Country kid numbers surge in WA sailing development camps

by Yachting WA on 15 Oct 2011 Well done country sailors in Western Australia - the annual Yachting WA Development Camps have this year attracted a notable increase in participation by country sailors for the first time in many years.

The charge was led by the Bunbury sailors who gave the thumbs up to the first camp of the season, Juniorsail, a residential camp successfully hosted by Mounts Bay Sailing Club over the first weekend of September. Koombana Bay Sailing Clubs’ Coach, Noelene Snelling ,rallied to the call and even arranged loan boats for youngsters who couldn’t get their boats up from the country. Apart from the fun aspect, the convenience of the residential camp provided a greater attraction and incentive to the regional sailors.

Following the Juniorsail camp was Optisail, a non-residential two day camp with 51 sailors registered including the very keen Dalton family from Australind and the Bunns from Albany. These numbers swelled to 56 with the inclusion of a couple of youngsters who happened to visit the club on the first day. The weather was kind with the lighter winds perfect for beginners to get a feel for the fleet.

Mirrorsail, the two day residential camp was hosted by Claremont Yacht Club over the weekend 17/18th September 2011 and again attracted country sailors from as far as Dunborough. After a good first day on the water, the weather turned. Undeterred, residential coaches Travis Burtenshaw and Steve Locke with the assistance of Richard Rowell from Dunsborough Bay Yacht Club kept the crews focused with shore based activity interspersed with fun and a fitness programme – all necessary components to sail development.

The next week Chris Kelly, Kate Wearn and Travis Burtenshaw put the Laser sailors through their paces at Lasersail, the non-residential two day camp hosted by Hillarys Yacht Club. The open ocean based venue was perfect for the Albany sailors who for the first time joined the fleet comprising 17 boats. Despite the forecast rains, the weather was brilliant with mild conditions.

Then Yachting WA conducted the annual Westsail training programme from the Education Department’s Point Peron Campsite and The Cruising Yacht Club Rockingham facility. This invitational school holiday camp caters for both residential and day sailors and ran from first - October 4th, followed by the OAMPS SunSmart Youth Championships, an open coached regatta held at TCYC on fifth/6th October.

Westsail is a well recognised and sought after training programme for selected youth sailors aged between 12 and 18 years who are invited to attend on the basis of their championship specific ranking within their class association.

Prerequisites for entry to all camps are a current Yachting Australia Youth (Silver) Card and for Westsail, at least, a Get Into Small Boat Sailing (GISBS) Racing Skills 1 certificate.

Further information contact YWA Development Manager, Dean Caple 0415 225 358