UKLA Podcasts - An Hour With Flower and Heads UP
by UKLA 27 Apr 07:15 BST
Ben Flower © Sam Pearce
Over the past 12 months UKLA has been busy preparing for 2021. With many new and enhanced services for its members the ILCA class is looking in great shape.
The yearbook has been incredibly well received and a worthy contribution to the 50th Anniversary of the Laser / ILCA. Early training events have been sold out and the ILCA BST men and women are making good preparation for the Olympics.
An Hour With Flower
With 'An Hour With Flower' UKLA have now established a series of informative and entertaining Podcasts that record, first hand, the memories and views of some of the most interesting and leading ILCA sailors of yesterday, today and possibly the future.
Who better to reach out to these people than our very own larger than life character Ben Flower. Ben, a formidable young ILCA 7 sailor and super nice guy has talked to a range of sailors from the ILCA fleet. He started out talking to his good friend and sometime coach Anthony Parke. Sam Whaley was next with Olympian Mark Lyttle giving a great account of the 1996 Olympics number three. Others interviewed have been Drew Barnes, Hannah Snellgrove, Jake Farren-Price, Daisy Collingridge, Harry Blowers, Matilda Nicholls, Ali Young, Lewis Smith, James Skulczuk,Tony Woods & Nik Froud, Alan Davis, Charlie Bailee-Strong, James Hadden, Lorenzo Chiavarini, Tim Hulse, Rob Cage, Elliot Hanson, Orlando Gledhill and Jack Wetherall.
Many of these names will be familiar, others not so but all have great stories about life sailing the Laser/ ILCA. They are all free to everyone and available on the UKLA website, ilca.uk/podcasts
Heads UP - ILCA News
Having done 23 episodes Ben has teamed up with Sam Whaley to produce a monthly ILCA Newspod - 'Heads UP'. In the May edition they talk about all the events coming up in May. Jon Emmett talks about Weir Wood SC, Tony Woods on Queen Mary SC, Lewis Smith on St. Marys Loch SC and John Ling on Bartley SC. Sam and Ben talk about sailing at Weymouth, and give some terrific tips on toe straps and sailing boots, training sails and downhauls. Sam also gives a very evocative summary of the recent racing at Vilamoura with Micky Beckett and Elliot Hanson finishing in the top 10.
So, no matter what level of Laser / ILCA sailing you do, there's a load of great info on the UKLA website... and if you would like to support the class association please join.