from Ken Urquhart

President NZADCA

Firstly congratulations to the Kerikeri Cruising Club for a well run, successful Nationals regatta.

Very gratifying to see some new members at the nationals. A big welcome to juniors, Blair Tuke and Daniel Philpott, also Geoff Woolley and Bruce Curson and internationals  Philippe Presti and Luc Du Bois.

Membership for the 2010/11 season remains healthy with 36 financial members.

A huge vote of thanks to Hamish Drummond for his continued involvement in the class through maintaining our world class website.

Significant new interest in the class has been noticed due to the exposure received from the Americas Cup Teams based in Auckland while trialling the new AC45’s and many of these sailors up-skilling in A-class cats. There have been a few high profile additions to our membership and a number of new boats have come into the country as a result.  This will inevitably lead to a raising of standards throughout the whole national fleet both in sailing technique and ability as well as technology and hopefully to an increase in membership and numbers on the water at regattas. Long may it continue.

NZADCA was well represented at the Cesenatico A-class Worlds in Italy, June 2010, by Murray Philpott and Mike Drummond. Both put in creditable performances in what proved to be a very challenging light airs regatta.

We continue to distinguish ourselves internationally by being the only country in the world where most of the boats are home built. This trend continues with at least 3 new boats currently under construction with different designs.

The Takapuna Club’s proposal to host the A-class Worlds in 2013/14 was presented at the world AGM by Murray in Cesenatico and was accepted. Timing is likely to be for January 2014.

So, the future looks bright for A-class sailors over the next couple of years, despite recessions and earthquakes so don’t keep it a secret. Get out there and sail, be seen, be impressive, rock on!