The Royal Marine Hotel in Dun Laoghaire was the venue for the ISA 7th Annual National Conference where over 200 delegates from the four corners of Ireland gathered on Saturday the 2nd of March. The guests attended 20 workshops where speakers presented on a range of diverse topics to suit all interests from ‘promoting your organisation’ to ‘strength and conditioning for athletes’ to ‘insurance for sailing clubs’.

Harry Hermon CEO of the ISA opened the conference with a talk outlining the growth of the organisation’s activities during the last fourteen years (now delivering on the goals set out in the organisations third strategic plan). He also highlighted the particular priorities the ISA had focussed on in 2012 and the success stories over the past year, particularly the performance of our sailors at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London.

In the afternoon session BHP Insurances, the insurance brokers to the ISA and Federation of Irish Sport introduced the new ‘ISA Club & Commercial Training Centre Insurance Scheme’.

Gordon Mc Donagh (BHP) highlighted the importance of clubs having adequate insurances in place and also the value that a group insurance scheme can have for an NGB and its clubs.

The new ISA approved Scheme offers ISA member clubs the opportunity to avail of a quotation from BHP which promises to deliver:

✔ Comprehensive Cover

✔ Competitive Premiums

✔ Streamlined Administration and

✔ Excellent Service

Gordon Mc Donagh said that BHP Insurances were ‘delighted to be the appointed brokers to the ISA and proud to be the Sponsor of the ISA Sailing Achievement of the Year Award’.

Harry Hermon, CEO, commenting on the recent appointment of BHP as brokers to the ISA said that: ‘BHP Insurances have delivered significant savings for the ISA and have developed a club insurance scheme which we feel will have huge benefits for the ISA, its clubs and their members.’

The conference ended with a presentation from Pete Hogan, round the world sailor/artist/author, giving an enthralling account of his epic adventures. The ISA AGM/EGM and SailFleet AGM followed and the night ended with the ISA 7th Annual Awards Ball hosted by Bryan Dobson from RTE where Annalise Murphy picked up another accolade for ‘Sailing Achievement of the Year’, and John Twomey picked up the ISA President’s Award after competing in his tenth Paralympic Games.

The Federation of Irish Sport offers a new group insurance scheme specifically designed for National Governing Bodies, sports clubs and individuals. All members can benefit from improved levels of cover and reduced insurance rates. So to make sure that you and your members are fully protected contact Conn Mc Cluskey, Federation of Irish Sport on 01-6251155, conn.mccluskey@irishsport.ie or click here for more information.