Caribbean Sailing Association annual conference to be held in Antigua

by Caribbean Sailing Association on 27 Jun 2014 The newly named Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) Annual Conference will take place at Antigua Yacht Club in English Harbour, Antigua from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th October. Over the last few years the event has been held in St. Maarten and Puerto Rico and the move to Antigua, which is centrally located, is to encourage representatives from as many islands as possible to attend the conference.

The event started as a Regatta Organizers conference some years ago, and latterly included the Annual General Meeting. In 2014 the event will further expand with the addition of a Measurers’ meeting and a session on youth sailing development. It was therefore decided that renaming the event to the CSA Annual Conference more clearly communicated the broadening scope of the meeting and its desire to be more inclusive to the full sport of sailing in the Caribbean.

The CSA Annual Conference will bring together key stakeholders in sailing throughout the Caribbean and provide a unique opportunity for measurers, race officers, Member National Authorities, regatta organizers, yacht clubs and other interested parties to network. With the inclusion of industry representatives, participants will gain updates on all the critical issues affecting our sport and hear from industry professionals about everything from marketing to the latest rating rules, sponsorship, regatta management and all the latest developments in yacht racing.

At last year’s conference the CSA Board covered a lot of ground and identified particular areas that it wanted to improve and expand on. One of those in particular was the area of Youth Sailing Development. To that end the CSA will be personally inviting existing youth development professionals, established youth programme coordinators and others wanting to get programmes started. And as part of the CSA AGM, a session will be dedicated to youth sailing where members can learn and network with their neighboring clubs and associations on the opportunities and challenges in this field. As part of the programme, Elizabeth Jordan, President of Antigua’s National Sailing Academy, will share her own experiences in setting up Antigua’s youth programme.

Peter Holmberg, President of the CSA, hopes that all interested parties will attend. 'The Caribbean is becoming a premiere destination on the international race circuit, and our sailors a true powerhouse in the sailing world. I encourage everyone dedicated to the region or the sport of sailing to attend and help shape the course of this organization and the sport of sailing.'

The conference will run from Friday through Sunday, with the AGM on 24th October and the Regatta Organizers Conference on 25th and 26th October. The Measurers’ Meeting will also be held on the 25th and 26th, with an agenda coordinated with the Conference to enable participants of both groups to attend the relevant sections. A conference package is being created to offer delegates a discounted fee to cover the costs of breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks as well as the conference facilities. For those who cannot attend all three days, a daily rate will be offered so that delegates can target particular events on the agenda.

Attendance is open to both CSA members and non-members, including Member National Authorities, Yacht Clubs, Sailing Associations, Measurers, Regatta Organizers and individual corporate members as well as any other yachting stakeholders who are interested in finding out more about the CSA. Limited corporate sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Accommodation is available at Antigua Yacht Club Marina Resort and other nearby properties with which the CSA has negotiated affordable rates, most of which are within walking distance of the conference.

A dedicated page for the Conference has been set up on the CSA website where all the information you will need about the event can be accessed and you can register. For questions or further information, please contact the CSA Secretariat at secretariat@caribbean-sailing.com or call + 1 (268) 734-6366.