Growing club membership, our new 10-year Strategy and female participation were all on the agenda as Australian Sailing’s Club Conferences toured the country over the past month.

In a welcome return all states were able to host in-person events for the first time since 2019, with the final conference in Melbourne the perfect way to round out the successful series.

Nation-wide, more than 300 club and class representatives came together to network, share stories and hear from Australian Sailing about a variety of key topics, including club pathways and best practices for safety and integrity. 

2022 NSW Club Conference room

The events were well received by the representatives in attendance, as they got the opportunity to hear first-hand from as Australian Sailing introduced its new 10-year-strategy, Sailing 2032, and detailing the way in which it affects clubs.

Through this strategy, Australian Sailing confirms its intent as a member-centric organisation, and details our plan to continue supporting clubs and growing the sport of sailing, getting more people on the water, in more ways, more often.

It also specifies a focus on diversity and inclusion, particularly around increasing female participation. SheSails is a key driver of this pillar, regularly showcasing female participation and achievements both on and off the water, as well as delivering resources and educational opportunities to women nation-wide.

Australian Sailing CEO, Ben Houston, says that the positive uptake on the events suggests the success of the strategy in the early stages, as well as that the sailing community is as passionate and committed as ever.

“After two years of largely hosting events like these online it has been so great to get around the country and meet so many club representatives at the Australian Sailing Club Conferences,” said Australian Sailing CEO Ben Houston.

“Our clubs are driven by so many passionate sailors, many of them giving up their weekends to attend these events on top of the many, many hours they contribute to their clubs. It has been so valuable to hear from them face-to-face, as it is their feedback that helps drive what we do at Australian Sailing.”

With the 2022 events now all competed, Australian Sailing will look to incorporate attendee and club feedback and continue the success of the events in 2023 and beyond. 

In the meantime, Australian Sailing urges all club representatives to keep an eye out for an official Coach, Official and Instructor Development Plan, which will assist clubs to grow and further prepare their staffing team. The Plan will be shared on the Club News page of the Australian Sailing website and in our Club News eDM.

Australian Sailing would like to thank the club representatives who gave their time to attend and contribute at the events, as well as the clubs who hosted around the country.

To view past Club Conference presentations, please click here.

2022 NSW Club Conference room