FISAC-IRSF History: 1995-present
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 the first truly international rope skipping organization in both scope and representation
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 founding FISAC Board of Directors consisting of President, 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 2000 Ron Kappert was elected President (2000-2011). FISAC under his guidance was reconstituted and incorporated in Montreal, Canada, and the English translation “International Rope Skipping Federation” (IRSF) was added to the name. Additionally, an official colour logo was designed and later added to the bylaws and constitution. Under the new constitution “Continental Organisations” were formalized and tasked to further develop rope skipping in their respective regions, by holding competitions, coaching and training initiatives. The originally recognized Continental Organizations Pan America, Oceania and Europe.
The official bid book was developed in 2005 to insure all World Championships would follow the same criteria, and to ensure a world-level event would take place for each FISAC-IRSF World Championship.
Starting in 2008, the African Continental organisation began development under the leadership of South Africa.
FISAC’s 1st international rules committee meeting, with representation from all continental organizations, took place in 2009 in Budapest, Hungary. In addition to discussing the rules, the rule book was also split into three parts: a) Worlds b) Junior c) Judges.
In 2010 the Asian Rope Skipping Federation became officially recognised as a Continental Organization by FISAC-IRSF.
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 only)
* 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
* 9th - 2012 Tampa, USA
* 10th - 2014 Hong Kong, China
* 11th - 2016 Malmo, Sweden
The FISAC-IRSF World Championship has grown every year. At a more recent championship FISAC-IRSF hosted over 1200 (Loughborough, UK) and 21 full nation members and several provisional nation members. Now for the 11th Worlds in Sweden, we have grown to 30 countries, (24 full member countries and 6 provisional member countries) participating.
International Advisory Board
Ron Kappert (Past President)
Honourable Mentions
Rope skipping, or jump rope, has been practised by people for centuries but only evolved into an organised sport in the late 1970s when Richard Cendali of Boulder, Colorado, USA first developed rope skipping as a fun, physical activity, which eventually morphed into a competitive sport.
Honorary Members
Greg Bannerman (2006)
Lorraine Bannerman (2006)
Richard Cendali (2010)
Geert Hoste (2010)
Ron Kappert (2011)
Kajsa Murmark (2012)
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 the first truly international rope skipping organization in both scope and representation
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 founding FISAC Board of Directors consisting of President, 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 2000 Ron Kappert was elected President (2000-2011). FISAC under his guidance was reconstituted and incorporated in Montreal, Canada, and the English translation “International Rope Skipping Federation” (IRSF) was added to the name. Additionally, an official colour logo was designed and later added to the bylaws and constitution. Under the new constitution “Continental Organisations” were formalized and tasked to further develop rope skipping in their respective regions, by holding competitions, coaching and training initiatives. The originally recognized Continental Organizations Pan America, Oceania and Europe.
The official bid book was developed in 2005 to insure all World Championships would follow the same criteria, and to ensure a world-level event would take place for each FISAC-IRSF World Championship.
Starting in 2008, the African Continental organisation began development under the leadership of South Africa.
FISAC’s 1st international rules committee meeting, with representation from all continental organizations, took place in 2009 in Budapest, Hungary. In addition to discussing the rules, the rule book was also split into three parts: a) Worlds b) Junior c) Judges.
In 2010 the Asian Rope Skipping Federation became officially recognised as a Continental Organization by FISAC-IRSF.
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 only)
* 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
* 9th - 2012 Tampa, USA
* 10th - 2014 Hong Kong, China
* 11th - 2016 Malmo, Sweden
The FISAC-IRSF World Championship has grown every year. At a more recent championship FISAC-IRSF hosted over 1200 (Loughborough, UK) and 21 full nation members and several provisional nation members. Now for the 11th Worlds in Sweden, we have grown to 30 countries, (24 full member countries and 6 provisional member countries) participating.
International Advisory Board
Ron Kappert (Past President)
Honourable Mentions
Rope skipping, or jump rope, has been practised by people for centuries but only evolved into an organised sport in the late 1970s when Richard Cendali of Boulder, Colorado, USA first developed rope skipping as a fun, physical activity, which eventually morphed into a competitive sport.
Honorary Members
Greg Bannerman (2006)
Lorraine Bannerman (2006)
Richard Cendali (2010)
Geert Hoste (2010)
Ron Kappert (2011)
Kajsa Murmark (2012)