President’s Report
Unlike other classes of boat, in 2020 we were able to host at least one major international event, the 2020 Finn Europeans in Poland which turned out to be a big success and gave Finn sailors a chance to measure their level of preparation on the way to Tokyo.
As it looks now, the Olympics will go ahead in Tokyo, although international and domestic spectators will be refused entry to Olympic venues. Nevertheless, Finn sailors will have a chance to race again for Olympic glory. This will be the 18th time the Finn is raced at the Olympics.
While the virus and lockdowns have been making life difficult around the world, from last December on it was good to see that some of our Finn sailor friends had a good time sailing the regattas leading up to the Americas Cup Match in New Zealand. It proved again that Finn sailors, being tactically educated and physically strong, always have a place in any class of boat the oldest trophy in sport is contested in. Congratulations to Josh Junior and Andy Maloney for defending the Cup, and to Ben Ainslie, Giles Scott, Chris Brittle, Ben Cornish, Dean Barker, Enrico Voltolini, Caleb Paine and others for being a part of Americas Cup history.
Over the last 2 years IFA and various Finn supporters from around the world have been working hard to showcase to the IOC the importance of a dinghy event for larger male sailors on the Olympic sailing program. At the December 2020 IOC Executive Board (EB) meeting the decided to further review the mixed offshore keelboat event in order to properly assess the key considerations around the cost, safety and security of the athletes. World Sailing is currently in talks with the IOC and the final proposal will be decided no later than May 2021.
As it looks now, the IOC have realised the significant cost, safety, and weight discrimination issues with the keelboat event and will probably disapprove such a change to Olympic sailing events. As a result World Sailing will have to fill the shoes of the 10th Olympic sailing event, and IFA is currently doing its best to showcase the Finn as the best option being a well established, long standing and global sailing class with some of the finest and most athletic sailors worldwide. In a few weeks time we will know more of the outcome and hope that the Finn will continue its long-standing Olympic history.
Balazs Hajdu
Vice President Development
Notwithstanding the pandemic situation, there are two ways to consider the present Finn development:
1) One is linked with the Olympic Coming Up of the class: we contributed all year long to the appeasement policy with ICO & World Sailing. Offshore Mixed is now rejected by the IOC and opens a new field of possibilities and we hope that we will be listened to...
2) The other consists in preparing the class to what it could be in case we are no more Olympic: the co-existence of the 2021 European Championship foreseen before cancellation at Hyères joint with the 2021 Semaine Olympique Française is a good example to what could be achieved.
The next weeks will be crucial to determine the future of the class.
Indeed I don't have a lot to say...
Marc Allain des Beauvais
Vice President Masters
We have just taken the decision to cancel the event in Medemblik for 2021 due to COVID.
The restrictions and timings for hosting the event make it impracticable and not viable for a masters Championship.
At present we are in discussions with Mar Menor, in Spain, to host the Championship in the second week of October 2021.
Subject to a 100-boat pre-entry, prior to our AMM in May will determine whether we go ahead with the change to the new venue.
Naturally, we need to amend our rules at the AMM. Hopefully, the sailors will see the need to have this amended rule change in place to accommodate the unpredictable world that we now live in.
Our 2021 AMM will be held on line on Wednesday 2nd May.
Andy Denison
Secretary’s Report
2020 was for sure been a difficult year, but we should consider ourselves lucky to get in two out of four of our major events. The postponed Olympic Games also extended the Olympic status of the class, though a final decision of that is imminent.
The optimism and plans that we started the year with remain on hold while we wait for both this decision and the beginning of return to normal after the pandemic. It is quite surprising how much work there was to do despite the lack of events. To be sure cancelling, postponing and rearranging events is far more work than actually running the events.
We remain on the look out for venues for future championships. Other than the 2022 Europeans in Kiel, we have nothing else fixed, though we have some encouraging interest for future years. A new event manual has been published, with a great many improvements.
But the class remains in good health both financially and on the water with a remarkable number of local events taking place in 2020. It is fair to say we are poised for development, once the freedom to travel and enjoy overseas events again is re-established.
Robert Deaves
2020 Technical Report
2020 was a quite year for the Technical Committee. Although sailors made several requests to the class Measurers and Technical members regarding rule interpretations, it was not considered necessary to make any major adjustments to our class rules, particularly in the lead up to the 2021 Olympics.
Paul Mckenzie
Chairman of the IFA Technical Committee
Treasury report for the year ended 31 Dec 2020
Despite the reduced racing calendar in 2020 the IFA financial position remained solid due to cost cutting measures implemented at the start of the year.
Expenses were 55000 euros lower than the previous year with reduced regatta and conference expenditure and reduced payroll.
Understandably revenue was less than in 2019 due to lower membership, equipment royalties and regatta entry fees. The total revenue reduction was 50000 euros compared with the previous year.
The net result for the year was a profit of almost 10000 euros and the increase in bank reserves was 14000 euros.
Following the retirement of Tim Carver from the position of Treasurer, IFA appointed Horizons Consulting (Chartered Accountants) to audit the association Accounts. The audit report is available online.
Finance Secretaria
Paul Mckenzie
