Welcome to the Windsurfing Victroria's monthly bulletin. On the 15th of every month WV will issue an update to what is happening with WV and all things windsurfing.
WV Gybe Mark – Nov 15
Afternoon winds have returned, with some good sea breezes over the last couple of weeks. Hope everyone has been able to utilise some of this good wind and weather. Lets hope for a long and good season ahead.
Recent News
The current Windsurfer Magazine Australia has an article from WV and from the other states. A worthy read. For more info on Windsurfer Magazine check out: http://www.windsurfermagazine.com/
The new WV website was released during October. Further short term planned enhancements will be made to include more detail on;
- WV Teach-a-Mate Program
- Active Victorian Windsurfing Schools and programs
- Local Windsurfing Photo Upload section
http://www.wv.org.au
Don’t forget to join up the WV ‘Where R U Windsurfing’ Facebook page to see where others are windsurfing and post your own plans for others to join you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/where.r.u.windsurfing/
Event News
A big thankyou to the crew from SHQ for hosting the Sandy Point Cup Weekend. Mother Nature didn’t play her part with regards to wind, but there were some great SUP conditions and eventual some great sailing on Cup Day. As always there was a good turnout at the Saturday night BBQ, where there were heaps of food and prizes up for grabs.
Other events are currently being planned. Check out the WV website for the latest events listing. More details of coming events will be added soon, so stay tuned. http://www.wv.org.au/events
Other News
Over the last few weeks there have been a number of posts made online about Windsurfing in Victoria that haven’t always portrayed correct information. The underlying issue remains that for more grass roots activity and support for Windsurfing in Victoria more resources are needed. Largely, this means volunteers.
If you have concerns, ideas and most importantly spare time that you would like to help direct into promoting and growing our sport, please contact WV directly via the WV email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via the WV President Phone number listed in the signature below.
To help clear up some of the confusion, please refer to the statements below.
WV/AWA and YV Insurance
There has been some incorrect statements made about what insurance offerings are included as a Windsurfing Victoria (WV)/ Australian Windsurfers Association (AWA) member, versus having a Silver Card via Yachting Victoria (YV). Both provide two fundamentally different insurance offerings.
WV/AWA provides public liability insurance, which is typically required to run windsurfing events and for permit access. For events it covers member entrants and organisers. The WV/AWA insurance policy covers 24/7 sailing for active members at non events and participation access in all AWA sanctioned events nationally. Not bad for only $40 per year. You could spend more driving to Sandy Point etc. AWA has and continues to review what the best insurance policy is for its members as windsurfers and as operators of windsurfing events. Please refer to the WV/AWA insurance policy via the WV and AWA websites for further information on what it covers.
http://www.windsurfing.org/insurance.htm
Yachting Victoria provides 24/7 personal injury insurance via its Silver Card membership. Please refer to the YV insurance policy via the YV website for any information on what it covers.
http://www.masterman.com.au/yachting-insurance/personal-injury-yachting-australia-members-insurance/
It is very important in this day and age to know what insurance coverage you have. Rely on what the specifics of your policy, to establish what you are covered for. Event organisers review and access the policy that best covers the event for the entrants, organisers and most importantly the general public.
WV/AWA or YV
Having to be ‘one or the other’ is simply not correct. Both WV/AWA and YV offer a number of different services and both memberships can be used together.
WV is not listed as a club or associate of YV, but AWA as the National Windsurfing Authority is affiliated through Yachting Australia (YA). This means WV is also under YA via AWA. WV is working with YV to understand where WV can fit with YV and the new YA structure about to be released.
http://www.windsurfing.org/files/info/AWA_Organisation_Structure.pdf
Events
Access
To enter an AWA sanctioned national event you need to be a member of an AWA state body or State Association sub-body. In Victoria this means you need to be a member of WV. A number of states utilise the Association sub-body method and it works very well. WV has been and is still open to adopt this similar structure for existing and future clubs.
Running Events
To run a windsurfing event you need four key components:
- Support staff (i.e. Volunteers)
- Location
- Safety Equipment (i.e. to comply to risk management)
- Suitable weather
It is not easy getting all four components together all of the time (especially the weather). Over the last five years WV has hosted and supported a large number of events. There were probably almost as many events that didn’t go ahead due to either one or more of the components above not being met at the time. The time spent on those events was close to the events that were run.
Organising an event takes a great deal of time and the support of a number of people. To read statements that suggest WV has not done much in relation to creating events is extremely disappointing and far from the truth. The current and past WV committee members and WV volunteers have given up considerable amounts of personal time to provide as best as they can. I personally want to thank them again for their contributions and for the spare time they have dedicated to help promote and provide a service to our members and the general public.
We all need to think about how we can collectively help our sport and deliver positive outcomes. If you would like to volunteer in any level, please contact WV.
See you on the water!!!
Best Regards,
Stephen Coward
Windsurfing Victoria
president@wv.org.au