Women's European Powerlifting Championships: The final European Powerlifting Championships of 2002, the Women's Seniors, were held in Laukaa, Finland from 29 Nov to 1 Dec. The Meet Director, Leo Tuominen, and the Finnish Federation did an excellent job of organising the competition. A total of 59 athletes took part, and the lifting was of a very high standard, with many new world and European records being set.

Membership Fees: The General Secretary requests that National Federations pay their 2003 EPF membership fees before the end of January. The fee is €250 and the fine for late payment is €10 per month overdue. The following nations have not yet paid: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Yugoslavia.

General Secretary's Message: "Again a year is over. So, I will say thanks to all my colleagues of the Executive for their fair and good co-operation in 2002. In 2003 we will have elections and I will be ready as candidate for another period as GS. As Treasurer I will resign at the end of the period and my favourite candidate is Alain Hammang from Luxembourg, so I can concentrate fully as GS.

Also a big thank you is due to the member federations who are now working better and better in close co-operation. Special thanks are also due to the Czech federation for organising two Europeans in 2002 that were both a big success. But also all the other federation did a great job, so the future of the EPF looks very good for me. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Heiner Köberich."

President's Message: "In May new elections of EPF officials will take place. It is important, also after this election, that EPF still have an active leadership with elected people that really want to work for the sport and not seek positions only to gain some kind of prestige.

EPF is the leading Region in the IPF and it is important that the leadership of the EPF work actively to influence decisions in the IPF EC and committees. It is also important that any leadership maintains good communications with the member federations and deal with problems and conflicts in a manner of justice and honesty.

I am very pleased by the good work of my colleagues in the EPF executive and we all try to work along the above principles and for myself this is crucial to maintain good self respect. I still have a burning interest in powerlifting and will be available for another period of presidency if I am wanted by the national federations. I have some ideas to make the work more effective inside the EPF executive and want committee members to delegate more work to more people. This will stimulate and activate clever people and more work can effectively be done for the powerlifting sport. There are improvements waiting to be made.

However, there may be other good President candidates to continue the work in EPF and if so, I will fully accept that a change take place. I welcome all member nations to put forward good candidates for the election.

The year 2002 has been a good year for European powerlifting. I will thank my colleagues in the executive committee and officials and lifters in the member federations for their effort to maintain powerlifting as a sport we all can be proud to be involved in. Let us continue the good efforts in 2003 and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Arnulf Wahlstrom."

Note: The original version of this newsletter is available for download as a Word document.