FISAC-IRSF History 1995 - 2011
Rope skipping or jump rope has been practised by people for centuries but only evolved into an organised sport in the late 1970’s when Richard Cendali of Boulder, Colorado first developed rope skipping as a fun, physical activity and then into a competitive sport. The first organisation to promote rope skipping as a sport was the “International Rope Skipping Organisation” (IRSO) founded by Richard Cendali which was essentially an American organisation with two non Americans on the Board of Directors who were elected by the US members. This organisation split in the early 1990’s with a new organisation, the “World Rope Skipping Federation” (WRSF) being formed in competition to the IRSO.
In 1995 at a Tournament in Santa Clara, the USAJRF representatives announced that they were going to form a new world organisation with the support of the US Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) which had strong connections with the US rope skipping organisation at the time. Some representatives from other interested countries were concerned that the US would try to dominate any new world organisation and lobbied hard to make a new organisation that was truly international in scope and representation.
Following a rather rushed meeting in New York in February 1996 at which none of the concerned international representatives were present a formation meeting was scheduled for San Francisco in August 1996. Countries represented at this foundation meeting were Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden (representing the European Rope Skipping Organisation, ERSO), Australia, USA, Canada and Hungary.
A draft constitution and the name “Federation Internationale de saut a la Corde” (FISAC) were adopted. By-laws were discussed and adopted and the organisation was up and running under the Presidency of Mr Eric de Boever of Belgium, Vice –President: Greg Bannerman (Australia) Secretary: Geert Hoste (Belgium), Treasurer: Jean Hodges (USA) Advisors: Josh Henson and Nancy Bell (AAU) and Board members Kajsa Murmark (Sweden), Eric Herber (Netherlands) and Richard Cendali (USA). Two of the countries present at this formation meeting were not accepted as full members , at the time there were two different organisations or groups in each of these two countries vying for membership. Canada and Hungary were told to sort out their local situations and to come back to FISAC with one National organisation before they could be granted full membership. After much discussion, and some time this did happen. Canada, in 2000 under a combined federation (CRSF) and then Hungary four years later, both finally took their place as full members.
To help the new organisation establish itself, a World Championship event was scheduled to be held in Sydney, the 1st - Australia in 1997. Rules were developed and adopted and these still form the basis of our current rules of competition. Eight countries competed, some under the FISAC flag as at that time they were not full members (USA, South Korea, Sweden, Hungary, Belgium, Canada, Denmark and the host Australia).
Although it was a relative small event with 120 skippers in attendance it proved to be successful and set the tone and guidelines for future events. Competition was held for teams and individuals with an early version of what later became the Masters event based on a competition developed by Bob Berry of the Juneau Jumpers in Alaska.
In 2001 Mr. Ronald Kappert (Canada) became the new President, and FISAC under his guidance was reconstituted and incorporated in Montreal, Canada. The English translation “International Rope Skipping Federation” (IRSF) and an official colour logo was designed and later added to the charter and letters patent. Under this new constitution, Continental Organisations were formalised and developed in Pan-Am, Asia, Europe and Oceania tasked to further develop rope skipping in their respective regions, to hold competitions and coaching and training activities.
An African Continental organisation is currently being developed under the leadership of South Africa. The President or Chairperson of these Continental Organisations automatically sits on the FISAC Board as vice-presidents.
Over the following years tournaments have been held in many different parts of the world as FISAC continued to grow. In the off or odd years, the five continental Organizations hold their own Championships
2nd - 1999 St Louis, USA
NOTE: Due to the high cost of travel at the time, it was decided to split the Team and Masters competitions over two years but it was resolved after one cycle to hold all championships in the same year (the biennial even years)
3rd - 2001 South Korea - Masters
4th - 2002 Gent, Belgium (Teams only)
5th - 2004 Gold Coast, Australia
6th - 2006 Toronto, Canada
7th - 2008 Cape Town, South Africa
8th - 2010 Loughborough, United Kingdom
During this time attendance at world championships has grown to over 1200 in Loughborough with country membership to 21 full members with several provisional members awaiting full membership.