Firstly I would like to apologise in advance for the brevity of this report. As I have been unable to attend the last two WPA meetings due to work commitments I feel a little out of touch.
Wellington Pétanque is in good shape for a number of reasons. I believe the tournament structures we have in place provide for a range of players of varying abilities. The balance of tournaments where clubs field teams promote club spirit and affiliation while still retaining the ability for individual teams to compete is extremely positive.
We are increasing the number of tournaments being run by individual clubs. Some of these tournaments are attracting entries from beyond our region. This will also help to improve the standards of play.
Wellington, although not holding any National Titles, is the "top region" and holds the trophy to prove it. We have a number of players who feature prominently on the national seeding list and have representation at an international level.
Our presence on the NZPA is probably the strongest it has ever been. With this representation and Brenda editing and compiling the magazine, Wellington has a fair say in National issues.
I want to thank all the members of the WPA who give what they can to make pétanque enjoyable for us all. It has been my pleasure to serve as president for the past two years and look forward to active involvement for many years to come.
Dirk Winnie
President WPA 2000/2001 Season