Midland Optimist Team Winter Training at Hollowell Sailing Club
by Paula Irish 23 Oct 2014 11:31 BST
18 October 2014
Winter training for Midland Optimist Team (MOT) sailors launched with a day of professional coaching at Hollowell Sailing Club.
A breezy day saw a focus on hiking positions and dealing with gusts, and with MOT's top-end sailors having commitments elsewhere, it was a chance for the group below to shine and demonstrate the progress they have made over the year.
A number of MOT sailors were celebrating their selection to IOCA and RYA squads, including: Development Squad - Chloe Felton and Dan Wellbourn-Hesp; RYA West Zone - Ellie Driver, Charlotte Rocket, Jacob Felton, Millie Irish and Katie Byne; RYA North Zone - Kamran Ewbank; and RYA South West Zone - Finley Hartshorn.
The training day at Hollowell, on Saturday 18 October, was the first of six scheduled by MOT to take place across the region during the winter months, with the programme led for the second year running by top Optimist coach James Murdock.
MOT secretary Zoe Felton said: 'Many who trained with MOT last winter went on to have a tremendously successful season and have been really looking forward to returning this year to further advance their skills.
'New MOT sailors are also always welcome and if there are any Optimist sailors and parents who would like to come along we'd love to hear from them.'
The next MOT winter training day will be at Staunton Harold SC in south Derbyshire on Saturday 15 November, followed by another on Saturday 13 December, at Barnt Green. The remaining three training dates will then take place in January, February and March. The cost of each day is £20 per sailor.
MOT enables Optimist sailors to meet up, make friends, train and compete in a larger group than might be possible at their home clubs – catering for all ages and abilities, from those learning to race to those already on the national circuit.
A total of 28 sailors attended MOT sessions at some point over last winter with 21 attending multiple training weekends.
To find out more about Optimist sailing and training in the Midlands, visit www.midlandoptimistteam.org.uk or email: