Eamon Robertshaw

In nine short months 15 year-old Eamon Robertshaw (WA) has gone from being a complete novice to one of the most accomplished youth Bic Techno sailboarders in Australia.

Previous experience in the Optimist class won him a grant to help enhance his sailing opportunities enabling him to purchase of his first Techno with assistance from a Yachting Australia scheme to introduce the board into Australia.

After only 12 weeks sail boarding experience he entered the 2009 OAMPS Australian Youth Championships at Mandurah finishing with the amazing score line of 3,3,1,3,3,3,3,3,3,1,1 to finish third overall and in March, whilst recovering from a nasty ankle fracture he was offered a scholarship with the WA Institute of Sport Sailing Team.

In early June he travelled to the Bic Techno 293 Friendship Regatta which combined with the RSX nationals at beautiful Port Stephens in NSW. Attended by international sailors, this was the biggest fleet of Techno 293’s seen so far in Australia. Eamon dominated the fleet winning 6 races and now has his heart set on moving into the RSX aiming at an Olympic campaign.

ISAF has identified the Bic Techno 293 for the windsurfing events at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. The Bic Techno 293 board is the feeder board into the RSX class and has been designed for youth sailors under the age of 17 years.

The Techno class is strong in Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Thailand.

SA GPS Windsurfing - Summer 2009 - results

Final Results for the SA GPS Summer of Speed proudly sponsored by Starboard.

Well done to SAM DOECKE for winning this event. No surprises that he sailed consistently well throughout the summer to take out the event title.

The competition ran from 1 Dec 2008 to 28 Feb 2009. There were 132 sessions posted during that time, with 19 sailors contributing to the competition by submitting their gps tracks. Of these 19 sailors, 9 were current members of Windsurfing SA, so they are eligible to be recorded in the final results.

Locations sailed during this compeition were: Goolwa, Milang, Lake Bonney, Boggy Lake, Murray Mouth, Lake George, Kingston Park, Chicken Shop, Semaphore, Seacliff Park, Christies Beach and Sellicks Beach.

Sessions posted were David Mossop 16, Meta Sindos 14, Sam Doecke 13, Hamish Bubner 10, Anthony Hamood 8, Simon Lahiff 7, Richard Upton 6, Chris Dimond 6, Tim Hemer 5.

Thank you to all who took part in this GPS event.
Seabreeze Forum Topic for more info

At last months Annual General Meeting, Western Australia requested that:
“Affiliation fees be reduced from $3 to $1 per member with a maximum of $200, to allow the states to put more back into the sport at a state level.”

The members at the meeting felt that this change wasn’t appropriate. The ongoing funds surplus is chiefly generated by insurance payments for more members than quoted for the policy. We need to keep that surplus in case the insurer decides to recover an additional levy for that insurance period.

But, there are some surplus funds and they will be re-distributed in the form of a grant for national events.

Strategic Plan/Budget for AWA Expenditure
the AWA Committee generally agreed that

• the AWA was more involved/effective at improvements driven from top (National) down, and that efforts /expenditure direct from AWA was similarly more effective focused on these Top and middle level activities

• grass roots/entry level activities and expenditure were more effectively/efficiently handled at state and local level

• the AWA should target/budget/plan for some modest income (either fee or insurance based) ~ around $3,000/year at current rates/levels

• this money should be re-used to develop/improve the “National” impetus, through support of supplementary funding to (certain specified) expenses within a defined range of National Championships (etc)

General discussion on that was 3-4 classes or disciplines per year, with a general cap on funding of (say) $1,000 per event/discipline, which in turn would be made up of (capped) funding of certain specified individual sub expenses (eg : race officer or director travel expenses, say capped to $300 per event). General underlying principle being this AWA funding to ONLY be available for use in defined expenses aimed at the goal of ongoing improvement in a National event quality (etc) – rather than simply provided as “general expenses” income to local organisers of National events.

Based on this discussion and WA’s question re expenditure or cost cutting to improve entry level activity by state/s

• AWA revenue NOT allocated under the Nationals allocations could be made available (perhaps on an annual end of year basis or similar) for States to apply to AWA for funding for use (by states) in State driven “development of sport program/s”.

• That’s to say, a national pool of “surplus” income may exist at the end of each AWA year. Rather than simply continue to stockpile further “profits”, that revenue is made available for EQUITABLE distribution to those states who wish to commit to structured “development of sport” program/s – and are prepared to commit to match the AWA funding with funding from within their home state/s.

A very simple definition/qualification/application/approval process would suffice, and the key factor would/could be that any AWA funding to the states under this program MUST be matched by the (applying) state/s on (say ) a ” 1 for 1 ” basis.

• i.e. $1 from AWA towards program MUST be matched by $1 contributed by state to same program/event

• a $1 AWA contribution : $2 State contribution might be even better ratio This initiative may be much easier in practice than it may sound at first. It clears the way to reasonable (re) use of funding in all respects, removes (implied) stigma of AWA “profiteering”. Most importantly, opens the resource for (equitable) use by those States WHO ACTUALLY WANT TO DO SOMETHING.

Constructive feedback welcome…

Full Minutes of AWA Annual General Meeting 2009

Bun-fight over Challenger of Record for the 33rd America’s Cup has been resolved in favour of The Golden Gate Yacht Club. For more info see www.sailing.org

Impressive pic though.. reeaaaly big boat – check the people on the outer hull.

©Paul Todd/outsideimages.co.nz

Allison Shreeve has completed windsurfing 125km of the Bass Strait Challenge in formidable conditions with 30-35 knot winds and 3-4m swells. In doing so she has exceeded CoastCare’s “Life on the Edge” campaign target for people from all walks of life to travel 100km of Australia’s coastline using non-motorised activity.

Allison departed from Stanley in Tasmania at 7.52am expecting 20kt winds from the NW, swinging 25-30kts for a few hours then moderating to 20kts SW in the afternoon with a 1-2m swell. In reality Allison was faced with 20-25kts from the NW then 25-35kts W/SW for six hours straight with swells peaking over 4m at times.

After the first four hours Allison was nearly half way across Bass Strait and on target to smash the current record. The middle third of the crossing proved to be the greatest challenge and after a courageous nine hour slog resulting in severe cramping and the onset of hypothermia, Allison’s challenge was ultimately brought to an end when she was helped on board Calypso II, her support boat, before she was able to set foot on Victorian shores.

A real highlight of Allison’s Bass Strait crossing was being escorted by about 50 dolphins showing off by surfing through the face of the waves and diving under her board. During a break, her companion was a beautiful Albatross out in the middle of nowhere, and a couple of friendly seals made an appearance. “This whole experience is one I’ll never forget”.

Bass Strait Challenge

The “Life on the Edge” campaign officially concluded on 31st March.

Allison would like to thank her sponsors Electra Energy, Club Marine, Pacific Sailing School, Jesus – All About Life campaign, Musto, Audi, Jetstar, Suunto, Icom, Calypso Fishing Charters, Digiboat, Aerotrac, Telstra Next G, Lapstone Hotel, VMG Blades, Uvex, RFD, Zhik, and Balance Water.

More information, videos and pictures can be found on bassstraitchallenge.com, video of the Challenge can be seen HERE!

Allison’s Home Page: www.aus911.com

The Australian Windsurfing Association’s Annual General Meeting was held on the evening of March 12th. The New Officers are:
President: Brett Morris
Vice-Pres: Sean O’Brien (new)
Sec/Tres: John Rohde

OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Champions 2009

Laser Radial Boys – Curtis SKINNER (QLD)
Laser Radial Girls – Ashley STODDART (QLD)
BIC Techno 293 Boys – Luke BAILLIE (QLD)
BIC Techno 293 Girls – Joanna STERLING (QLD)
420 Boys – David GILMOUR and James OMAY (WA)
420 Girls – Lauren THREDGOLD and Megan SOULSBY (SA)
420 Mixed – Jack OLIVER and Wendy JOHNSON (WA)
Laser 4.7 Boys – Nicolas POREE (FRA)
1st AUS – Andrew TORPELUND (QLD)
Laser 4.7 Girls – Alison DALE (VIC)
29er Boys – James SLY and Andrew GILLIES (VIC)
29er Girls – Bec TUMA and Emma Louise DALY (VIC)

for further details…

The Australian Windsurfing website now has a page dedicated to the Techno 293 One Design Class. It features links to international and national class association sites, and info on obtaining sail numbers.
Visit www.windsurfing.org/techno293.htm

Rick Murray (AUS-4)

The overall winners are:
1. Sean O’Brien (AUS-120)
2. Sam Fawkes (AUS-21)
3. Sam Parker (AUS-3) 1st Master

1st Woman
7. Allison Shreeve (AUS-911)

1st Grand Master
11. Rick Murray (AUS-4)

1st Youth
19. Christian Justesen (DEN-111)

FE+ Division
1. Bruce Healey (AUS-9)

For further info, photos and full results lists see www.fw-australia.com

Sean O'Brien (AUS-120)

The 2009 Formula Windsurfing
Oceanic and Australian Champs
have commenced. Check out the latest news at

www.fw-australia.com/2009/