US Sailing 2013 Annual Meeting - This Week in Captiva

US Sailing’s Board of Directors, committee members and staff are looking forward to this week’s Annual Meeting, Wednesday through Saturday, October 16-19, at the South Seas Island Resort in Captiva, Fla. The Annual Meeting is a unique opportunity for US Sailing members to meet with the National Governing Body’s leadership and discuss relevant industry topics facing the sport, exchange ideas, reflect on progress, and look ahead to future plans.

What’s New This Year?
The Annual Meeting will provide a platform for inter-committee collaborative discussions which will help answer this important question, "How will US Sailing become the organization that all sailors want to be a part of?" After a morning general session with the staff presentation and a discussion of the organization’s Strategic Initiatives, the room will break into three groups. A focused moderated discussion will take place directing each group to this question by exploring the following issues:

• How can US Sailing support local sailing organizations?
• How can US Sailing grow the number of sailors?
• How can US Sailing improve the safety of our sport?

We want you to be part of the conversation.

More News from the Annual Meeting
• Small Boat Sailing Programs: “Chart Your Course” – The new instructional certification path for all sailors who want to become US Sailing Certified Instructors.
• US Sailing Proposes Safety Equipment Requirements.
• US Sailing will also officially name three to its Board of Directors on Saturday, October 19.

Who Should Attend?
Anyone interested in sharing creative ideas and energy towards our goal of growing the sport, making it safer, and providing education resources. Please bring your family and take advantage of the venue this year for a perfect fall vacation.

Special Events
• First-timers breakfast – Thursday, Oct. 17
• Championship of Committees regatta presented by Offshore Sailing School – Thursday, Oct. 17
• Welcome cocktail reception sponsored by Gowrie – Thursday, Oct. 17
• Annual Awards Dinner presented by Rolex – Friday, Oct. 18 (South Seas Island Resort).
• Participate in a Town Hall with US Sailing leadership – let your voice be heard!
• Special lunch presentation on Friday.

US Sailing Awards to be Presented
Several worthy industry leaders will be recognized for their contributions to the sport at the Annual Meeting:

• The Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, US Sailing’s most prestigious award, is awarded annually to the individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing in the U.S.
• The Harman Hawkins Trophy is awarded to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the sport of sailing in the field of race administration.
• Timothea Larr Trophy recognizes a person whose vision and guidance have made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of sailor education in the United States.
• The St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy, emblematic of excellence in race management, was awarded originally by St. Petersburg Yacht Club in the late 1960s to recognize the club which ran the best regatta.
• The Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy is awarded to an individual for his or her outstanding contributions to disabled sailors and the sport of disabled sailing.
• President Citations to be awarded.

Registration
• Registration fee - $125
• First-timers discount registration fee - $75 (email events@ussailing.org for a promo code)
US Sailing remains focused on initiatives that make sailing more accessible at every level. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers like you, US Sailing positively impacts sailing all around the country. We hope to see you in South Florida.

For more details, visit US Sailing’s 2013 Annual Meeting website. For questions, please contact US Sailing’s Events and Special Projects Manager Katie Ouellette at KatieOuellette@ussailing.org.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jake Fish, US Sailing Communications Manager, jakefish@ussailing.org, 401.683.0800 x614 

About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.