Rulers at the ready

ISAF held their International Measurers Conference at the weekend

The ISAF International Measurers Conference took place over the weekend, with Race Officials from 20 nations gathering in Southampton, Great Britain. The latest in a series of Conferences in the ISAF Race Officials Programme provided a forum for some of the top IMs around the world to exchange ideas and debate the key issues surrounding an often overlooked area of officialdom.

All IMs were invited to attend the Conference along with ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs) and representatives of International Classes. The Conference was the ideal opportunity to share best practice and look at the role of classes, MNAs and ISAF in working together to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of measurement controls - all with the aim of keeping things fair, where they matter, out on the water.

Canadian David Sprague, the chair of the ISAF International Measurers Sub-Committee (IMSC) and host of the Conference, said: "The conference was a great success with almost 50% of the IMs in the world attending plus 15 class and MNA representatives.

"The group was exposed to a wide variety of opinions and techniques from around the world. People who had been IMs for years but never had met with other IMs got to interact with their peers and we all learned. In addition there was a significant cross fertilization of ideas and from it came significant resolve to improve the management of our sport."

After two intensive days of lectures, presentations and discussions, five key areas for development were identified, and working parties for each area have been appointed:

- Improving the Equipment Rules of Sailing
- Making alterations to the Racing Rules of Sailing where they impact measurers
- Improve education and quality control of IMs
- How to improve Equipment Certification on a worldwide scale
- How to improve equipment control at ISAF Grade 1 and ISAF Grade W events

In addition members of the IMSC took on a number of other initiatives flowing from the sessions, including an expanded clinic and seminar programme.

Sprague opened the Conference on Saturday morning, introducing the themes that would run through two full days of lectures and discussions. Over ten presenters contributed their expert opinions on the Conference topics, whilst the variety delegates – which included John Doerr, the chairman of the ISAF Race Officials Committee, Dick Batt, the chairman of the ISAF Equipment Committee and several members of the ISAF Secretariat - ensured there were plenty of opinions to be heard when the timetable moved onto areas of discussion.

Topics on the opening day included the ISAF In-House Certification programme, the Equipment Rules of Sailing, measurement protests and IM techniques and tools. The second day of the Conference focussed on class certification and class measurement management.

For all the news connected to ISAF Race Officials visit www.sailing.org/raceofficials .