April 10, 2019
"Laser" will change the name!
The scandal between the International Laser Class Association (ILCA) and Laser Performance (Europe) Limited, the largest producer of yachts of this class, continues to grow.
Recall that at the end of March, the ILCA made an official statement: the International Association ceases any cooperation with Laser Performance and urgently seeks to replace it with someone. It was stressed: this decision was made due to the fact that the company refused to allow ILCA inspectors to its shipyard. This violated the terms of the agreement with the ILCA, which ensured the identity of the “Laser” class vessels.
All subsequent days, the International Association and Laser Performance exchanged such poignant statements that it soon became clear: both sides are more than determined, and there can be no compromise between them.
It should be borne in mind that Laser Performance (Europe) Limited, located in the UK, is not just the “largest manufacturer” of yachts of this class. It is almost a monopolist, since the company owns 85 percent (!) Of the world market. According to some reports, it has built 215,000 yachts!
Before the outbreak of the conflict, Laser Performance had rights granted by the same ILCA to the production and sale of Lasers and their accessories all over the world. The only exceptions were 4 countries – Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea. In addition, it so happened that Laser Performance owns the commercial rights to a brand called "Laser" in the world (with the exception of the same four countries).
And now – a complete break of cooperation. ILCA, as already mentioned, is urgently looking for someone to replace the former partner, who has now become the main enemy. Moreover: in words expressing the hope that sometime in the future it would be nice to sign a new agreement with Laser Performance, ILCA is trying to annoy companies to the maximum.
So, the International Association announced that it intends to change the name of the class – so that in the near future only the yachts of such a new name will take part in official regattas. At the same time, “Lasers”, released before a certain period, will have the right to participate in such regattas, but new ones, built by Laser Performance after the break with ILCA, will not.
In other words, it turns out that there will be two classes of … identical yachts! Could one recently believe in something like that? And how events will develop further?
We will follow.
254 April 10, 2019 # 8912
Chief Editor
