Following last weekend's extraordinary general meeting of the Irish Sailing Association (ISA), the way forward with the Strategic Plan for the sport has been cleared by the representatives of the affiliated clubs in the country. As part of the change-over, ISA president Neil Murphy has indicated that he intends to retire from office, four months early, at the next association council meeting in December.

While Murphy's imminent departure appears early, his replacement is expected to lead a fresh team towards the next agm in March when all will be seeking re-election for a further term within the new structure that comes into being on January 1st 1999. After nine years' service with the national authority, Murphy will be standing down having achieved a major re-structuring of the sport's administration that many people have considered long overdue.

His highlights for the past three years have included a variety of measures that should become more widely visible over the next few seasons as their effects settle. While Roger Bannon, Murphy's predecessor established the restructured funding system for the ISA that has transformed its finances, the new Strategic Plan is intended to complete the surgery for the association and Murphy will take that achievement as his major success.

The process began with a consultation process with all the various clubs and classes affiliated to the ISA that created a framework for the plan. For the first time, written guidelines have been properly established that provide focus for the ISA which should, hopefully, replace its floundering image of a wide range of committees tied up in red tape.

Asked about the low points of his period in office, Murphy gave a characteristic tongue in cheek response by indicating that he had "plenty of challenges" during his three years. As he looks forward to his retirement, his successor is faced with the task of implementing the new plan.

While there is no clear favourite at this point to take over, several candidates could be in the running for the presidency. Among the serving vice-presidents, it has been suggested that John Crebbin (cruising) or treasurer Paddy Maguire could be possibilities. Harry Gallagher, whose work in the race management area and previously in junior training, would also provide a clear and strong leader.