PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Welcome to the March edition of Groundswell.

Youth Sailing Foundation

The Youth Sailing Foundation (YSF) provides an important foundation for our young sailors to nurture their skill set. After a slow start due to covid related delays the Foundation is now starting to meet some of its anticipated objectives.

The YSF team represented CYCSA at the Victorian Sailing League final held in Geelong in January 2023. The team comprising of Carter Baker, Sailor and Murphy Cowen and Sophie Ward, together with coach Maddy Salter, won the Under 22 division (notwithstanding our oldest crew member having just turned 16) and the team came second overall for the regatta. The team did South Australia and our Club proud and I congratulate each and every one of the sailors. Thank you also to sponsors Jason Ward, Geoff Boettcher, and Musto for assisting in the cost of getting the team to Geelong. This team will compete in the Sailing Championship League: Asia Pacific Final to be held in Sydney in May 2023. We wish the team all the best in their endeavours.

I am also pleased to report that the YSF has had 560 Elliott 7s programme participants in the six months to December 2022 in various operations and programmes.

The Club is currently negotiating club partnership programs with various off the beach clubs throughout South Australia. It is pleasing to report that to date we have signed two such agreements, one with the Adelaide Sailing Club and just recently the Largs Bay Sailing Club.

Strategic Plan

The Board has resolved to undertake an update of its strategic plan to assist the Club in chartering its way over the next five years with a view to improving the way we do things and assisting in fulfilling our Club’s clear vision.

A committee comprising Commodore Nick Bice, Adam Hays, Greg Allison and Sally Ann Geddes will present to the Board a draft version of the plan where it will be reviewed and considered. The draft plan will then be presented at the March Members Information Session where the plan and its implementation will be discussed with members. The strategic plan will ensure the Club will be relevant for the future with a clear and sustainable road map for current and future Boards to embrace and to ensure the objectives are met. The plan will also consider the ongoing issues of aging infrastructure and will encompass the building masterplan to ensure we are continually improving and updating all assets of the Club.

I am excited about this initiative and look forward to presenting it and seeking engagement, commentary and ownership from members in March 2023.

Social Activities

This is an exciting year for all members of the Club being our Jubilee year. It’s been 50 years since the Club’s inception and indeed the Club has come a long way since those formative years. We have a series of social events scheduled as part of our 50 year celebrations including but not limited to -

• A luncheon with a special invite to all Foundation Members, past and present Board and Association members and active volunteers of the Club.

• Black tie dinner for all supporters of the Club held in conjunction with the Commodore’s Dinner.

• Exhumation of the time capsule to be held in May 2023. Socially the Club continues to host great events providing members an opportunity to mingle and create new friends. Since our last report the following events were well attended by members and guests alike -

• Australia Day celebrations

• Christmas drinks for Board, Flag Officers and Association members

• Ongoing weekly members draw continues to be a popular feature of our weekly social activity with great numbers fronting up each Thursday for an opportunity to win the jackpot and also have a drink and meal with friends.

Australian Etchells Championship

The CYCSA hosted the Australian Etchells Championships from Sunday 8 January to 12 January 2023. The event was highly successful and gave the Club an opportunity to showcase our wonderful facilities to competitive sailors from across the nation. The overall winner of the championship was global sailing legend John Bertrand who thoroughly enjoyed our facilities and his time at the Club. Congratulations to John and his team and to all sailors who participated in the regatta. My personal thanks also goes to all the CYCSA staff and volunteers who put in many hours of effort to ensure that the event ran smoothly and was enjoyed by all.

Dominic Rinaldi