2025 IFA AGM Minutes

Download as a PDF here: https://finnclass.org/images/2025/AGM2025/2025-IFA-AGM-Minutes.pdf

INTERNATIONAL FINN ASSOCIATION

2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held online on Zoom on 22 May at 21.30 CEST.

Present: Executive Committee: Rob McMillan (Chair), Tim Tavinor, Robert Deaves, Andrzej Romanowski, Andy Denison, Andre Blasse, David Bull

Representatives from AUS, BEL, BRA, DEN, FRA, GER, HUN, NED, NOR,

POL, POR, SUI, GBR AND USA and around 20 sailors.

 Proxy votes sent online by: SWE

[Combined vote of 15 nations and 7 Executive equalling 30 votes]

MINUTES

1. National Class Associations

The list of National Class Associations (NCA) and the Treasurer’s statement of the NCA Representatives’ voting powers based on the IFA dues received was noted. Details were published online with the agenda.

2. Minutes from the last meeting

The minutes from the 2024 IFA AGM (previously circulated on IFA website, to secretaries) were approved.

3. Accounts

3.1 The 2024-5 accounts and the 2025-6 budget were approved

3.2 The treasurer was thanked for his diligent work in maintaining the accounts

3.3 Questions were raised about the level of the current funds (over €190,000), what was the level need to keep a reserve (€100,000) and what the saved funds could best be used for.

3.4 The treasurer stated this was a matter for the Executive and not the treasurer.

3.5 The president talked about the investment over the past year and the new development plans, including a new VP Development who will be given a budget for training and other activities.

4. Executive Committee Reports

4.1 Presidents Report – IFA AGM 2025

Before we reflect on our class, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Kristian Sjoberg (VP Sailing) and Marc Allain des Beauvais (VP Development) for their longstanding service to the IFA and the wider Finn community.

Our class cannot operate without volunteers, and I personally thank them on behalf of all Finn sailors for the time, energy, and passion they brought to their roles within the IFA — whether on committees, behind the scenes, or at events.

As we come together for the 2025 Annual General Meeting, I feel we do so with a renewed sense of pride, reflection, and responsibility. In 2024, we celebrated the 75th anniversary of the Finn, a milestone not just in years but in the collective stories, champions, and global community that the Finn has inspired - it is a rich past but also sets the standard on and off the water that we must continue to uphold. 

The 2024 European Championship in Cannes and the Finn Gold Cup in Aarhus and Finn World Masters showcased the strength of our fleet across generations.  These events remind us of the true depth and reach of the Finn community, and our enduring strength. Encouragingly, we are seeing increased youth participation, renewed engagement from past sailors, and a growing supplier community who are busy and proactive.

But not everything goes to plan and despite setbacks my sense is we are rebounding stronger. We worked through the feedback from the Cannes Europeans, which highlighted areas for improvement and reaffirmed a key principle: for our major events, quality must take precedence over scale. This informs our thinking across all aspects of planning — from venue suitability and race management to sailor experience and event legacy. We also made meaningful progress in Naples for the Open Europeans in April — it wasn’t perfect, but it was a solid 8/10 and showed strong steps forward in both planning and execution. We could certainly have done better onshore, but the on-the-water delivery was superb.

I am about to depart for Europe for the Italian Nationals and Finn World Masters. I am excited about both events. You cannot escape the enthusiasm (or media) of Jan Zetzema and his team, nor the allure of Medemblik and our Dutch Finn Sailors - very well done. This venue is very special to many of us with a long history of Finn exploits. When we reflect on iconic venues - Cascais is right up there. I am very excited about the programme for late August and love the way it has all come together. Thank you everyone. 

In 2026, we can expect a strong and well-supported fleet in Australia for the Australian Nationals, Finn Gold Cup, and Masters trifecta, followed by the Gdynia for the Open Europeans. For 2027, there are excellent bids for the Finn Gold Cup and Europeans - which we will vote on later. 

The quality and number of bids received for our major events confirm that the Finn remains an attractive and prestigious class for event hosts worldwide. In parallel, there is increasing interest in new regatta series and formats, with several ideas currently being developed or tested. While not all may align immediately with our established structure, we welcome this enthusiasm and will carefully consider how best to embrace it while maintaining a cohesive and strategically balanced calendar.

From a financial perspective, the class enters this AGM with a solid footing. As reported separately, we posted a year-to-date surplus of over €28,000, supported by stable membership contributions and diversified event income. These funds must be used to build a sustainable future for our class and improve the infrastructure we have for event delivery and the enjoyment of the Finn within our community. 

On the technical front, the class remains committed to maintaining the strict one-design integrity of the Finn while continuing to monitor evolutions in materials and sustainability standards. While this may sometimes mean we appear slow to implement changes, it is a deliberate choice. It is better to be cautious than to jeopardise the integrity of what we have. You don’t have to look far across international classes to see how small departures from long-established practices have, in some cases, led to the decline of entire fleets, loss of sailor confidence, and in many cases, the loss of thousands of dollars in now obsolete or non-compliant equipment.

Careful consideration is also being given to developments with Vakros and other emerging sailing/race management technologies, especially in light of recent changes in the supply landscape — with effectively only a single supplier now active. Sensible safety measures are already in place with the current rule enhancements, but any further adoption of electronic devices or data systems will require careful evaluation. These technologies represent a significant shift, and the class will have the opportunity to vote on their wider use later in the year.

We are also excited by the growing momentum in the U29 development space. Initiatives are underway to better support this key demographic, including training camps and a revamp of the role of VP Development. Several NFAs are already embracing U29 programming as a pathway to re-engage younger sailors and extend their competitive careers into the senior fleet. Listening to members, we recognise that investment in development — particularly for U29 sailors — is not just wanted but essential.

The proposed focus of a new VP Sailing will see us address other key issues:

• A restructured qualification and entry framework for major events, ensuring fair access and high-level racing through capped entries and NFA-led qualification processes;
• Updated bidding and hosting procedures, with clear timelines and support materials to help more clubs and countries become part of our global regatta network;
• Strengthened efforts in media, branding, and communications, aiming to raise the visibility of our major events more broadly;
• And most importantly, the reinforcement of a culture of transparency, collaboration, and long-term planning when working with event organisers.

Proposals related to qualification and entry will be brought forward later in the year for all members to consider, ensuring that final decisions reflect broad input from across the class.

I would also like to thank Dimitris Dimou, Tim Tavinor, and our IFA Technical Committee for their ongoing dedication and expertise — particularly their work aligning our class with the evolving Equipment Rules of Sailing (ERS). Their efforts ensure the Finn Class continues to uphold the highest technical standards while adapting thoughtfully to new challenges and developments.

In closing, I see our priorities as delivering great events, achieving clarity on the event calendar for the next few years, mobilising our new VP appointees in Sailing and Development, improving our digital presence, and supporting cautious innovation. We remain here to work for you and the good of the class. Our contact details are in the public domain — personally, I love hearing from Finn sailors and NFAs alike and look forward to seeing you on the race course.

Rob McMillan

4.2 Executive Director Report – 2025 AGM

It has been an interesting and challenging year for the Finn class, with generally increasing numbers, but also a lot of change and introspection. In terms of pure numbers, membership has slightly increased again. We have just over 1,800 members worldwide in 40+ countries. Attendance at IFA events continues to be very healthy and as a direct result, we are receiving increasing interest to host events.

However, there are a lot of ideas and initiatives being discussed and implemented to grow and expand and provide services to our members.

• FINNFARE has a new look and focus and has been reduced to two issues per year
• Work is underway to enhance the status of the Finn Gold Cup and Open Europeans, with initial plans presented at this AGM.
• The U29 Development Programme has been launched with the first camp on Garda in March.
• We ran two incredibly successful webinars with Nicholas Heiner.
• Our social media presence continues to grow thanks to Francesca’s tireless efforts
• The Executive has been short on two important members for most of the last year with VOP Sailing and VP Development positions vacant
• Calls to reinstate the Marketing Committee to look at the wider appeal of the Finn and new ways to promote the class locally as well as globally
• Extensive work to update the Class Rules with the latest ERS and RRS terms.
• New class-wide event documentation which has made much of the processes easier. We are about halfway through this evolution.
• Looking at race management issues and event organisation has been a priority
• Work on evolving the website continues, albeit more slowly than hoped.
• The finances remain very healthy, but we are investing more than the last few years, so further expenses should be prudent while we adjust.
• Providing ongoing assistance and support to create for Certification Measurers and International Measurers for the class.
• The World Tour for Finns and the World Ranking List remain pivotal to the annual calendar and obtain a lot of exposure for the class.
• Work is ongoing on our major championship calendar, and we hope to present a solid structure for the coming years
• Event media continues to be the vital cornerstone of all our publicity and provides unquantifiable exposure worldwide.

In closing I’d like to again thank the Executive members, as well as many national representatives, for their collaboration and support over the past year. Maintaining contact with all member association is never simple, and many rarely respond, but all feedback is important and value, so please do get involved. There has been a lot to deal with and some tough decisions, but I feel we are generally heading in the right direction and I look forward to continuing to serve the class in the coming years.

Robert Deaves

4.3 VP Masters Report – 2025 IFA AGM

As I write this, we are at 30 Nations and 322 entries for the 2025 Finn World Master. Medemblik 2025 is already promising to be one of the largest Finn events ever to take place.

The event will be sailed in four groups and these groups will be randomly selected for every day of racing. Random is random and can sometimes mean good for some but not so good for others. That’s the luck of the draw and is what was voted in. In all honestly, if you are in the top 50 of this event, you have done exceptionally well, navigating many of the issues that come with big fleet sailing. It remains a unique event with a unique structure format and atmosphere.

We have one bid in for 2027 Finn World Masters, Tangier, in Morrocco. The inspection visit to Tangier was easy, ferries run from mainland Spain and France. The proposals for the event set up look amazing, handled and run by the Vilamoura Team. There is a full report on the website under EVENTS/bids

Andy Denison

4.4 Treasurers Report FOR 2024 (See also Appendix 1)

Our financial year runs from 1st January to 31st December and the following report reflects this period. The Budget for 2025 has been prepared and has been forwarded to the Executive and incorporated in the current financial year summary.

At the AGM held in Aarhus, Denmark on 2nd September the members from FRA & GER did not approve the 2024 Budget because of the large profit. The budget had been in operation for the best part of the 2024 year and therefore changing the budget would make no difference as the Actuals were committed.

Mindful of the comments, the 2025 budget has provided for additional expenditure to cover travel costs, U29 training, webinar costs, website update and repairs to the FGC trophy case.

2024 Balance Sheet

Total Bank                                    193,616 Euros

Total Assets                                 191,115 Euros

Total Liabilities                             (17) Euros

Net Assets                                   191,132 Euros

Retained Earnings                       163,802 Euros

Current Year Earnings                  27,330 Euros

Total Equity                                  191,132 Euros

The Xero accounting system has the 2025 budget loaded, with the noted expenditure included and the projected profit is Euro 3,950.

We are currently well ahead of budget, however with only 4 months of the financial year complet-ed and major operating expenses not yet expended the actuals will be close to budget.

2025 Budget Summary

Gross Profit                                  110,000 Euros

Other Income                               9,000 Euros

Operating Expenses                    115,650 Euros

Net Profit                                     3,950 Euros

2025 Balance Sheet (as at 30th April 2025)

Total Bank                                    227,563 Euros

Total Assets                                 231,152 Euros

Total Liabilities                             304 Euros

Net Assets                                   230,849 Euros

Retained Earnings                       192,019 Euros

Current Year Earnings                  38,829 Euros

Total Equity                                  230,849 Euros

We have now been operating with the Wise bank accounts for the past 12 months or more and this is working most efficiently. Surplus funds are transferred to the Liquidity Manager Investment account and we are receiving a competitive interest rate.

I can report we have no major outstanding debtors although there are a few countries yet to pay their membership fees. Most are smaller memberships with only a few members, however CHN may prove problematic. Time will tell.

The Masters income and expenditure is incorporated with the IFA accounts although there is a separate bank account with Lloyds Bank which indicates a balance of 8,800 GBP.

The Association continues to be in a sound financial position with a healthy balance sheet.

An annual report is submitted to the Victorian Government in Australia where the association is incorporated and as a Tier 1 category, therefore no audit is required.

My thanks to Robert Deaves for his continued support and valuable assistance which makes my job a lot easier.

David Bull

4.5 Technical Committee Chairman Report - 2025 AGM

As you have heard for some time the process to update the Class Rules to conform to the new RRS (Racing Rules of Sailing) and ERS (Equipment Rules of Sailing) has been underway. It has now finally been achieved.

This has largely been done with the invaluable input of Dimitri Dimou who is a long-time friend for the Finn Class and currently chairman of the WS Equipment Rules Committee.

You may ask why this is important? It is a World Sailing regulation for International Classes to keep their rules current with the RRS and ERS and this largely controls the format of the rules and terminology. It also helps measurers and sailors who swap between classes as all format and terminology are standard in compliant International Class Rules.

When you look at the new rules, on top of the changes in format and terminology needed for RRS and ERS compliance we have taken the opportunity to make some other reformatting to reduce the size of the document and include diagrams next to the relevant rules.

This is referred to by WS as Housekeeping and the intention is not to make any actual meaningful changes to any pre-existing Class Rules.

Housekeeping Class Rule changes do not normally require a vote but as this is such a comprehensive review of our rules we will be asking for a vote on this update. A link and details will be shared after the AGM.

However, one proposed change that will need a vote is a rule change in permitted Technology on board to permit the carrying of a mobile phone.

As we all know mobile phones are part of modern life and are regularly carried on board at Regattas for convenience, but this is a breach of current rules. It would be my recommendation to accept this change.

On the wider topic of technology on board. This is an ongoing discussion and there is a wide spectrum of opinions if this is a good or bad thing. We are mainly talking about GPS enabled devices.

There is no doubt some of the features these can bring to race management in the way of identifying OCS and finishing positions, and also to the sailors in terms of added information can be very persuasive.

There is also no doubt the current equipment available is of a high standard and has become user friendly with mainly the Vakaros unit and many other software packagers available to post race or post training analyse performance.

I have been monitoring classes that have adopted the use of these devices in test regattas and making changes to their class rules to permit their use while racing. It is very much a split in opinions within the sailors if it has been a good or bad decision.

In my opinion despite the added benefits these devices potentially bring, it is uncertain. I feel it is still not time to take the plunge and allow these as permitted equipment while racing in the Finn Class.

Added cost is one issue but we should also remember the Finn Class has a broad church of participants and also even most race committees are not geared up to utilise the benefits. That also requires all participants to use one brand of equipment which brings other problems.

We should continue to keep an eye on developments in this area but for now my recommendation is to wait before making any move to permit within our class rules.

The other area that has been a topic for discussion is the potential change to allow Carbon Booms.

Several manufactures have been invited to produce samples that we can physically test and commit to a price.

Until we get that commitment it is difficult to make any progress on this issue. However, my understanding is that a Dutch Manufacture will have a sample to present at the upcoming FWM and if that does happen then we will need to make a programme for testing  and make available other regattas to start help making informed decisions.

Tim Tavinor

5. Major Championships

5.1. La Rochelle, FRA was awarded the 2027 Finn Gold Cup in the first round on voting (Vilamoura, 3 votes; La Rochelle, 17 votes; Hyeres, 2 votes)

5.2 Estartit, ESP was awarded 2027 Open European Championship

5.3 Interest from other venues was noted for 2028 onwards: Vilamoura, POR; Douarnanez, FRA; San Francisco, USA; Sardinia, Italy; Pula, Croatia.

6. Rule Changes

6.1 Approval and discussion of new Class Rules

Tim Tavinor and Dimitris Dimou made a short presentation about the updated Class Rules which will go to a class vote in May. The Class Rules have been updated with new RRS and ERS requirements (housekeeping), and one minor change to allow electronics to be carried in buoyancy tanks. After reformatting the size has also been reduced by 10 pages.

6.2 Changes to IFA Constitution

The following change was approved 18 votes to 1 against, with three abstentions.

(a) Add to Part C 1

8) The IFA Executive may decide on a different method of allocation, including open entry, to be invoked in the Notice of Race.

Reason: Intention is to allow the possibility to limit FGC and EC to 120 boats and the IFA Executive would like flexibility to enforce different requirements. This will be based on the existing national quota system but allows the NoR to cap the entry at what the venue can hold, in most cases 120, rather than being open ended. This will not apply to combined EC/Masters events.

7. Submissions

None received.

8. Elections of Members to IFA Committees

8.1 Arkadii Kistanov, ITA, was elected as VP Development

Remko Boot, NED, was elected as VP Sailing

The rest of the Executive were re-elected.

8.2 There were no changes recorded to the Technical Committee

8.3 It was noted that Andres Bollongino and Ronald van Klooster wished to be included in the Marketing Committee. This role of this committee would be discussed after the AGM.

9. AOB

None

The meeting was closed at 23.30 CEST

Appendix 1 - IFA Budget 2024 - Actual P&L 2024 - Budget 2025

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