Performance Sailcraft Australia (PSA), part of the Performance Marine Group, has been reinstated as an International Laser Class Association (ILCA) builder.
The reinstatement follows an order by the High Court of New Zealand which has determined that ILCA may not take any steps to implement its purported termination of its agreement with PSA, and also must reinstate PSA to its list of approved builders.
The court has also ordered ILCA to release a statement to this effect.
“Pending a Court’s final decision on the International Laser Class Association’s (ILCA) 27 August 2025 termination of its 9 April 2024 agreement with Performance Sailcraft Australia (PSA), the Court has prohibited ILCA from taking any steps to implement that termination.
“Pending that decision, PSA continues as an ILCA-approved Builder under the ILCA Class Rules. ILCA’s 28 August 2025 announcement to the contrary is to be disregarded.”
Unlawful withdrawal
ILCA announced it was revoking PSA’s status as an approved builder earlier in 2025 stating it was protecting the one-design integrity of the class.
PSA subsequently initiated legal proceedings saying the withdrawal was unlawful.
In a statement, PSA said it was pleased to have been reinstated.
The company said it has been building laser and ILCA dinghies using moulds and tooling approved by the designer Bruce Kirby since 1998.
“PSA upholds the one-class design principle that is so important to Laser-class racing by making dinghies that are identical to the original design, and which powered Ben Ainslie to gold in the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
Approved builder status
“PSA remains extremely concerned about ILCA’s conduct, including its attempt to prevent PSA from continuing as an Approved Builder, and intends to vigorously pursue legal action against ILCA to vindicate these rights.”
PSA has previously said that it received new moulds supplied by ILCA in November 2024 which its technical representatives identified were ‘shorter and materially different from those built under the original licensec Bruce Kirby tooling’.
ILCA has responded to the latest court decision saying it ‘remains committed to protecting the values that define our class and ensuring that ILCA sailors continue to enjoy fair, competitive, one-design racing around the world’.
The association says it will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
