WC-AGM2005-Minutes                    Sept. 8/05

 

WINDSURFING CANADA

 

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held on Friday, September 2, at 330 rue Principale, Cap-Aux-Meules, Magdalen Islands, QC, announced for 8:00 pm.

 

Call to order by President 2004-2005 John Darling at approximately 8:45 pm. As there was not a quorum present, reports and discussions were of an informational nature only and not adopted. Three non-board members were present from 8:40 pm along with event hosts Marc Boucher and Eric Girard, and event judges Mel Preston and Helen Howard-Lock.

 

John Darling made a short review of the 2005 event season to date. He also congratulated the Rendezvous Aventure hosts for a very successful event so far (there remains only one half-day left for competition before the awards ceremony. Marc Boucher expressed his pleasure at the return of the Windsurfing Canada Canadian Championships to the Islands, and later proposed a return in 2009. He also proposed that the Olympic windsurfing team investigate setting up a training program (``training camp``) on the Islands, and mentioned that outside funding for such a project might well be forthcoming. This proposal should made formally to the CYA Canadian Sailing Team (CST).

 

Windsurfing Canada sanctioned a new event in early May at Rondeau Bay, ON with a small turnout due to weather producing however the first slalom series racing in Ontario for a decade, as well as Formula and Freestyle. Another event at the RYC is planned for 2006. Racing at the Barrie Formula event was informal due to low winds, as was that at the Quebec Windsurfing Tour event #1 at Trois-Rivières, both in June. Formula racing was successful at the CORK Unlimited Regatta in Kingston in early July. Both the Oka and Lac St-Jean QWT events were cancelled and there was no board event at CORK 2 due to a date conflict with the W.C. “Canadians.”  Following this present fabulously successful edition of the Magdalens “Canadians,” the Quebec Windsurfing Tour finalé at Baie de Beauport, Quebec City, will take place September 17-18. No board event is planned for the CORK Fall Regatta, October 21-23.

     

Financial support in the 2004 and 2005 seasons was significant:

Gold Sponsors ($250 cash or services): Trident (Starboard), BIC-USA

Silver Sponsors ($100 cash or services) Neil-Pryde (ON), Rondeau Y.C. (ON), Sailworks (US), Voile Libre-Direct (QC)

Honourary Directors ($100 or more) Duke Duyck (ON), L. H. (ON), Paul Gilbert 2005-2010 (ON), Leslie Rebanks (ON), Thierry Vallée (ON)

Patrons ($75): Jason Idler (ON)

Force Ten Supporters ( $45)

Boardhead Supporters ($20): Kevin Lutz (BC), Geoff Mitchinson (ON), André Rousseau (QC), Michel Simard (QC)

 

Little progress was made on local expansion of the Youth Formula Team (YTF) as the Canadian contingent of the Formula Experience Class, as its most active members spent most of the season travelling to championship events on the West Coast. Notably, Ontario youth Formulas participated in the North American Formula Championships in Squamish BC, at the US National Championships at Hood River, Oregon, and at the World Formula Experience Championships also at Hood River. At the FE Worlds Ontario Formula & RSX junior competitor David Hayes narrowly won his 16-and Under Worlds title over his French team rival and the rest of the fleet including top US FE sailors.

 

Windsurfing Canada made a fleet of four BIC Techno 293s and three BIC Techno Formula boards available for charter at Eastern events this year.

 

Due to extensive travel by John to the West Coast in July, no financial statement was prepared but would be forthcoming within the month. WC is solvent with approximately 150 new and renewing members in 2005 out of a total of almost 350 members across Canada.

 

Discussion ensued with the proposal to hold the 2006 ``Canadians`` at Kingston, Ontario, preferably early in July. John reported that a proposal has been received to hold the 2007 ``Canadians`` at Squamish, and another proposal for the  2008 ``Canadians`` at Quebec City in conjunction with that city`s 300th founding anniversary.      

 

There was a discussion on the issue of the scoring of Gold fleet women. It was agreed that the two women`s scores would be derived from the Overall Gold fleet as stipulated in the Sailing Instructions. In future, with a women`s fleet of at least 5 competitors, a separate start and scoring for Gold Women would take place. Another alternative suggested by John D. was that all women (Gold and Silver combined) be constituted with a separate start.

 

Dominique Vallée raised the issue of the lack of CYA windsurfing certified coaches due to the lack of money allocated for this purpose. It was proposed that W.C. take up this issue with C.Y.A.

 

No elections to the 2005-2006 board were done in the absence of a quorum. Adjournment at 10 pm.

 

***

Another matter, the criteria used in determining the Overall Gold Men`s and Women`s trophy awards, was not discussed and could be the subject of a poll taken at the time of the spring 2006 membership drive. This poll could get members to vote on the following options:

 

Overall Man and Overall Woman to be the Gold fleet competitor of any age who has the best score in:

      Option 1: (used at the 2005 Championships) All three obligatory disciplines (Course, Slalom and Freestyle)  

      Option 2: In two of the three obligatory disciplines

      Option 3: In two obligatory disciplines out of 3.