The EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange Meeting took place last weekend in Athens. Thanks to the professional organisation of the conference by the Hellenic Sailing Federation, the delegates from 25 European national federations were able to concentrate fully on the distribution and allocation of the places for Race Officials at sailing events on the continent.
All in all 148 events in 29 member countries were put on the conference table, starting from national championships and ending up with some of the major events and continental championships. Nearly 250 places had to be filled up; at the end of the meeting about 180 were awarded. The remaining 30% will normally be awarded in the next two weeks.
“We had more MNAs represented and more events entered in the programme than ever before. This clearly shows we are on the right course and there is a real need for the Exchange Programme”, Pinar Coşkuner Genç, EUROSAF Vice President responsible for the Programme, said right after the conference.
A surprise visit
During a joint call to Greek sports federations, the Greek Minister of Sport, Mr George Vasiliades, and the President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, Mr Spyros Kapralos, decided to visit the EUROSAF conference at short notice. Together with two-time Olympic medal winner and Vice-Chair of World Sailing Athletes’ Commission, Sofia Bekatorou, they addressed the conference participants with urgent and positive words.
The opening of the conference was dedicated to Jeff Martin, long standing chairman of the World Sailing Classes Committee, who sadly passed away on January 11. The conference concluded with an invitation by the Hellenic Sailing Federation to a dinner at the Hellenic Yacht Club. Our fond thanks go to them and to the conference participants.