Mary, I was thinking about boxing (and other martial arts), where there are a lot of different 'World' titles. Clearly, nobody owns the "World" titles there. Peculiar that ISAF takes this position, as you say, but a great way to stiffle any alternatives to ISAF. What would happend if NAMSA put on a worlds? All sailors participating ousted from all ISAF event from there on? If businesses operated the same way..
Come to think about it, what about the racing rules? ISAF governs those, but do they own them as well?

I think the 18 foot skiffs had the right attitude on 'governing' bodies

Sorry for hijacking the thread Wouter.