Even as preparations continue apace for World Radiosport Team Championship 2014 (WRTC-2014) next July in New England, the World Radiosport Team Championship Sanctioning Committee is seeking a sponsor for the 2018 competition.  

“Like the International Olympics, it is important to provide continuity for the WRTC program and give the radiosport community as much time as possible to prepare for each event,” the committee announced recently. “Thus, it is appropriate at this time to begin the process of considering where WRTC-2018 will be held and who will make up the organizing committee.” The Sanctioning Committee evaluates requests to host a WRTC and selects the winning applicant.

The WRTC Sanctioning Committee is asking potential sponsors to send letters of intent to its chairman, Tine Brajnik, S5ØA, Velike Lipljene 24, 1311 TURJAK, Slovenia. Letters should identify the group's primary leaders and contact information, along with the general time frame and location for the event. The committee then will respond with the WRTC requirements document, from which a formal proposal can be created. The deadline to submit letters of intent is December 31, 2013. Formal proposals will then be accepted until March 1, 2014. 

The World Radiosport Team Championship features approximately 50 two-person Amateur Radio teams competing in a test of operating skill. All stations use identical antennas and operate from the same geographic region in an effort to eliminate all variables except operating ability. WRTC-2014 will include 59 competing teams from 29 qualifying regions around the world.

The WRTC Sanctioning Committee plans to announce the selected hosts for WRTC-2018 at the closing banquet for WRTC-2014. The first WRTC was held in 1990 in Seattle in concurrent with the Goodwill Games there. Subsequent events have taken place in San Francisco (1996), Bled, Slovenia (2000), Helsinki, Finland (2002), Florianopolis, Brazil (2006), and Moscow, Russia (2010).

Members of the WRTC Sanctioning Committee include Chairman Tine Brajnik, S5ØA; Secretary Ward Silver, NØAX; Dan Eskenazi, K7SS; Bob Cox, K3EST; Rusty Epps, W6OAT; Martti Laine, OH2BH; Jukka Kulha, OH2MA; Atilano Oms, PY5EG; Sergio Almeida, PP5JR; Harry Booklan, RA3AUU, and Roman Thomas, RZ3AA.