In the midweek sessions at  the ISAF World Conference in Sanya, China, the various committees are working on over 300 submissions suggesting changes to ISAF regulations, Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and Offshore Special Regulations(OSR). Some of these submission pass through more than one committee picking up recommendations as they go along. The submissions and their recommendation are considered by the final arbiter, the ISAF Council, which will determine at the end of the week whether submissions should be approved, rejected or deferred. This year is the final year for submissions that can alter the next iteration of the RRS, due January 1 2017, hence the large number. One proposal that is garnering attention is changes to Rule 69, the disciplinary rule. The changes propose extending the provisions of Rule 69 to “support persons” so that a competitor can be penalised over the adverse behaviour of a coach or parent or similar. The Working Party that submitted this proposal considers it so important that it is suggesting its immediate introduction – ie January 1 2016 instead of the following year.

ISAF’s plethora of classes (>100) continues to grow with the recommendation that the RS Aero, Fareast 28R, VO65, Kite Twin Tip Freestyle, Kite Foil, and Nacra F20 Carbon be added to the family.