ALOHA (Techno 293 One-Design) Class

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

held on Wednesday, 10th August 2005 at 9.30 pm

at the SKZ (host club) Sopot, Poland.

The meeting followed the IWA and MJOD AGM's.

1. Registration of voting delegates

There were approximately 40 people present at the meeting including the following voting delegates:

RUS     Oleg Parsadanou              

BEL      Bruno de Wannemaeker    

TUR      Ilker Bayindir                    

GBR     John Ellis                         

ESP     Nicolas Auriol                   

POL      Pawel Kowalski                

FRA      Marc Cardon                      (NA vote)

ISR       Michal Hein                      

ITA       Valerio Linares                  

GER                                             e-mail vote

FRA      Marc Cardon                      Committee member

GBR     Helen Cartwright                Committee member

ITA       Ezio Ferin                         Committee member

GBR     Ceri Williams                     Committee member

ESP     Deborah Powell                  Committee member - by e-mail vote

ITA       Marco Rossi                      Committee member - by e-mail vote

The meeting was chaired by Ezio Ferin.

2. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising

The Minutes of the meeting of the Aloha Class held in Bulgaria on 3 August 2004 had been published on the Aloha website and circulated to National Associations.  No comments arising and therefore approved.

3. Chairman's Report

Ezio Ferin expressed thanks to many people including Helen Cartwright, Marc Cardon and the French Federation for their involvement in equipment trials; the coaches for their helpful ideas; National Authorities for their support of kids and particular thanks to Benoit Treguilly of Bic Sport for his help and support.  He introduced Benoit Treguilly to the meeting.

Benoit Treguilly said that he had been with Bic for just one year.  He had been fully involved in the testing and production in France and was pleased to represent a company which was able to offer fast reaction and fast production.  Over 500 boards had been despatched to clubs within three months of the trials.

He admitted the first board, made for leisure and fun, had problems and the supply with "optional" equipment had caused confusion.  However, the 2006 board would be sold complete with big fin and straps.  A slight increase in cost was necessary but Bic were working to level the price worldwide. 

Benoit Treguilly confirmed Bic's full support for the new Class, promised to react to advice from the Class and be open to all suggestions.  In order to ensure a World Wide Class, there were possibilities for individual sponsorships, eg an Asian competitor.  Any "reasonable" suggestions would be considered.

Ezio Ferin thanked the Class sponsor and also the parents who support their children in buying the equipment.  He said he was proud to be leading this evolution. 

4. Financial Report

This report was given as part of the IWA AGM. Aloha delegates had received and accepted the detailed statement. There were no comments.

5. The future of the Class

The meeting considered the following proposals:

Proposal Number		Proposal	Proposed by *
1		That the class  AGM approve an application to the ISAF Council, November 2005 - to become an ISAF International Class.	CW
		The class had been advised that the change of board, from Bic Aloha to Bic Techno 293 O/D, would require a formal application to ISAF as a new Class.
		YES - unanimous
		The AGM approved a proposal that the Class Rules, in support of the application to ISAF to become a new International Class, be finalised by the Committee, to take account of AGM decisions, and in accordance with the deadline granted by ISAF Technical officials.
		If  the above proposal is not approved:
	1(a)	That the class AGM approve an application to ISAF Council, November 2005 to become a Recognised Class.	CW
3		That the Class adopt a wider age range, and move away from being only an 'under 15' class	MC/FFV
		Marc Cardon reported that France was very satisfied with its choice of the Techno 293 for their cadets and numbers were growing.  It should not be limited to minims.  MJOD numbers were falling.  He felt that it was difficult and expensive to limit clubs to a three year usage.  Also many countries hesitated to send minims to far off countries. Israel would monitor the situation for the next few years, offering a choice to their youngest sailors so eliminating the need for MJOD sailors to move to Techno and vice versa.  However, ISR was not in favour of two totally parallel classes. Ezio Ferin said that if there were not enough "juniors" to make a championship then no title need be awarded, but choice was important.  Whilst parents and racers in the UK might feel the equipment was not up to their style of racing for bigger children, other parents with smaller framed older children would welcome the choice.  The meeting was urged to forget the RS:X aspect, but give the kids something certain. Helen Cartwright said that the system must be progressive and that kit should not hold them back.  In the UK, youths would be expected to race RS:X and the Techno would not be a good enough step.  There was a need for a healthy Class but potential Olympic sailors should not be "favoured lightweights".  The French coach stressed that coaches and MNA's needed simple choices.    Different MNA's had different requirements therefore there was a need to keep MJOD and Aloha championships together, and offer choice of board at one venue, not split competitors at 2 separate venues. Peter Krimbacher took the example of the Optimist, sailors would start younger and were unlikely to stay on one set of equipment for more than 5 years. The target was the under 15 age group. Helen Cartwright recommended an overlap of one year - if the competitor was good, the right weight and size, they progressed up; if smaller they could stay with the Bic Techno. Ezio Ferin pointed out that Mistral (MJOD) is a reality, and Bic Techno could now be also.  If there was enough support, enough boards sold, ISAF would support the new Class.  There was no room for a three board system for the youngest age group.  This was the perfect opportunity to develop the base of the sport, allowing MNA's to find their own route - not everyone aspired to the Olympic route. For Turkey the new Class should not be about the Olympics, its goal to bring in more young children.  He expressed reservations about the "one design" concept but accepted the choice had been carefully made from multi-manufacturer tests.
		YES - 12 plus 3 postal votes for, 1 against
		If the above proposal is approved
	3 .1	That the Class define two age categories : girls and boys 12-13-14 years old (ie under 15) girls and boys 15-16-17 years old (ie under 18)	MC/FFV
		No - 1 postal for, no abstention, majority against
		If the above is not approved
	3.1(a)	Adopt under 15 and under 17 age categories for boys and girls	MC/FFV
		Yes - 2 postal votes in favour, 8 for, 4 against
	3.1(b)	Adopt a single new age category of 'Under 16' - in line with other sailing classes	DP
	3.2	Adopt new  terminology for age categories - Minim and Cadet	MC/FFV
		Whilst adopted by France, it was felt by the meeting that U/15 and U/17 were clearer terms internationally
		No - 1 postal vote in favour, 13 plus 2 postal against
4		That the class move away from strict 'one design' class by adopting a open concept for rig choice, as defined in the 2006 Class Rules	CW
		Marc Cardon spoke of the French trials for rigs during June/July 2005 where it was concluded that a choice of rigs would allow competition between manufacturers to provide the best rigs for the best price.  Helen Cartwright was concerned that this would cause problems for the kids whose parents might get involved in a price war.  It was agreed that the price level be capped.  Also, there were further concerns that the kid who made the wrong choice of rig at the start of the season might become discouraged.  There was a strong feeling that perhaps it was too early to settle on one rig and Poland suggested that the meeting should go with the Open concept until one rig emerged as a one design choice.  Benoit Treguilly confirmed that it was not economically viable to bring back the old Aloha rig.
		YES - 7 plus 2 postal votes for, 1 abstention, 6 against
		If the above proposal is approved
	4.1 (a)	The class adopt an approved list of rigs, and that the class committee manages the system as defined in the FFV proposal # 3, 4, 5, & 6 (attached)	MC/FFV
	4.1 (b)	That the class adopt the proposed Approved Rigs list for Under 15 (minim), with maximum sail size 6.8 sq.m.	MC/FFV
	4.1 (c )	That the class adopt the proposed Approved Rigs list for Under 17/18 (cadet), with maximum sail size of 7.8 sq.m.	MC/FFV
	4.2	That the class continue to authorise the use of : A)        - the old Aloha rig. B)                    - the former Spacedog and Speedster rigs sold by Bic with techno packages.	MC/FFV
		It was suggested that, in the way that FW decided their boards in September each year, perhaps Aloha could decide its sail list in similar fashion.  Marc Cardon referred to the French system of sail choice.  The meeting was strongly in favour of giving the Aloha Committee the responsibility of choosing the actual rigs and also determining sail sizes.  It was also stressed that whatever choices the Committee made, the rigs must be available world wide.  John Ellis asked that the old Aloha rig be included on the list as competitors still using it should not be forced into buying a new rig.   In view of the above discussions, Marc Cardon proposed an amendment to proposal 4.1(a), now to read "The class adopt an approved list of rigs, and that the class committee manages the system"
		YES - All in favour of the revised proposal
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