9th ICOYC European Conference
March 9 – 11, 2023
Gstaad Yacht Club
PHOTOS CONFERENCE AGENDA DELEGATE PROFILES
VISITOR PROGRAM OFFICIAL PROGRAM OFFICIAL INVITATION
Highlights from the 9th ICOYC European and South American Conference
The 9th ICOYC European and South American Conference was held March 9 – 11, 2023, at the Gstaad Yacht Clubin Switzerland. This event was well-attended, with more than 40 attendees plus partners. Nearly every European and South American club was represented, along with five North American clubs, two Asia/Pacific clubs, and two “guest” yacht clubs.
The Gstaad Yacht Club were wonderful hosts, offering an exceptional meeting space and terrific meals, both at the club and beyond. Attendees were even treated to a magnificent ski lift ride to enjoy lunch at the Eagle Club.
The conference opened midday on Thursday, March 9, with the traditional flag-raising and an introduction by Commodore Manrico Iachia of the Gstaad Yacht Club. This was followed by the introduction of and presentation by the ICOYC’s new Member Clubs: Coral Reef Yacht Club, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Salinas Yacht Club, Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona and the Crusing Club of America. The conference then proceeded with interesting panels on yacht club issues, followed by the presentation by Gstaad YC titled “Why a Yacht Club Without Water?”
Friday and Saturday were filled with expert panel discussions and presentations on various yacht club issues. The discussions were extremely insightful, with club leaders coming away with new ideas for their clubs. The final day of the conference ended with a presentation by Royal Swedish Yacht Club and Royal Vancouver Yacht Club on the next European Conference and World Forum, respectively. The planning for both is well under way, and all were encouraged to attend both events.
The final event was a gala dinner at the Gstaad Yacht Club, complete with a gourmet dinner and dancing to the tunes of a DJ. Many of the conference attendees took to the dance floor and stayed until closing time. All in all, the conference was expertly planned and executed, and was a great success.
RECAPS & SELECT PRESENTATIONS
Conference in Review, from the Commodore
Commodore Manrico Iachia of the Gstaad Yacht Club (GYC) has provided a recap of the activities and the topics discussed at the 9th ICOYC European and South American Conference. As the host club, GYC performed extensive planning to present relevant information and to provide enjoyable social experiences for those in attendance.
A Conference of Many Firsts
Ludovica Reggio observed a great deal of “firsts” from the conference, including it being the first conference held away from the sea, many first-time conference attendees, and for some attendees, their first time playing in the snow!
Olympic Ambitions and Developmental Programs
How ICOYC are developing Olympic athletes
By Royal Swedish Yacht Club, Monte Real Club de Yates, Yacht Club Punta del Este, and Royal Norwegian Yacht Club
Sustainability in Sailing
Managing operations and staff through climate change
By Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee
Facilities
Changes and challenges of managing a five-year strategic plan
By: Royal Norwegian Yacht Club
Crisis Management
Preparing for and reacting to emergency situations
By: Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Royal Swedish Yacht Club, and Royal Vancouver Yacht Club
Communications
Managing various channels to reach all stakeholders
By: Gstaad Yacht Club