President's Letter to Delegates and Committee Chairmen 2009-1

IGC Plenary Meeting

Dear Delegates

In two weeks time we will gather in Lausanne for our Plenary meeting. I trust that you have all now downloaded and reviewed the reports and proposals on the website. I am looking forward to seeing you all there.

For those who are not able to attend, I would appreciate feedback as to why you are not able to join us. Over the past three years the number of Delegates attending the plenary meeting has been static at 29 yet there are 45 FAI members that have appointed Delegates to the IGC. I am keen to understand why more of you are not joining us for this meeting.

Our sport relies on goodwill and volunteers; it also relies on the sharing of ideas and concerns. By participating in the plenary meeting you have the opportunity to both share and to contribute and to potentially help spread the workload.

I want to take a minute to highlight some of the matters that we will deal with at this plenary meeting:

Safety Ian Oldaker, Chairman of the OSTIV Safety and Training Panel will be addressing us on the Friday about the work of the panel and Werner Scholtz will talk to us on the Saturday with suggestions about how we might implement safety requirements at our sanctioned championships. In 2010 I hope to further expand the discussions on safety.

GP Final The current global economic situation is impacting negatively on sports along with all other activities. This includes our ability to organise a host for the GP Final for the 2008-2009 round. It had been our aim to have the host announced some time ago – but this has not been achieved. The Bureau are currently working to ensure that we are able to provide an outcome for you at the plenary meeting. In the meantime we have completed six qualifying GP events and have two more planned: in Zar, Poland (26 April to 2 May) and Feldkirchen, Austria (16 to 23 May).

Proposals We have two key proposals to debate:

• the establishment of Continental Records,
• the proposal for a 13.5m class.

Bids In 2007 a proposal was passed that a WGC in 2012 be held outside of Europe. I believe that this is important to ensure that our World Gliding Championships are truly International. This is the year that we decide the locations for the 2012 WGC events. I am pleased that we have bids for both the Open/18M/15M Class WGC and the Standard/Club and World Class WGC from outside Europe and I urge you to consider these bids carefully.

Elections Finally, this year we elect a President and Bureau for a period of two years, Those whom you elect this year will serve on the Bureau until the plenary meeting in 2011. Please think carefully about whom you want to work on the Bureau for the next two years.

See you in Lausanne on the 6th of March

Bob Henderson
President, IGC
21st February 2009