UKLA Chair blog #30
#1 in world, UKLA finances, more volunteers and behaviour
Lots to talk about this week…
#1 in World
#2 A snapshot on UKLA finances
#3 Three volunteers wanted?
#4 Behaviour at our events
It has taken 30 blogs for me to mention individual performances and results, but I must make an exception this week. Micky Beckett is #1 in the single-handed (ILCA7) World rankings. What an achievement! And he is joined by Elliot Hanson and Sam Whaley in #2 and #3! It is super for UKLA members to have the opportunity to race against the best in the world on a regular basis on home waters. Of course, a couple of weeks ago, we had Daisy and Matilda, two of the top women sailors in the world, give their insights in our virtual training. We are lucky that all members of the British Sailing Team in the ILCA6 and ILCA7 give back so much to us.
With the UKLA 2022 finances almost finalised, I wanted to share a couple of comments with you. Across all our events and training, we had a deficit of almost £20,000. That means we took in £20,000 less income than costs for our regattas and training (with including support for club training and Super Grands Prix), ensuring we provided the best possible value to members. Our treasurer, Steve Taylor (many thanks), calls this an investment in our sport and I think he is right.
In addition to this, we had direct costs in running UKLA covered by income from member subscriptions, our sponsor Noble Marine and grant support from the RYA. Overall, that meant we had a deficit for the year of about £10,000. This was only possible due to the surplus we made during two years of Covid. In 2023 we plan to run a smaller deficit, but we will still run our events and training at a discount to full costs and we will be doing our best to contain costs in a difficult environment.
One of the reasons that we can provide excellent value to our members is the amount of time volunteers give to UKLA. We are now looking to fill three roles:
Team-racing co-ordinator - As part of series being organised by the European class, UKLA is considering running a one-day team racing event at Datchet in June. It would be 4 boat team racing in ILCA6s with a mixed 2 person team, probably restricted to 24 teams, bringing their own boats. To get this off the ground, we are looking for lead volunteer.
Virtual training administrator – following the success of virtual winter training, we would like to run several more sessions before the summer. We will provide the hosts but we need a volunteer to setup the Zoom meetings, prepare email communications with members and then upload the video. It is probably 3 hours work per session and you would need to be somewhat tech savvy.
Masters sub-committee – Alison Stevens is retiring for the committee in the summer after much tireless work (again many thanks). To make the role manageable, we hope to set-up a sub-committee where the role can be shared out. Let us know if you would like to be involved.
Contact-Chair — UKLA (ilca.uk) if interested.
Finally, you will remember we had a focus in the autumn on behaviour at our events, so at the start of the season we are publishing our Misconduct policy. Many thanks to those that have helped in preparing it, and I hope to cover in more detail when there is more space but here is the preamble.
UKLA members want our class to be a welcoming place for all involved with UKLA events, no matter their age or level of experience. We want to encourage a culture where we can all enjoy the sport and display sportsmanship on and off the water. We should show each other respect. Happily, misconduct at UKLA events is rare. But examples have arisen. UKLA hopes, by publicising the expected standards of behaviour and the applicable rules, to further improve standards of behaviour in relation to our events and in our sport more widely.
Snippets:
2023 UKLA coaching days across the country applications are open until 31st March. Read more
Today is last day to enter for the Stokes Bay qualifier
Featured podcast of week is top UKLA coach James Hadden
UKLA Chair blog #29
10 Great things to do in your ILCA
10 Great Things to do in your ILCA
The range of activities involving ILCAs is massive and today I would like to give you some ideas. Sorry but you won’t be able to do all of them
As spring approaches, sign up for club racing but firstly get some tips from our experts in our virtual winter education/training programme – Tim Hulse on Setting up your ILCA for performance and Daisy Collingridge and Matilda Nicholls (British Sailing Team) on ILCA technique for upwind / downwind in light air and heavy air
Hear from European ILCA7 Champion Micky Beckett in our final session on Wed 22nd February 7:30pm - Getting your racing tactics right Register and join here
Sixteen GBR sailors are heading to the ILCA4 Youth Europeans in Cadiz in April which will be a great experience. During the summer there are also the ILCA4 Youth Worlds and ILCA6 Youth European and Worlds, all in Europe. Remember there are usually more than enough GBR places available for these events
There were 20 Legends (over 75s) sailing in the ILCA6 Masters in Thailand including four GBR sailors – time launch your campaign?
Come and have a go at UKLA Masters Nationals in Hayling Island on 30th June to 2nd July – all welcome!
Aim to do at least two Grands Prix in your region – they are now in our UKLA calendar
Mark in your calendar the 2023 UKLA Open and Nationals Championships in Hayling Island 20th to 25th August – it is a festival of ILCA sailing - great racing, great venue and great off-water activities!
Race your ILCA at Keil Week – a world class regatta at the iconic venue of the 1972 Olympics
Buy something ILCA related from one of our sponsors like a Wildwind holiday
Aspire to win an Olympic Gold medal in either the ILCA6 or ILCA7 or anything else along our pathway with lots of club racing, regional Grands Prix, UKLA training and events and many internationals events. You choose your aspiration!
Finally some sad news about the passing of Brigid Hurn. This from Nigel Vick who was heavily involved in UKLA for many years. “Brigid was Laser newsletter editor during the 1980’s and regularly attended and dealt with administration at Laser Qualifiers. At that time she was “Mother Laser”.” UKLA, on behalf of our members, would like to pass on our condolences to her family and friends and acknowledge her great volunteer work for the Laser family.
UKLA Chair blog #26
Female participation in ILCAs and survey
In my early years of ILCA/ Laser sailing in the eighties, there was only one rig – the standard or ILCA7 and that didn’t give much opportunity for female participation. Well, things have improved since then, but there is still a lot more to do done.
The ILCA6 has been the women’s single-handed boat in the Olympics for four cycles starting in Beijing 2008. As it happened with the ILCA7, the competition gets tougher each cycle, as many of the earlier campaigners stay involved in subsequent cycles as can be seen with some of the top female sailors now. The ILCA6 is (arguably) the most competitive dinghy class in the UK, being the popular single-handed boat for youths, mixing it with our top women sailors and experienced masters. But the numbers of women competing are just not enough.
Also, in the ILCA4 we have a highly competitive class with more girls competing and a smaller rig opening the opportunity to a wider group of sailors. With seven UKLA National weekend events during the season, the National Championship during the summer and the opportunity to compete abroad (there were 132 entries in the 2022 ILCA4 Youth Europeans in the girls fleet), surely we should be aspiring to having equal numbers of boys and girls in this fleet?
So today UKLA are launching a survey on female participation in the ILCA as part of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity strategy. We are interested in understanding whether there is more that we can do to increase female participation in ILCA 4 and 6. This survey is mainly aimed at female sailors, but if you are a male and have a view on this subject, we welcome your input. Here is the survey
Snippets:
Featured podcast of week is Ali Young
Virtual winter education / training programme for ILCA club / master sailors - session #1 recording
There are still places available at Open Training North Carsington SC 11-12th February 2023 (closing on 31st January)
UKLA is seeking a sustainability volunteer to work with UKLA and Euricla. For more information or to express an interest, please contact Ellie.
All the best
Mark
Check our UKLA website and calendar of events