MINUTES of the 1st ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the International Windsurfing Association held at the National Sports Centre Inverclyde, Largs, Scotland on Saturday 3rd August 2002 commencing at 7.00 pm.

The meeting was chaired by Bruno de Wannemaeker, President of the IWA.

PRESENT: (Voting members)

Steven Schrier - Proxy for Canada

Martin Wark – UKWA

David Sibley - UKWA

Peter Kumpf – Germany

Marc van Rijsselberghe – Holland

Jeff Cochrane – Ireland

Maurice Owens – Ireland

Marc Cardon – France

Ezio Ferin – Italy

Paul Leone – Proxy for Hong Kong

Xia Xuezhen – China

Tom Ashley – New Zealand

Bruno de Wannemaeker – Belgium

Peter Krimbacher – Austria and Proxy for Netherlands, Spain, Italy

Rory Ramsden – Proxy for Brazil, Hong Kong and USA

1. Welcome and Apologies

Apologies had been received from Felipe Bellini (Raceboard) and Phil McGain (PWA).

The Chairman welcomed everyone present to the first Annual General Meeting of the IWA which had been founded in 2001 and introduced members of the Executive Committee present:

Diederik Bakker (IMCO)

Marc Cardon (Formula Windsurfing)

Peter Krimbacher (MJOD)

Guy Chilvers (Industry)

Honorary Treasurer: John Ellis
Hon Secretary: Ceri Williams (Aloha)

Richard Foster (representing Phil McGain, PWA)

Paul Leone (representing Felipe Bellini, Raceboard)

By invitation: Rory Ramsden, IMCO Executive Secretary

Steven Schrier, Chairman Measurement Committee

Annie Smith, IWA Administrative Secretary

There were approximately 20 observers.

2. Annual report

Presented by the President, and Chairman of the Executive Committee, Bruno de Wannemaeker, and a power point presentation defining the IWA - "What is the IWA ?"

The Chairman outlined what he perceived as bad points about the IWA – "who are the IWA?" and the fact that far too much e-mail communication was being generated. He said that the Association was a chain, only as strong as its weakest link, currently the FW Class, but he hoped that these issues would be resolved after the FW AGM in Sylt at the end of September.

The good points included the appointment of Annie Smith as IWA Administrative Secretary in February 2002, the publication of the IWA Yearbook, the new website and IWA Web News.

Rory Ramsden was invited to make the presentation "What is the IWA?". This aimed to define a set of goals, some of which would be easy and quick to achieve, whilst others would take many years. The most important fact was that now all Classes were working together towards the same target.

"To unite, assist and serve…

Members
IWA Roles
Represent member's interests
Provide leadership
Ensure continuity as an Olympic discipline
Market & promote
Establish global competition structures
Act as a communications hub
Administer

IWA Represents its member class associations to the

Public
Media
Industry
Tourist trade
ISAF

IWA Leads by

Establishing high standards at international regattas
Building a world-wide corporate identity for the sport
Establishing "holistic"development policies (education)
Acting to strengthen bonds between classes
Resolving conflicts of interest
Putting surplus class funds into a development trust
Establishing a reputation for prudent financial management

IWA & the Olympics

Funding of windsurfing development programmes
Opening of new markets (Mongolia)
Global awareness of windsurfing
Continuing repeat sales of equipment
Funding of the administration
One unified policy

IWA Markets & Promotes by defining (1)

Standard Agreements
Championship Organisers
Tour Regatta Organisers
Tour Promoters
& Recognising
Reputable Teaching Systems & Teachers
Existing Centres of Educational Excellence

IWA Markets & Promotes by defining (2)

Media Rights
World Championships
Continental Championships
Continental Tours
Special Recreational Events
Event Guidelines
Championship Rules

IWA Markets & Promotes by defining (3)

IWA Structures
should define
Equipment Format Ladders
Elite
Youth
Junior

IWA Markets & Promotes by defining (4)

Recreational Competition Formats
inc age & weight divisions

IWA Markets & Promotes by defining (5)

Routes to the Top
Olympic Racing
Racing
Freestyle & Wave

IWA Markets & Promotes by defining (6)

Qualification Systems to "Elite" World Championships
World Tour
Continental Championships
Continental Tours

IWA Communicates by

Building unified e-mail database on blind server of windsurfers:
ISAF & key committee members:
national authorities & key officials:
national windsurfing associations & key officials:
industry:
media
Distributing monthly e-news
NoRs on behalf of sanctioned/recognised regatta organisers
promoting tour dates

IWA Administers

Regatta Set-up
Annual Calendar
Processing Entries
Book Keeping & Budgeting
Standard Systems & Procedures
Yearbook
Website
Membership Logs
Ranking Lists

IWA Summary

Pro-active Leadership
Working to maximise areas of class agreement
Developing clear well promoted strategies
Co-operating with the best educators
Providing Professional Administration

With the vital support of the windsurfing industry & trade

Together we can make it happen!

The presentation was warmly received and it was intended to publish it in full on the IWA website soon.

3. Presentation of the Audited Accounts, and financial report for the year ended 31 December 2001

by Hon Treasurer, John Ellis

Copies of the accounts for 2001 had been circulated to those present and copy would be lodged with the Minutes. John Ellis said that he had only taken over the position of Hon Treasurer towards the end of 2001 and he explained the difficulties he had faced because of an incomplete handover of information. However, he believed he presented a true and accurate report of the accounts for 2001. Paul Leone requested an explanation of the term "bad debts" which the Treasurer said referred to funds still held by the IBSA Treasurer which he felt prudent to show as the "worst case" scenario. Bruno de Wannemaeker proposed acceptance of the accounts and those present were unanimously in favour. It was intended to publish these accounts on the IWA website.

4. Appointment of legal advisor and auditor 2002/3

There was no proposal to change the existing appointment of John Ellis as IWA Hon. Treasurer with John Ellis and Co, Chartered Accountants, acting as Auditors.

5. Presentation of the Executive Committee Budget (including member class budgets) for 2002 and forward plan for 2003

The Treasurer apologized for the lack of budgets but these had not been possible to produce in time for this meeting, not least because of the time taken over the 2001 accounts, but also the setting up of office financial systems was not absolutely complete. He said that the Association was currently running well and there were no financial concerns.

6. Review of membership subscriptions

Ceri Williams, Hon Secretary said that the IWA Executive Committee would recommend to the Class Association AGM's that full members' (national class affiliations) for the next year should remain the same as for 2002. The Executive Committee recommended the following additional classes of membership for 2003:

a) corporate membership – for large companies including the windsurfing industry

b) associate membership – for smaller concerns eg schools

c) individual membership – for competitors whose national associations/authorities had not paid prior to events for example.

A questioner from the floor asked whether or not individual membership could include insurance but previous investigation showed that global insurance was not possible, only within the country of competition.

7. Reports of sub committees and officers

a) Events and Competition Sub Committee presented by Chairman, Ceri Williams

Committee members: Ceri Williams, Bruno de Wannemaeker, Rory Ramsden, Phil McGain, Matthias Regber.

Ceri Williams said that the Sub Committee had been discussing the principles of competition structure and a "unified" calendar, event and tour agreements, event manual, and sanctioning fees. Naturally there was a wide variance of opinion across the Classes but they were very close to a "standard" package which would be circulated to the Executive Committee shortly.

b) Constitution Working Party

Committee members: Bruno de Wannemaeker, John Ellis, Marc Cardon

Bruno de Wannemaeker said that the Constitution was a legal requirement of UK Company law and it had been written to meet these requirements but there was need for many changes which had to be made with full consultation with the Classes. The Committee did not feel it prudent to make recommendations at the current time only to have to review yet again at a later date, therefore this matter was deferred for further discussion.

c) Executive Secretary (IMCO)

Rory Ramsden was invited to talk on Olympic Windsurfing, its history, and its significance plus make a Power Point Presentation on the IWA Joint Classes Proposal for 2008. He referred to a recent widely circulated "White Paper" which mapped a third way, beside the current contenders of FW and IMCO. The key issue was to maximize the transition and tap a bigger pool of potential competitors. He said that it would never be possible to devise a system where everyone could participate but the Paper described a way that the majority, not the minority, could.

The deadline for presentation of the Paper to ISAF was 31 July 2002. ISAF would decide the criteria in November 2002. He said that IWA Classes should lobby hard to keep windsurfing in the Olympics as in November 2003 the events for the Olympics would be chosen. It was intended that the IWA should stage regattas for the chosen equipment from January to July 2004. In November 2004 ISAF would select the equipment.

A discussion ensued, initiated by Holland, regarding which youth board should currently be promoted by national associations and Rory Ramsden recommended that until the direction became clear, perhaps by the end of 2003, associations should stay with what they used now. Marc van Rijsselberghe also called for a rationalization of "youth" – there were too many youth classes – perhaps generated by too many manufacturers promoting their own products. There was a need to find a clear path, like the Olympic path, for youth sailors to reach the top of the sport.

d) IWA Measurers Committee presented by Chairman, Steven Schrier

Committee members: Steven Schrier, Bill Joselin, Barry Johnson, Bruce Kendall, Rory Ramsden, Jimeno Romero, Ceri Williams

Steven Schrier said that the main problem the Measurement Committee faced was getting all the associations to understand what the IWA can offer and he addressed the meeting on what the Measurement committee could do for them. He said that measurement should be encouraged as rules could not be enforced without it. In answer to a question, he explained that at an event the measurer could not disqualify a competitor but rather he would make a recommendation to the event jury. Italy had real problems because of a lack of national windsurfing measurers. The Italian authority insisted upon completion of a course and proven ability to measure both boats and boards in which windsurfers were not interested. Would it be possible for IWA to "recognize" measurers? Steven Schrier suggested that the whole measurement committee could be linked with one e mail address so that anyone requiring help at a windsurfing event could e-mail through to the whole committee s as the chances were one IM would be on line pretty quickly to give them an answer. He said he would consult with his committee and arrange for an e-mail address to be published on the IWA website.

8. Appointment of IWA General Manager

The Chairman said that the appointment was imminent but final negotiations prevented him being able to reveal who was to be appointed. An announcement would be made soon.

9. Any other business

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8.50