LISBON, Portugal–If, as expected, the ISAF Council accepts the recommendations from its Executive Committee and the ORC Management Sub-Committee, the Offshore Racing Committee structure and policy has been fully debated and accepted by all parties concerned without the forecast embittered struggle. Not that there was total capitulation by the ORC in its absorption into the ISAF, the only sticking point remaining is the nomination, by the United States, of a representative to the Working Party that will take care of the matters arising from the formation of the Offshore Racing Committee and implement the objectives of the 2000 ISAF/ORC Agreement.
When asked why the United States was taking so long to make this announcement, one of the 35-strong U.S. delegation to the annual conference said, “You dont announce a death before informing the next-of-kin. We are still informing the next-of-kin.” The choice may not meet with universal approval, but its believed that the U.S. representative will not upset the balance that the ISAF seeks to establish. There are three “old” ORC representatives in Hans Zuiderbaan (NED), Bruno Finzi (ITA), and Wolfgang Schaefer (GER), all of whom are strong IMS supporters. The other members of the working party are David Kellett, ISAF Vice-President (AUS), Jack Caldwell (USA), Chairman of the Constitution Committee, and Paul King, the RYA/RORC nomination. The U.S. representative should therefore not be a dyed-in-the-wool IMS supporter.
The real meat of this years meetings will not be served until tomorrow when the Council meets to confirm the working of the various committees, but one item which is bound to be passed in some form is a weight limit for the women in the Yngling class and this is likely to be 205 kg. Traditionally changes occur at the last minute and one might expect almost anything before the Council meeting concludes on Saturday.
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