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

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

CEO Ben Houston joined us in Queensland for a week of meetings and club visits. It was excellent to spend time with him and we covered a lot of ground and spoke about how we all have a part to play make the AS Strategic Plan a reality.    

Ben and I also attended the QSport Awards that were held at the Brisbane Convention centre where 700 people celebrated the stars of Queensland Sport.  Sailing was represented by Breanne Wadley from Tinaroo Sailing Club, Michael Robinson from Keppel Bay Sailing Club, Guy Morton from Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and Colin Verrall from Hervey Bay Sailing Club.   

Congratulations to Colin Verrall from Hervey Bay Sailing Club for being recognised for the Service to Sport Award.  It was wonderful to celebrate the win Colin and his wife Sandra. He had a cracker speech (which many people came up and acknowledged) and he also got to meet the Governor General.  It was a fabulous evening. 

Yachting Queensland had it’s first meeting after the AGM and Kerry Noyes from Southport Yacht Club has been re-elected as President.  We look forward to working with the board in the coming year. 

The Queensland Team have been busy this month:  

• Our Tackers boat and trailer have been taken to Central Queensland for Port Curtis Sailing Club to make a start with the Tackers program over this summer and to help Keppel Bay Sailing Club manage their very popular and oversubscribed courses this summer.  

• Alison got the North Brisbane Clubs together for a networking meeting where they discussed many different subjects that included RevSport Data Security, 2032 Olympics, becoming a National Equipment Auditor. 

• Next year the Uni Games and School Team Sailing are coming to Queensland. These are both big events with venues just about confirmed. 

• South Brisbane Sailing Club is becoming a Discover Sailing Centre.  Congratulations to the Management committee for seeing the benefits of being a DSC.  If your club is interested, we would be happy to talk to you about the advantages and how you can make it work for your club. 

• We held our final Coaching Clinic for the year at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron as part of Sail Brisbane.  Thanks to those that attended and to the coaches for their time and expertise. 

• Our extended team celebrated a successful year over some tapas.  It was great to chat about our results and what our plans are for next year. 

Here are a couple of Club News items that we think you should be talking about at your club: 

Get your instructors ready for the Learn to Wing program   

The learn to wing instructor endorsement will launch early 2023. The format of the instructor endorsement will be a simple online course and can be undertaken by any current instructor in either the dinghy or windsurfing programs, it will be free to complete. 

News | Australian Sailing 

Action Item/s for Club: 

• Decide if your DSC will include foiling 

Becoming a Discover Sailing Centre 

Being a Discover Sailing Centre is not all about Tackers, but learning to sail.  You can run the powerboat handling and safety boat operator courses for your volunteers when you need to.  You can set your own prices and we help you every step of the way and support you when you need it.   

The Standards and Guidelines will give you the nuts and bolts – have a read and see what you need:  

Action Item/s for Club: 

• Give Grant, Alison or I a call to arrange a meeting with your committee 

Share your hopes and dreams for Brisbane 2032 

The Brisbane 2032 Legacy Plan will define how the Queensland Government take advantage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games platform to drive opportunities that ensure lasting benefits before, during and after the Games. And they want your help to develop the Brisbane 2032 Legacy Plan. 

Have your say and share your hopes and dreams for ideas that could be achieved or delivered sooner because we’re hosting Brisbane 2032. 

Share your hopes and dreams now. The survey closes on 3 March 2023. 

Incredible things will happen when the world’s best athletes and billions of eyes converge on Queensland and Australia.  

Hosting the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games is an opportunity to deliver lasting benefits to our state over the next 20 years – 10 years to the Games and 10 years after. 

Action Item/s for Club: 

• Send the link to your members asking them to complete the survey 

For those of you competing at Nationals over the summer, enduring the Sydney Hobart or attending Sail Paradise at Southport Yacht Club, Grant, Alison and I wish you fair winds and plenty of speed on the water. 

Grant and I will be on Annual Leave from 14th December and Alison will be in the office until 22nd December, with all of us back on deck from 9th January. Wishing you all a happy and safe festive season. 

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.