Dear friends,
The holiday season is almost here and I hope you are getting ready for some sailing—be it on water, on snow, or on ice! Before the closing of 2019 I take the opportunity to update you on EUROSAF activities this fall and to announce what awaits you in 2020.
EUROSAF Events
2019 saw the consolidation of all traditional EUROSAF events, including Women, Youth and of course Open Match Race European Championships—held in Ledro, Italy, and in Šibenik, Croatia, for the Open—and also the EUROSAF Parasailing Europeans—held in Gmunden, Austria—under a successful inclusive format. In addition, the second edition of the recently introduced EUROSAF Club Sailing Championship was raced in Ascona, Switzerland.
In 2019 we also launched a new series of events organized in collaboration with classes that, we believe, bring value to sailors, event organizers, and the classes themselves. To the EUROSAF Pirat European Championship—sailed this year in Bayramoğlu, Turkey—, already held every two years alternating with the class Youth Championship, we added the EUROSAF L30 European Championship—sailed in Garda, Italy—and the EUROSAF 420 European Circuit, which included 5 events—Imperia, Italy; Vilamoura, Portugal; Athens, Greece; Marseille, France; and Kiel, Germany—and gave free entry into the 420 European Championship to the top three teams.
Finally, in 2019 we pioneered the EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship following World Sailing guidelines for the future Olympic event and using the L30 OD boat chosen by World Sailing for the 2020 World Championship in Malta. In spite of some teething problems, the event—sailed in Italian, Croatian, and Serbian waters from Venice to Trieste, Italy—was clearly a hit.
A heartfelt thank you to all organizing authorities, club staff, and volunteers, race officials, and of course sailors and their support teams, who were involved with EUROSAF events this year!
Looking forward into 2020, we will convene the same events, plus some novel ones. The EUROSAF Inclusive Parasailing Europeans will be raced in Javea, Spain, from 7 to 9 February. The EUROSAF Open Match Race European Championships will be organized in Ekaterinburg, Russia, from 11 to 15 August; the EUROSAF Women Match Race European Championship in Locarno, Switzerland, from 15 to 18 October; the EUROSAF Youth Match Race European Championship again in Ledro, Italy, from 18 to 21 June. The EUROSAF Club Sailing Championship will be raced on Lake Lipno, Czech Republic, on the same dates.
In addition to the EUROSAF 420 European Cup (formerly Circuit) that comprises 9 events—Oberhofen, Switzerland; Athens, Greece; and Imperia, Italy, already sailed; Palamós, Spain, being sailed just now; Vilamoura, Portugal; Izola, Slovenia; Marseille, France; Csopak, Hungary; and Kiel, Germany—, we have put forward the EUROSAF Inclusive Sailing Cup that includes 5 events sailed in 2.4mR boats—Berlin, Germany; Jesolo, Italy; Attersee, Austria; Travemünde, Germany; and Achensee, Austria. We are working to develop more circuits, as they are an effective way to enhance existing events’ reach, to increase participation, and to bring value to all parties involved without cluttering an overcrowded calendar.
Concerning class championships, the EUROSAF Pirat Youth European Championship will be organized in Germany (dates and place tba) and the EUROSAF L30 European Championship will be sailed in Marseille in August (tbc).
Finally, we will organize the EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship most probably during the week of 15 June (place tba) on L30 OD boats, to also serve as a training ground for national teams preparing for the Worlds in October in Malta and as a possible Continental qualification event.
The bidding process for 2021 events is open; some have already been pre-empted. Come forward if you are interested in hosting one of them!
ESA WP Meeting in Barcelona
Members of the EUROSAF European Sailing Academy Working Party met recently in Barcelona under the hospitality of Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona, organizers of the Barcelona World Race. The main topic was the ESA-WEST project, which received strong shows of interest from the representatives of Barcelona Universities attending the meeting. A tentative date of February 2021 was set, to be confirmed at the beginning of next year.
Good Governance
As announced at the last AGM in Istanbul and previously informed, we have been reviewing the voluntary ASOIF Good Governance Criteria as applicable to EUROSAF and have produced a detailed action plan to improve EUROSAF’s standing. We have started its implementation and will present a new self-assessment at the next AGM in Zagreb on 28 March 2020.
RO Exchange Meeting 2020
The Irish Sailing will host the next EUROSAF Race Officials Exchange Meeting in Dun Laoghaire on 11 January 2020. Make sure your delegate has registered! On top of the RO Exchange there will be presentations about RO training and weather analysis for ROs. The Executive Board will also hold a meeting and discuss with delegates.
Looking forward to your active participation in all this exciting projects, I send you all the best wishes of happiness and success from the EUROSAF Executive Board for the holiday season and beyond, and sailing as much as possible.
Best regards,
Josep M. PLA
President
EUROSAF