1 Welcome to Royal Thames Yacht Club RYA Racing Conference 2006 Chris Atkins Chairman, RYA Racing Committee

2 Purposes of Today To enjoy yourselves, and help us! –be informal, be creative! To update you on RYA Racing’s 2006 initiatives –and highlight the work of specialist committees To establish RYA Racing priorities for 2007 –to set the agenda and identify issues & initiatives –how can we best help clubs and classes? –how can we serve sailors & support & reward volunteers? To widen the net for new members of RYA Racing Committees

3 Today’s Agenda 11.45Introduction 11.55Audience Introductions 12.20Racing Committee Report & Policy Discussion 12.40Presentations and Q&A for Specialist Groups –Race Management Group - Youth Steering Group –Judges & Umpires Group 13.20Lunch 13.55Discussion Groups –Club Racing: Class & Handicap- Supporting volunteers better –Open meeting & champs racing- “Club Pro” –UK Racing: current strengths - Free thinking good ideas & weaknesses 15.00Tea 15.30Presentations and Q&A for Specialist Groups –Racing Rules Committee- Match Racing Group –Team Racing Group- Offshore Group 16.15Discussion Groups present back & open forum 17.15Wrap up (17.30 End)

4 RYA Racing Department Committee Operation Sailors Clubs Classes Volunteers Specialist Groups RYA Racing Committee Make racing “better” Attract more people into racing Retain people longer; increase participation RulesJudges & Umpires Race Management Match RacingTeam RacingOffshoreYouthInternationalOlympic & Paralympic

5 RYA Racing Department Committee Alignment

6 Today’s Agenda 11.45Introduction 11.55Audience Introductions 12.20Racing Committee Report & Policy Discussion 12.40Presentations and Q&A for Specialist Groups –Race Management Group - Youth Steering Group –Judges & Umpires Group 13.20Lunch 13.55Discussion Groups –Club Racing: Class & Handicap- Supporting volunteers better –Open meeting & champs racing- “Club Pro” –UK Racing: current strengths - Free thinking good ideas & weaknesses 15.00Tea 15.30Presentations and Q&A for Specialist Groups –Racing Rules Committee- Match Racing Group –Team Racing Group- Offshore Group 16.15Discussion Groups present back & open forum 17.15Wrap up (17.30 End)

7 Racing Committee 2006 Review 2007 Plans

Initiative Handicap Racing Club racing and major open events Fairness, enjoyment and encouragement Boat and personal Standard, average lap, pursuit Portsmouth Yardstick –empirical system: how average sailor sailing boat at average club performs –encourages localisation; guidance on all types –need simpler & wider communication –encourage and empower local variation –fairer initial handicap: pro-active RYA process? –major event returns

Initiative Club Professionals Improving quality of service to club members –Training power boat drivers –Running basic sailing courses –Training race officers –Co-ordinating club sailing events –Race management –Sailing instructions –Coaching: youth sailors; club members –Managing club fleets and support boats –Managing other club facilities / resources –Chandlery / boat repair service

Initiatives RYA Racing Charter Well received but needs more promotion Single protest form for all types of hearing Training of judges in new hearings Major event adoption Umpired fleet racing?????

Initiative Race Officials Conference Combined conference for all Race Officials (March) Safety Serving competitors Becoming a better Race Official Major events and 2012 –opportunities & obligations –Race Official appointment system

Initiative Towards 2012 Rob Andrews, Events Manager –Attracting major events to UK David Campbell-James, Race Officials Education –Training & education

Plans Dinghy Sailing Show Club Pro Launch Club Racing: Optimising Handicap & Fleet racing

Possibles Build on strengths, build action plan for weaknesses Volunteers Open meetings and championships: guidance and best practices Class support

Possibles What are we missing?