To begin with, the European Committee would like to congratulate the Paris Titans for defending their title as champions of EQC! We also would like to thank the tournament committee for making the best they could of a set of less than desirable circumstances. We also wish to thank the members of the community for making it as good as it was, for supporting each other and the tournament team, and for refereeing and volunteering to make the tournament happen.

However, we know there were problems and will be addressing them. The European Committee and the EQC committee will be meeting together this weekend to debrief and figure out what we need to do differently in the future. As always, those minutes will be online so you can access them within a week from the meeting if you so choose. We will also be putting out another news piece to give you a shorter version.

For now, we would like to ask that if you have organizational feedback that it go through a channel more appropriate than Facebook. Emotions are running high – understandably. But we cannot monitor everything said on Facebook, so if you have suggestions for future tournaments that you want us to hear, we encourage you to do one of the following:

• Wait until the tournament feedback form is released and submit your feedback through the form. (We want to hear your opinions, but we also encourage you to word negative feedback respectfully – please try to refrain from attacks, hyperbole, and direct insults.)
  
• Talk to your representative from the European Committee; they are your voice and make decisions based on the best interests of the players in your NGB and so would welcome your input.
  
• Get in touch with us directly through our contact form.
  
• Bring in your own ideas by volunteering for the organising committee next year or, if you know a location that would be just perfect to host EQC, help organise a bid!

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind all players that if you would like to be kept abreast of what is happening prior to tournaments or at any other time throughout the year, we meet every third Sunday (barring exceptional circumstances) and minutes are updated on the website within 1 week. If you have questions about what you read, again we encourage you to speak to your NGB’s representative!

Prior to May 1, you can expect to see another release addressing solutions for future tournaments, and as indicated in the minutes from the last meeting, a release of a bid package for next year’s EQC. Thank you for reading this – we look forward to hearing your feedback!