THE staging of the Hobie 16 world championships in Jervis Bay is a major coup, not just for the Shoalhaven but for the entire country.
This prestigious event will showcase the region to the vast global audience of catamaran racing enthusiasts, so its benefits will continue to flow through long after the championships have concluded.
It will create an appetite not only for our neck of the woods but for NSW and Australia in general. The tourism market is often viral. A positive experience will get people talking to friends and family and encouraging them to follow in the initial traveller’s footsteps. So it’s imperative that we show off our region in its best light when competitors descend.
While Jervis Bay will work its magic without needing our help, other areas the competitors and their families are likely to see should also be sparkling. We saw the fast-track clean-up of Nowra just ahead of the local government conference; we will need something similar if not better when these championships are staged. No doubt Shoalhaven City Council is already nutting out a plan to see that happen and all residents will appreciate the spruce-up.
For now, though, congratulations are in order for those who helped secure the event and win backing from two NSW governments. The outstanding job being done by council in helping to secure big sporting events such as this will benefit us all. Well done.