General Manager – Queensland Monthly Update December 2023

Published Wed 20 Dec 2023

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

General Update

As I reflect on the year of 2023, I find that Queensland has had an extraordinary year. You, our clubs, have held over 450 courses that introduced over 2800 people to sailing. You’ve held an impressive amount of club races, regional competitions, state titles and National Championships. You’ve done fundraisers, upskilled your volunteers, held fun social events and kept your community safe and happy. Alison, Grant and I have been proud to support you this year. We know that every member inquiry, every club revSPORT question, every event we attend, or club visit we make all adds up and we hope that our support creates a healthy growth in our sport and help you with providing quality experiences for our new and existing members so we get more people on the water, in more ways, more often.

Some highlights from 2023 to celebrate:

Three new clubs became affiliated with Australian Sailing
Mitch Kennedy became the Head Coach for Queensland
We finally got the fixed marks installed in Moreton Bay
We celebrated our community at the Queensland Sailing Awards
Keppel Bay Sailing Club and Humpybong Yacht Club both won the National Award for Club of the Year
Mara Stransky won the National Female Sailor of the Year
Ian and Annika Thomson won the National Sustainability Award and also took out the Queensland Innovation Award
Brieana Whitehead got selected to the Olympic Team to represent Australia in the Kite Foiling discipline.
David Brooks has been selected to the Race Management Team for the Paris 2024 Olympics

We are already looking forward to another year of working with clubs and classes and to assist with your planning for 2024, here are the key dates for the events we recommend you attend.

Sailing Summit
Southport Yacht Club
Main Beach
13th June 2024

Training in Focus
Southport Yacht Club
Oxenford
28th July 2024

Queensland Sailing Awards
Southport Yacht Club
Main Beach
5th August 2024

Zhik Youth Sail Queensland
Keppel Bay Sailing Club
16th-21st September 2024

Action Item/s for Club:

Make sure you add these dates to your club calendar
Add these events to your next committee meeting agenda and discuss who will attend
Talk to your youth sailors about attending Zhik Youth Sail Queensland
Add Youth Sail Queensland to your next committee meeting agenda to discuss how you can help Keppel Bay SC

Expressions of Interest to host the 2024 & 2025 Queensland Yachting Championships and the 2024 & 2025 Trailable Yacht Championships

Does your club want to hold the Queensland Yachting Championships or the Queensland Trailable Yacht Championships for 2024 & 2025?

The Queensland Yachting Championships is the premier IRC regatta in Queensland. The event is over a weekend and can attract anywhere between 10 and 30 boats.

The Queensland Trailable Yacht Championships is held over a weekend and can attract up to 20 boats.

Action Item/s for Club:

Please complete the Expression of Interest form prior to 31st January 2024 if you would like to host either of these events

https://www.sailing.org.au/events/218216/

Participation Workshops

The Participation Workshops that Australian Sailing introduced in 2023 have now been tried and tested several times with individual clubs or as a region cluster. We are happy to report the workshops have been very well received, with clubs reporting back how valuable they found the process.

Action Item/s for Club:

Contact either Alison or Grant to book a time early next year.

Australian Sailing Youth Squad

In 2023 Australian Sailing launched our inaugural Youth Squad, which is a program of training and learning via coaching and webinars that prepares youth sailors for international competition in a squad environment.

The intent of the Youth Squad is to allow more sailors (in larger squads) to access quality coaching and work together towards competing internationally. It also provides Australian Sailing a greater opportunity to provide supplementary coaching support (both in the lead-up to and at Class Youth World Championships).

https://www.sailing.org.au/news/australian-sailing-youth-squad-preparing-for-success/

Action Item/s for Club:

Add this article to your club newsletter so all your members are aware of how the Youth Squad works

Have your Say!

Australian Sailing is seeking feedback on how we can visually represent our sport effectively in a concise, one-page format through the development of a 'Sailing Participant Pathway.' 

Action Item/s for Club:

Add this article to your club newsletter so all your members can have their say

https://www.sailing.org.au/news/survey-the-sailing-participant-pathway-/

Office Closure

Over the break we encourage you to think about how you would like to engage with Australian Sailing in 2024 to help you achieve your plans. We are keen to work more closely with you.

The office will be closed from Thursday 21st December to Sunday 7th January 2024.

Wishing you all a lovely festive season and if you are competing or running a Nationals competition over the Christmas period may your have great weather, sail fast and finish with loads of stories to tell.

Australian Sailing Pulse Survey

Your opinion matters. The Pulse Survey is your opportunity to provide live feedback as and when you desire. The responses will be checked regularly and a summary provided direct to the AS Senior Leadership Team and Board of Directors - Complete the Survey

Contact

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.

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