Australia’s high performance sports community will meet at the AIS today to explore the future of sport, evolution of technology, the importance of athlete wellbeing and hear the back stories from some of the country’s most successful sports leaders.

The fifth World Class to World Best conference includes presentations by Australia’s winning America’s Cup skipper for Team New Zealand Glenn Ashby, Matildas’ coach Alen Stajcic, mental health expert Rosemary Purcell, Graham Lowe, former general manager football at the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn’s multiple premiership winning coach Alastair Clarkson.

The flagship AIS high performance sports conference brings together high performance coaches, directors, managers and support staff to address strategies to support Australia’s elite sports system.

New AIS Director Peter Conde said the conference was a rare occasion for Australia’s high performance sport sector to get together and share their knowledge and experience with each other.

“This conference was born from the need for Australia’s sport sector to become more innovative and collaborative,” he said.

“The AIS is committed to ensuring Australia’s coaches and high performance leaders are equipped to be the best they can be.

“There are enormous benefits to engaging and collaborating across the sporting sector through events such as this, including driving learning opportunities and challenging ourselves as we strive for excellence in our work.”

The conference at the AIS in Canberra runs from November 8-10.

It opens with a panel discussion with members of the Australian Olympic Committee, Australian Paralympic Committee and Australian Commonwealth Games Association on the coming Winter Olympics and Commonwealth Games in early 2018.