IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training at Spinnaker Sailing Club
by Roger Cerrato 27 Oct 2019 06:34 GMT
26 October 2019
IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training at Spinnaker © Roger Cerrato
Whilst sailing events up and down the country were being cancelled due to extreme wind conditions, twelve plucky young Optimist sailors met up at Spinnaker SC for the first session of the IOCA South Pre Zone Training.
Coaches Andy Kerr and Chay Taylor started off by explaining the goals for the winter training which can be summed up by:
- Improve your sailing
- Have fun!
With 25 knots, plus much stronger gusts whistling across the lake, the day was going to be a challenge for sure! For the initial session afloat the sailors paired up for some flag racing which have the youngest participants (some of which are only seven) a chance to get to get used to the venue and conditions.
After a warming lunch around a large convivial table, the sailors were split into two groups according to sailing ability and age. Chay took the more experienced sailors out to the middle of the lake and set them off blast reaching between two marks.
Andy towed the younger sailors to the far end of the lake to find some shelter before setting them free for a sail. Maybe there wasn't quite as much shelter as some of them wanted but once back ashore and warmed up they were all smiling.
The more resilient sailors from both groups went back out after a short break ashore for the final session of the day.
We've all got our fingers crossed for less breeze for the next session on Saturday December 21st.