. See the FIDeS section of the IFA website for further details. IFA to contact the ISAF Youth and Dev. Committee and the IOC for further help.

FIDES PROGRAM IN TEST OPERATION. DETAILED STRUCTURE, RULES TO BE FINALISED IN NEAR FUTURE.

4. SAILING

(Ali Enver Adakan/Daniel Birgmark)

a) To pro-actively look for new venues for IFA major championships, contact clubs and collect offers well in advance (2008 Worlds NZL, AUS, CHN / Europeans Weymouth 2008.

INTENSE PERSONAL TALKS AND EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH MELBOURNE (FGC 2008), UK AND ITALY (BOTH ECH 2008) RUNNING. MELBOURNE ALREADY ALLOCATING 30.000 AUD FOR TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT.

b) To follow the implementation of the new Olympic format at major Finn events.

MIXED EXPERIENCE UNTIL NOW. ACTIVE ROLE IN THE ISAF OLYMPIC CLASSES SUB-COMMISSION. SAILORS’ IDEAS ARE WELCOME.

c To find new ways of improving the pumping rules, selection of judges or if ISAF will appoint the judges, to give ISAF IFA’s preferred pool of names

NEW PUMPING RULES TESTED IN MALCESINE. FOCUS ON SELECTING APPROPRIATE JUDGES FOR MAJOR FINN EVENTS.

d) Co-operation with IFA’s natural allies, e.g. to host combined major event with Laser.

PLEASE SEE COMMENTS ABOVE.

e) To control NOR’s ans SI’s for Finn major events

IN OPERATION.

f) To find a suitable structure to introduce prize monies at major IFA events.

WITH STRENTHENED PR WORK BUDGET SHALL ALLOW FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF PRIZE MONIES IN FUTURE.

5. Equipment

(Richard Hart)

a) To guard the class through the ongoing technical evolution process.

CURRENT ISSUES: STANDARD CLASS RULES AND IN-HOUSE GEAR CERTIFICATION. DUE TO IFA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT, IFA AT THE FOREFRONT AMONG OLYMPIC CLASSES.

b) Templates: a new set of master templates will be produced. Further ongoing issues to be dealt with at the next AGM in Split.

DIGITALISED FINN LINES AVAILABLE. GREAT THANKS TO GILBERT LAMBOLEY AND RICHARD HART.

c) To follow the technical aspects of the project of building Finns in China.

AFTER SOME INITIAL INTEREST SHOWN BY CHINESE PRODUCERS, THERE IS NO NEWS ABOUT FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

NEW BRASILIAN BOAT BUILDER STARTING PRODUCTION IN SAO PAOLO.

d) To prepare a smooth succession for RH and Juri Saraskin shall they wish to resign at the end of 2008. As a first step CRM to ask John Driscoll to come to Split and participate in the measurement process. IFA to consider having two chief measurers who could share the events each year.

JOHN DRISCOLL ALREADY INVOLVED.

6. CLASS ADMINISTRATION

a) Regular (at least by-monthly) reviews during the year (i) on the realisation of this strategic plan and urgent issues of the class to be prepared by CRM and EC members and (ii) on the financial standing of the class to be communicated by CRM to the EC.

IN OPERATION.

b) Regular review of execution of yearly action plans + any other business and as a support to that as many personal EC meetings (maybe also in working parties) as possible during a year while keeping incurring costs as low as possible.

TO BE FINALISED.

c) Using class communication tools (especially the website and its new forum section) to involve sailors in issue focusing and decision making. Finnfare and the website to be used as major tools for publishing the EC’s work accomplished during the year (excl. matters of confidential nature).

COMMUNICATION THROUGH WEBSITE AND FINNFARE IMPROVED.

d) EC members to sign up for Skype to foster cheap phone communication between EC meetings.

e) Through more frequent communication initiated by the EC to improve effectiveness of national class secretaries

TO BE WORKED ON.

Annex 1

FINN SPONSOR EXPOSURE

Finn Regattas: sponsor logo on hulls, buoys, Notice of Race, SI, event website, results…naming rights.
1. Finn Gold Cup and European Championship, yearly, 80+ boats
2. Finn Junior Cup (20 boats)
3. Masters Worlds (180+ boats)
4. promotional special Finn events

Media: coverage at major Finn regattas on major Sailing websites, national newspapers on sport section (from top sailors country), national TV (BBC do a 20mn programme on Ben Ainslie at every FGC), sailing magazines…regular press releases to selected media on Finn events, technical changes or other issues. IFA is currently dealing with Eurosport and Canal+ to provide them with free footage of main regattas.

IFA communication tools: website, Finnfare magazine (3 per year), letters, emails and all correspondence.

Clothing: Official Finn clothing with sponsor logo and Finn logo

Special events: IFA can create some special events with maximum exposure for sponsors like “FINN America’s Cup All Stars regatta”. 1 day regatta with short races between or close to the AC acts in Valencia, with Finn and Ex-Finn sailors engaged in the AC teams competing. Most well known sailors include: Dean Barker (NZL), Ben Ainslie (GBR) and Kevin Hall (USA) from Team New-Zealand, Luca Devoti (ITA), Michael Maier (CZE), Rafael Trujillo (ESP), Iain Percy (GBR), Karlo Kuret (CRO), Andrew Simpson (GBR), Chris Brittle (GBR), Anthony Nossiter (AUS) from +39, Jochen Schumann (GER) and Peter Holmberg (ISV) from Alinghi, Ian Ainslie (RSA) from Shosholoza, Philippe Presti (FRA) and Massimo Gherarducci from Prada, Craig Monk (NZL), Joe Spooner (NZL) and Ian Baker (NZL) from Oracle, John Cutler (NZL) from Defioso. With the media present in Valencia and some of the most famous AC sailors competing in the Finn regatta, this event could secure maximum media exposure for the sponsors.

National fleets: defined target markets could be reached through National Finn championships. Germany, Holland, Italy, France, UK, Denmark, USA, Russia, Croatia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, Austria and Hungary are the countries with the largest fleets.

Treasurer’s report

2005 has been a good year with 6,676 Euros profit. This is due mainly to an increase in memberships and ISAF plaques and a reduction of regattas, meetings and Finnfare expenses.

The main increase in expense is the Finn website that has been revamped and now looked after on a more professional way by Robert Deaves.

Assets have increased and IFA has a total of 89,000 Euros in 3 accounts. One Euro account in France and 2 in England in GBP.

2006 Budget

Revenues:

The ISAF grant has been cancelled which has resulted in a loss of 6000 Euros on the revenue side of the budget. As our expenses are optimised, we shall raise other items among the revenues. Three options are given where we feel than an increase would not hurt those directly affected. These are:

- sail labels (15 euros)

- mast labels (23 euros)

- ISAF plaques (70 euros)

These fees haven’t been raised for many years especially the Finn Sail labels.

The Executive recommends increasing the amounts charged as follows:

- sail labels (20 Euros)

- mast labels (30 Euros)

- ISAF plaques (100 Euros)

This would result in increase income of 6200 Euros which would just balance the loss suffered by the discontinuation of the ISAF grant to the Olympic classes.

These extra resources would balance the budget and provide some provision towards some of the extraordinary costs indicated in the budget and related to FIDeS and Finn clinics.

To cover the costs related to increasing class administration expenses, most other classes have introduced a licensing fee for their major events which is resulting in an increase of their entry fee. The executives recommend that the entry fee remain at the same level until at least 2009.

In order to be able to achieve that the Executive recommends to change section 25 of the IFA Major Championship rules with: “The Organising Authority shall pay …as well as the travel expenses, accommodation and meals for 4 IFA officers. “

(instead of 2).

VP Development report

Dear Finn Friends,

I feel very soory for not being here in Split to enjoy the Gold Cup and to personally read my Annual Development Report.

Poin #1 of my report must be FIDeS, the new IFA Finn International Development Support Programme:

At the end of 2005 the Finn Executive realized that the development of the Classs was in a critical period, with a generational change in many Nations and many new Countries facing the major regattas of the International Circuit with their sailors.

I started working on the project of a new development program which could give to the Finn Class the possibility of making a sincere and transparent effort to help developing Countries and youth.

FIDeS started in 2006 and was officially introduced to ISAF at the mid year meeting in Berlin.

The comment by the International Sailing Federation was that FIDeS is doing what the ISAF Development was meant to do in the last twenty years.

The biggest characteristic of Finn Sailing on the human side is the strong Spirit of the Class, the FIDeS programme just puts this into practice.

Some Finn Gear Manifacturers immediately understood the importance of this, some others are slowly moving, and joining IFA on this.

There is still a lot to do and it is needless to say that the success of FIDeS directly depends from the sailors themselves.

What we want to achieve is a large pool of tools, meant as 2^nd hand gear, special commercial offers, logistic helps and what else, which can be used by IFA for increasing the development of Finn sailing in new countries and youth.

One of the steps of the programme was to send to Brazil one Finn mould.

Regarding the status of the Class we have to note that no country did reduce the number of active Finn sailor in the last year and most of them did increase it. Some countries like Italy and England are now on very large numbers.

We welcome sailors from new countries sailing the major circuit: Barbados, Bulgaria,Lithuania, Serbia, and soon Singapore.

After Athens 2004 many sailors who sailed the Finn at top level since Sydney campaign if not Atlanta, left the class to step onto other Olympic challenges or to the Americas Cup.

One generational change, we said above

A new generation of skilled sailors climbed to the top of the class ranks, brought new blood and is giving vitality to the Finn.

But, “once a finnster, always a finnster” is still one very actual motto and we will have one Finn event in Valencia with the Americas Cup Finn guys competing in the venue of theAC Regatta and keeping contact with the ultimate singlehander.

It will be very interesting to see some of them challenging back to the Finn for Beijing after the Americas Cup

Next year we will also have the Junior Finn Gold Cup on the waters of Moscow Lake where we had the Worlds last year. Having the Juniors fighting among themselves to get the world title is another great step achieved to bring the class to greater diffusion..

VP Sailing report

The new Olympic Regatta format.

Web-based Finn clinic and DVD

The new Olympic Regatta format was decided at the ISAF Annual Conference in November 2005. In short this means;

The top 10 placed boats in the series advance to the Medal Race. All boats advancing will be required to compete in the Medal Race.
On the water umpiring is used in the Medal Race.
There will be one discard for the series score but the Medal Race shall not be discarded.
Competitors will carry their series scores through to the Medal Race.
Race scores for the Medal Race will be doubled and added to the series score.

This format has been used in, for example, Miami, Palma, Hyères, Medemblik and Kiel.

Shall this new format be adopted by the IFA championships? This is a question that should be raised at the AGM in Split.

A new web-based Finn clinic has been developed by Gus Miller and Jan Walker. It’s aimed at beginners. A further plan is the make the web-based Finn tutorial aimed at three levels from beginner to elite. Making of a DVD with Finn sailing is also planned in the project.

There is a link from the IFA website to this web-based Finn tutorial.

Technical Committee Chairman’s Report for June 2006

The hull lines have now been prepared in digital form by Gilbert Lamboley, who has carefully compared these standards (first worked out in 1974) with earlier versions, and has found a good correlation. He has added faired figures for the non-measurement sections at Stations 1,3,5 and 7, to assist builders. The lines should be on our website very shortly.

In-House certification

One reason for the introduction of “Standard Class Rules” (we have already adopted this format) was to facilitate “In-House Certification”. At present we require that masts and sails be measured before leaving the manufacturer, but the measurer normally is an independent outside person. The idea of IHC is that a manufacturer may be allowed to have an ISAF “Internal Official Measurer” on his staff, which should make life easier for everybody. The scheme would be closely monitored by ISAF.

We request authority to make detail changes to our rule wording, to align with the SCR wording concerning IHC (which is not yet finalised). We also request authority for the Executive (guided by TC) to accept IHC proposals made by manufacturers to ISAF, when this is considered best in the interests of the Class. (The arrangement is an agreement between the manufacturer and ISAF, who need the Class to have suitable rules and to accept the proposal). We expect that several sail makers and mast builders may seek approval, and we also want to extend the arrangements to include booms, rudders and eventually hulls.

A Rule change proposal

When re-wording the class rules to SCR Format, we did not seek or receive authority to change the meaning of the rules, except for tightening up the rule about the shape of the centreplate. Now that we have got the big change behind us, we can all see that it would be a help to standardise the positions and diameters of the rudder and transom pintles and gudgeons. The standard suggested would fit Existing Pata and Devoti boats, but the rule would not be retrospective.

If this rule were adopted, a rudder manufacturer could produce a fully completed rudder for export, ready for any boat, making IHC practicable for rudders.

People

It is likely that Jüri Saraskin will want to retire as Chief Measurer after 2008. Many of you will have met John Driscoll on the water, and he has started a programme of ISAF measurer training and of attending regattas with Jüri, so that he should be suitably qualified to seek election in due course.

I plan to retire as TC Chairman by November 2008, and again we need continuity. Anybody interested in this position should let the Executive know immediately, so that he/she can be helped to become familiar with the political environment!

I should like to thank various members of the TC for their help during the year, and to congratulate Gilbert Lamboley on the completion of verification and digital recording of the lines. Robert Deaves is placing this and other material (such as old construction drawings) on our website.

I hope that Council will approve re-election of the TC with the addition of John Driscoll.