PARACHUTING COMMISSION (IPC)

SUBCOMMITTEE FOR FREESTYLE SKYDIVING & SKYSURFING

At the 47th International Parachuting Commission (IPC) Plenary Meeting in Paris, the IPC Subcommittee proposed the acceptance of skysurfing as an official IPC parachuting event. This proposal was accepted. This is a major recognition for skysurfing as an official sport parachuting event. As a consequence, the Subcommittee's name was changed to Subcommittee for Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing.

At the latest World Freestyle Federation (WFF) international competition in Freestyle & Skysurfing in Ampfing, Germany 1995, the issue of so-called "binational teams" was raised by competitors. WFF rules allow for freestyle & skysurf teams to be composed of a freestylist/skysurfer and a freefall videographer of different nationalities. Concerns were expressed that with the acceptance by the IPC of Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing these binational teams would no longer be allowed to compete at World Championships. At the IPC Plenary Meeting this issue was discussed by the Subcommittee, the IPC President and the FAI Secretary General. The FAI rules do not forbid the participation of binational teams in IPC World Championships. The FAI's official policies regarding the definition of a team, citizenship and the right of representation are regulated according to the FAI's Sporting Code, General Section, paragraphs 3.2.3 and 3.7. All participants in IPC international sporting events must be in posession of a valid FAI sporting license issued by their National Aeroclub. Also, international teams may be invited to participate in international sporting events providing that the organising National Aeroclub confirms that vacancies exist.

In view of the present situation in Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing the IPC will agree to the participation of binational teams until the year 2000. This should be interpreted as an interim transition period. After that date, national teams will be required.

At the same meeting the issue of the number of teams permitted from each nation was discussed. Again, a solution was found. The number of teams from one nation is provided for in the Competition Rules. These rules allow for any number of teams to enter a World Cup or World Championships to a maximum as decided by the organiser and announced in the invitation.

The 1996 World Cup of Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing will include an event for the (WFF) category of intermediates. This category will compete using the same competition rules having a revised Addendum-A with modified Compulsory Sequences only. The specific data on this category will be announced in the near future through the respective National Aeroclubs, the organisers of the World Cup and the Subcommittee.

At the Plenary Meeting, Turkey submitted a bid to host the 1996 World Cup in Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing. The venue of this bid is Efes (near Izmir). The proposed entry fee is extremely moderate. This bid was accepted unanimously. The World Cup will be held from August 28 through September 5. The relevant information and entry forms will be sent through the FAI National Aeroclubs or Parachuting Federations.

The IPC Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing Subcommittee would like to underline the importance of dealing with the circumstances of a Skysurfer being liable for damage caused by the release of his surfboard. According to data presently available the liability situation varies from country to country. Liability could be laid on the Skysurfer, the pilot, the owner of the plane or the organiser, or several of them. Furthermore, there is insufficient information on the availability of specific third party liability insurance. The IPC is unable at international level to handle the situation, which must be dealt with at national or even dropzone level. It therefore urges the National Aeroclubs to investigate this issue, and send the Subcommittee a copy of the relevant data. Finally, it would like to advise potential organisers to include advise on this matter in any future skysurfing competition rules.

In the IPC competition rules for Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing the Addendum-A is composed of a pool of five compulsory sequences. These compulsory sequences were selected according to criteria, based on information gathered by the 1995 Ampfing 1995 World Championships questionnaire and input from several top competitors. These criteria are selected on a moderate difficulty level acceptable for a World Championships. The Subcommittee considered criteria such as difficulty, variety, twisting moves, flexibility, orientation (e.g. head down position) and spinning moves. These compulsory sequences will be evaluated in 1996 and at the World Cup in Turkey.

Ronald Overdijk
Chairman
IPC Subcommittee for Freestyle Skydiving & Skysurfing

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