The latest updates from Australian Sailing's General Manager – Queensland – Annie Watson

Please click this link to find a copy of all past Queensland General Managers Updates.

This month, Grant and the team of Queensland Coaches delivered our regional coaching clinic at Whitsunday Sailing Club and from all reports it was three days of the participants honing their skills and having a great time.

Alison is heading to Central Queensland to present the Sail CQ Series winners with their medals after the final regatta in the series the Keppel Bay May Day regatta at the end of this month.  She is also completing our three Discover Centre reviews in the region.

13 teams contested the SEQ School Team Sailing Championships with Iona College coming out on top ensuring selection to represent Queensland at the National Championships held in South Australia in July.  Congratulations to the team.

Qld Sailing Summit

Not long now until the 2023 Queensland Sailing Summit.  There will be something for everyone in the sessions and President Alistair Murray and CEO Ben Houston will be in attendance. We have a great panel of Louise Davis IRO, Greg Kemp RJ and Chris Morgan NEA to talk about the benefits of having qualified officials at your club.  They will answer any questions about officiating including the new Race Officer training. https://www.sailing.org.au/news/release-of-race-officer-training/

Refreshments are provided and we very much encourage all clubs and class associations to have a representative attend and in particular, if you are new to the committee to also attend.

Action Item/s for Club:

• Register to attend today: https://www.sailing.org.au/events/172509/

Training in Focus – Live

The 2023 Training in Focus - Live events will provide a great opportunity for Instructors, Discover Sailing Centre Principles and Training administrators to receive hands-on learning via workshops, practical on water activities, the opportunity to try a new discipline such as windsurfing, SUPs or Foiling and of course, plenty of time to share ideas and best practice amongst peers.

Accredited Instructors who attend the Training in Focus – Live events this year, will automatically have their qualifications extended for a further 12 months, assisting to further remove the barriers to reaccreditation.

Action Item/s for Club:

• Make a day of this professional development opportunity for your full instructor team: Register today: https://www.sailing.org.au/events/177350/

Queensland Event Calendar

Just a little reminder to check that your upcoming special events are in the Queensland Event Calendar for the new season.

This calendar is driven by you, and for you, so please take the time to check the calendar and make any adjustments as necessary.

Don’t forget, Class Associations have a link to see the calendar. Hopefully this will help them make decisions about holding their events in conjunction with an already existing event or choose an area and club that is not busy on their preferred weekend.

By adding your event to the calendar it will also stop the possibility of events clashing in your region.

If you have misplaced the calendar link so that you can add your events, please get in touch.

Action Item/s for Club:

• Add your special events to the Queensland Event Calendar https://www.sailing.org.au/qld/qld-events-calendar/

Mitch Kennedy heads up QAS

Having previously represented the Australian Sailing Team (AST) internationally in the ILCA 7 class for several years, Mitch Kennedy is returning to his coaching roots as the State Performance Pathway Manager – QLD within the Performance Pathways Team..

https://www.sailing.org.au/news/former-world-champion-mitch-kennedy-performance-pathways-team/

Queensland Trailable Yacht Championships

Tourism Whitsundays CEO, Rick Hamilton, is thrilled to see another successful Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing well underway, with 100 entries already received. The Queensland Trailable Yacht Championships are once again being held in conjunction with this event.  https://www.sailing.org.au/news/airlie-beach-race-week-2023-early-entries-reach-100/

Action Item/s for Club:

• Encourage your members with trailable yachts to enter this regatta

Race Management Activity Days

Australian Sailing have received some funding from the Queensland State Government to run a pilot program for Officials. The aim is to find ways to highlight the roles in race management at club/entry level and provide opportunities for people who have never participated in this type of activity before.

Participants will attend a day at a Club where a regional or national race officer will provide some information and then will guide the participants in gaining some practical experience in a live racing environment. Participants can have a taste of what is involved and, if they enjoyed a certain role/responsibility, they could follow up by finalizing their knowledge and completing the specific Australian Sailing online learning/certification (which ties in with the new Australian Sailing Race Officials program strategy). This will encourage a different means of involvement in sailing in the community - not as an athlete, but as a volunteer.

New Race Officer Information: https://www.sailingresources.org.au/officials_home/race-officers/

We are looking for five (5) clubs across Queensland to take advantage of this pilot program.  If your club is interested, please complete the Expression of Interest form https://www.sailing.org.au/events/184777/  Closes 10^th May

The clubs selected will need to provide a dry training space for the information session, lunch for the participants and facilitators, and enough spaces in the race management team and on water support team so are they are part of the program and promotion of the event to all members.

Any questions on the above topics please contact the General Manager - QLD, Annie Watson at annie.watson@sailing.org.au You can find a fill list of Australian Sailing Contacts – here.