Bob Corson USA President

Jeffry Armstrong USA

Peter Person CAN

Alain Amade FRA

Stefan Rauchenwald AUT

Gillian Hill GBR

Ron Fergusson AUS

Gavin Brain AUS

Adriano Bottinelli SUI

Murray Eade NZE

Bob welcomed everyone to the meeting. The members stood in silence in memory of those people who had died in the tragic happenings of the 11^th September in the USA.

The Council members were disappointed that no athlete representative was present at the meeting.

The Minutes have been organised into sections for each event and general items. They do not reflect the order in which the meeting was conducted.

From our last meeting the American Association were asked to work with the manufacturers to achieve the best possible timing scenario. They have proposed method 4 which will be attached to these Minutes. The TC unanimously agreed the use of Method 4 for All Buoy Timing. The bad time reride procedure would be reviewed by Bob Corson and amended as necessary.

The American Association had suggested ABT become mandatory. The TC agreed ABT will become mandatory for Record tournaments starting January 1^st 2003.

The Council reviewed the rules on limitation of flips as changed in the rule book last year. After discussion it was agreed that a skier can only score a maximum of 6 flips, but he can list as many as he likes in the same manner as other tricks. If the skier performs more than six flips then the highest 6 will be scored.

A request had been received from the American Association to delay implementation of the requirement for mandatory use of video trick timing.

The TC agreed video trick timing remain mandatory for Record Homologation.

Video Trick timing is optional and recommended for Ranking List.

Video Trick timing would become mandatory for Ranking List from January 1^st 2003.

Discussion on the problems of timing even with video technology. In essence we are counting frames, rather than timing 20 seconds. It is accepted the time can be half a frame out either way.

All agreed that judging tricks from a camera feed from the boat is an improvement and should be allowed for in the rules. The back up video can be made from the shore. It was noted we will have a ranking list with results from the shore and from the boat, but it was generally felt there is little difference in the results. As always it is the quality of the judging which makes the difference in the scores.

At a later meeting of the TC (on site) it was noted that skiers should not be kept waiting between passes for video review. It was acceptable to hold the next skier whilst a video review was carried out of the previous skier, but not between passes.

The TC were keen to make sure the Front Flip is done properly. However, after discussion it was felt this was a judging issue and that judges should not give credit if the trick does not comply to the existing rules.

EAME experience showed that at titled events it was preferable to use 5 judges and the World Championships would continue with 5. But at World Cup and professional events 3 judges were considered sufficient if wished.

Jaret Llewellyn on behalf of several of the skiers had submitted a suggested set of values for tricks. There were additional points for "blind" landings, handle passes, etc…

It was agreed to take the proposal to the site and seek the opinion of skiers during this Championships.

At a later meeting it was agreed that the list as submitted would be re-presented by the Athletes in a format that clearly showed all the existing points and the proposed points. Further athlete consultation would be undertaken by the AC and then the TC would re-discuss.

A wake trick at the start of the pass is gaining the skiers probably half a rotation. The TC had no solution to this problem and feel it is more important to get the judging standards more up to par in which case some of the pre turn issues would be picked up on.

Agreed to stay with existing rules.

The organiser allowed skiers to do more than 6 flips at the event. Some skiers felt their scores would be put on the ranking list, but this cannot happen as the rules were more generous to the skiers than the IWSF requirements. It was noted that such rules changes should published well in advance and if the organizer wishes that event to be L or R, the exception must be specifically authorized by the IWSF TC through the Chairman as an allowed experimental rule.

Suggested by AA that if a trick score changes as a result of video review the team representative should be immediately advised. Not agreed, because all feel it is the responsibility of the Team Captain to maintain a presence in the scoring area whilst the sheets are under review.

However, it was agreed that a notice should be posted to the effect that some scores are under review and naming which skiers. This can be done by marking the posted results or by separate notice. Add to Rule 6.04

Proposal from AWSA to change back to the slalom gate rule of 2 years ago. The TC agreed not to change the slalom gate rule.

Agreed to make the use of 55m buoys in slalom mandatory.

Request from AWSA to allow skiers to shorten before maximum speed. The TC viewed this as an administration rule that is allowed under the existing rules. However, for ranking list purposes, no score on short line should be recorded until the skier has completed the maximum speed for his division.

Suggestion from AWSA that skiers be allowed to throw the handle before any pass in slalom for reasons acceptable to the judges. Not agreed.

Agreed to make the 210m buoy mandatory for the 2002 season. With effect from 60 days of posting.

Suggestion from AWSA to eliminate the "Normal" timing chart and use the fast second segment only. Not agreed.

The Athletes commission had put forward a suggestion to have a universal ramp. Subsequently a number of athletes have signed a petition against it. It is therefore not an agreed suggestion from the athletes and would not be discussed at this meeting. The AC requested to come back with further ideas if thought necessary.

On a proposal from the AC it was agreed to allow the optional use of Spectra ropes on a trial basis. This would not prevent scores for Record and Ranking List Homologation. The organisers would need to supply both ropes (Spectra plus 80 strand).

A suggestion had been received that end of course video be implemented for jump. Chief Judges should be advised to check boat path in jumping very carefully and to be aware of the problems that can occur. Experimental video will be taken if possible for analysis by the TC.

A requirement for the jump ramp to be waxed with proper paraffin wax will be added to the homologation requirements.

The TC accepted a record application from Nicholas LeForestier (FRA) for 12120 which has been checked and ratified. The score submitted was higher but there was an issue concerning timing which has subsequentially been resolved.

An overall record cannot be approved until such time as each individual event element is approved if that individual element is in itself a record.

The only records kept for Junior / Under 21 skiers are those set at World Championships in those age categories.

The records are known as World Junior Championship Records and so on…..

Slalom Gates - the TC agreed to allow video review at normal speed, slow motion or frame by frame in order to get the right score.

If the two gate judges are still split after review the Chief Judge will review the tape and make the casting decision. Agreed.

The TC agreed to incorporate the American rule on the prescribed size ratio of the gate buoys on the TV screen which is 1/6^th of the full width of the screen minimum with 1/3^rd recommended.

Camera in the boat for slalom. Rule 17.03 Optional Slalom Judging method. A camera feed from the boat may be used and be monitored on the tower by another judge who will advise the CJ if he disagrees with the event judges decision. In which case the CJ will ask the event judges to review. This is a separate optional rule and may be used with 3 or 5 judges or need not be used at all.

The TC wished to establish which factors can be changed by skiers and which by the drivers and what is fixed before the competition starts and what issues might change during it.

It was agreed to have a chart published each year that set out these parameters and was based on the EAME idea. Bob Corson will work with the manufacturers on getting this established for each new version of speed control.

The Homologation rules are quite clear and state the homologator must be on site for the duration of an event. If this does not occur then the rules are not being followed.

It is the duty of each skier to report to the Chief Judge during the competition if he believes the rules are not being followed or adhered to.

The Akita organisers had asked for an overall competition, which cut the medals down from 18 available to 6 available. In future the TC believes there should be event medals as well as overall medals.

The IWSF EB had given full support to the World Games, but some members of the Tournament Council were not certain of the benefit of the Games given the lack of press coverage.

Proposal from AWSA to remove the need for backup timing in slalom and jump. This based on the premise that speed control is doing the timing and if the Speed control time is wrong (even if another timing system says it is good) then the tournament equipment (speed control) has failed (either to operate or to operate properly) and the pass should be rerun.

The TC agreed to reword the rules to be altered to say in the case of using speed control no back up time is required. We do need to leave the existing rules in place to cover manual driving.

Suggestion from AWSA that handle measurement be done after the skier has skied. Not agreed.

Ron Fergusson gave information on ideas to encourage the participation of new countries to the World Championships. It was feared some countries did not send teams as they could not win a medal and the AA Region felt some encouragement might be offered. There was nothing at this stage for the TC to do.