Laser Update: Will the Laser Change its Name to ILCA?

Will the Laser Change its Name to ILCA? This is the question that many Laser sailors have in mind these days, as the future of the boat as an Olympic class depends on the ability of the Laser class to sign an Olympic contract with World Sailing by August 1.

Update: ILCA will address sailors at the Master Europeans in Spain tomorrow Thursday. "ILCA must move forward very soon with an important rule change vote" reads the announcement (see caption below)

Video of the meeting was pubished by EurILCA -- https://www.facebook.com/eurilca/videos/673540879758190/ -- it features not only Eric Faust from ILCA but also Jean-Luc Michon from EurILCA and several other class officers and sailors. According to Faust, World Sailing has informed them that the parties are still too far from an agreement, and that a rule change vote is required.

The scenario that has been contemplated for months, if not years, by the international Laser class ILCA, is to change the name and logo for the boat, with the aim of avoiding being subject to the Laser trademarks that are controlled by LaserPerformance / Velum.

Changing the name of the boat and the bylaws of the international Laser class ILCA requires a vote, and the leadership of the class has indicated in recent statements that they would call for a vote if the name change scenario is decided upon.

Remember, a premature name change was announced on April 25, with "ILCA" as new name of the boat. We had previously announced the name, which could be found in several trademark databases.

World Sailing promptly reacted to the April 25 announcement by the Laser class by indicating it had neither pre-approved nor endorsed the name change.

Around May 4th, the international Laser class ILCA retroactively modified its April 25th statement and it indicated then:

"ILCA emphasizes that a vote of the members will be conducted before the changeover will be official."

Update: Shortly after we published this piece, ILCA posted this:
"ILCA must move forward very soon with an important
rule change vote"
The strict minimum duration to get a vote completed on a change to the Laser Class Rules and Constitution is one month. In fact, for a change of the constitution, a 6 months postal ballot is in principle needed.

As the deadline set by World Sailing to get the Laser class to sign an Olympic contract is in principle August 1st, there are just 10 days left for the Laser class to launch a vote.

Note that for both the class rules and the constitution, a highly challenging two third majority of the current 14,000 membership is needed.

If the laser class does not launch a vote to change the class rules and constitution by the end of June, it means that the Laser will very likely keep its name.

And then one would need to wait for another month to find out if the parties, including LaserPerformance, ILCA and World Sailing, were able to agree on FRAND terms and on an Olympic contract.

Of course, the 2024 Olympics are five years away, and it may be possible that World Sailing will relax its self-imposed deadline for an Olympic contract to be signed by August 1st of this year.

If an Olympic contract is not signed, the Laser class will not be bound to conform to a FRAND agreement, as this is presently only required by World Sailing for Olympic classes.

See our previous coverage, including:

Laser Update: ILCA Blames LP for Lack of Progress; Petition Asks for the Resignation of ILCA's Leadership

Europeans Outline Way Forward for the Laser Class

Laser Kumbaya: One Week After 

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