Winter Garden

September 20^th, 1998

Mission Statement: The AC is designed to increase communication between athletes and the IWSF and to give athletes a direct voice and vote on issues relating to the rules, policies, and issues affecting them and our sport.

The current officers are:

Helena Kjellander, Chair

Brenda Nichols-Baldwin

Steve Cockeram (Steve Cockeram replaced Bruce Neville)

Chris Mairs

Debbie Nordblad

Ron Scarpa

Cable Skiing: still no contact

The AC-Tournament has had several meetings during the year, especially during the summer of 1998 to raise issues and gain consensus for the TC meeting in Lausanne in October. The Chairman, Helena Kjellander also attended the EAME meeting in Nice in November 1997. Nicholas Le Forestier attended the EAME meeting in Dijon on behalf of the figures committee established this year (see below). Chris Mairs has attended several meetings on behalf of the Disabled Commission. There has been little communication with Racing and Barefoot and the AC is still waiting for a contact address for the Cable Skiing officer.

The AC was very involved in organizing the Seville IOC/ACNO demonstration in June and helped making it the great success it turned out to be. 13 chosen athletes traveled to Seville and came together as a team to pull off the most important event of the year for our Olympic effort.

A figures committee was formed during 1998. It’s mission is to help the sport of figure skiing grow and to make it an exciting event again. The members are: Nicholas Le Forestier, Patrice Martin, Kreg Llewellyn, Kyle Peterson, Rhoni Barton, Elena Milakova, and Cyndi Benzel.

During 1998, there has been increasing rapport with skiers world wide and I feel the AC is finally coming into its own. Most correspondence takes place at competitions and via email. Skiers are starting to respond and to raise issues with the AC - which is exactly why it was formed.

Our short term agenda is to get our voice and ideas heard and adopted at the TC meeting.

Our long term agenda for 1999 and onwards is to hold first elections at the Worlds in Italy in September in 99. The AC will continue to increase communication with the athletes by holding organized group athlete meetings. And hopefully, help with the Olympic effort (at writing, it is still uncertain of our Olympic future). We need to get the Cable Skiing representative on board. And, also embrace a Wakeboarding representative when one is elected. And, of course, continue working on rules changes and monitoring current rules

Finances: Current balance in AC account: US $ 1,002.71

Expenses 98:

Administrative (postage etc.): 320.56

Travel to EAME/Nice meeting (HK) 783.10

Travel to EAME/TC Dijon (NLeF) 175.00

Total $1,278.66

For 1999, The AC would like to utilize it’s full budget of $5,000 due to the increased level of activity of the AC.

All in all, we in the AC feel that we’re making headway. We hope that our plates will be full with Olympic issues in the coming times!

Your Sincerely,

Helena Kjellander

IWSF AC Chair