About Us

BUSA is run by students for students.

The Committee is made up of volunteers, and needs the continual support of its members to improve. Firstly the BUSA Committee of 2005-06 would like to thank last years Committee for a great year of events. We'd also like to thank and Southampton Institute for running some of the most exciting BUSA Championships for many years.

This website is the first place any student should look to find out up to date information about BUSA events. It also contains some background information about the British University Sailing Association; explaining the structure and function of the organisation and the opportunities that exist.

So, What is BUSA?

BUSA is the governing body for University Sailing in the . It is affiliated and supported by the RYA and has British University Sports Association recognition for it's events.

BUSA sailing was set up in the mid 1960's. It was separate from both British University Sports Association and the RYA at this time, although they did have limited connections with both. The organisation was run by a small group of students from various universities. At the beginning this Committee of students ran the annual University Team Racing Championships and organised and selected the team for the bi-annual American and European tours.

In 1991, when the whole University sport structure was changing, BUSA sailing remained independent from both the British University Sports Federation (BUSF) and University Athletic Union (UAU) and was provided with a full time secretary by the RYA funded by the Eric Twiname trust. At this time sailing within Universities was still chronically under funded and many clubs were struggling to run an effective club.

The RYA saw student sailing as an important development area and was beginning to support it more strongly and provide coaching in various areas.

The 1993 Team Racing Championships were the first for which regional qualifiers were run. With a number of Polytechnics becoming Universities the number of entries to the Championships had become unmanageable. So a series of four regional qualifiers were set up prior to the finals.

During this period BUSA sailing continued to liaise with UAU and BUSF with an ever-improving relationship and by the time the two organisations merged to form the British University Sports Association, BUSA sailing was a well-recognised organisation with a long established constitution and Championship structure.

How to Get Involved

The committee are always looking for enthusiastic people to help run BUSA. BUSA is run by students (YOU!) for students (YOU AGAIN!)!

If you'd like to help at a BUSA event, or fancy being on the committee next year, please contact us.

Basic criteria

Have you sailed in a BUSA event
You are at University
Are you a good team worker
Enthusiastic & Proactive

So if you want to help make BUSA better than ever, or know someone who you'd like to help BUSA, please contact either;

Steve Gibson: stephenjgibson@gmail.com

Jess Mapplebeck: jessica.mapplebeck@rya.org.uk Tel: 02380 604 167