Report - Paul Simes

The final results of the ballot are as follows:-

Traditional Format - 55 votes     Proposed Format - 58 votes      No Preference - 22 votes     Total Votes - 135.

The Association would like to thank all of the members who took the time to reply and gave us their views.

Thus the 2006 GP14 World Championship will be a 5 race qualifying series with full fleet gate-start racing then a 6 race fleet race series making a total of 11 races. The Notice of Race and Entry Form will be available early in the New Year.

Following the above ballot in favour of the new format it is now very important to the GP14 Class that, as a group of sailors, we embrace this change and continue to support the class as we have done so in the past. The proposed format is an acknowledged improvement on the 2005 Nationals, incorporating some of the changes that have been suggested by yourselves in the Nationals feedback questionnaire. It gives the traditionalists their large fleet, gate-start format at the beginning of the week and at the end of the week, the exciting finale of peer group close racing as seen at the 2005 Nationals. For those of you that can remember a little way back, the first 3 days are the equivalent of a 5 race, 1 discard National or World Championship, followed by  a newer style 6 race peer group fleet racing event, surely it's the best of both worlds?

As your outgoing President in 2006, I would ask you all to come to Sligo in late July early August 2006 and support your World Championship. I sailed there last year and the sailing area is fantastic. It is destined to be an exciting and enjoyable event both on and off the water, as our Irish hosts always manage to stage great events, remember Skerries.

I look forward to seeing you there.