RNZYS to add foiling training to its Performance Program

by RNZYS/Sail-World.com NZL on 30 Aug 2016 In what is believed to be a world first for a Yacht Club the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has announced the inclusion of a foiling component to its Performance Programme.

The Performance Programme will operate with newly acquired full carbon, full foiling, Nacra 20 catamarans. These will be used for training leading up to competing in a World Match Racing Tour qualifier and working towards goals such as the Red Bull Foiling Generation and Youth America’s Cup events.

The Nacra 20 was used by British America's Cup team, Land Rover BAR Racing and also Emirates Team New Zealand for crew training leading into the 35th America's Cup.

The Performance Programme is the next level from the highly successful RNZYS Youth Training Programme (YTP). The programme which has trained many of New Zealand’s top professional sailors for almost 30 years and is considered the best in the world by those in the industry.

YTP graduates have gone onto highly successful careers in the sport of sailing within various America’s Cup teams, Volvo Ocean Race teams and others. Most recently graduates Phil Robertson, Stewart Dodson and Will Tiller winning the World Match Racing Tour in Marstrand on board the M32 catamarans. At the same event graduates Garth Ellingham and Hayden Goodrick were on board with runner up Taylor Canfield and YTP Graduate Chris Steele also placed fourth overall.

To keep New Zealand at the forefront of sailing in the world the RNZYS have added another level to this famous training programme and about to make Kiwis fly.

Currently 48 students between the ages of 15 to 21 are taught to a very high level of skill how to race and maintain a keelboat using the RNZYS’s 10 Elliott 7’s. The top eight sailors from the YTP will be invited to join the Performance Programme squad. An additional two sailors from outside of the YTP will also be selected into the final squad of ten sailors.

The addition of the Nacra 20 to the RNZYS Performance Program has been possible through the generous donations of 50 forward thinking squadron members forming the ‘Foiling Family’. It is with their commitment that the RNZYS has been able to move into the future and continue to produce the world’s best sailors.

“The Performance Programme is the perfect pathway for young sailors. Foiling cats are now used in so many events globally it’s logical for us as a training programme to make access to this style of boat available as we want to continue to set the benchmark and produce top sailors’ commented Youth Training Programme Coach Guy Pilkington.

Sailing Director Laurie Jury said “We believe we are the first yacht club in the world to offer a foiling component in our training programmes and are excited to grow our training fleet. The 20 foot Nacra foiling catamarans were used by Emirates Team New Zealand in their build up to the America’s Cup 2017 and are a great stepping stone for our young sailors. This also creates a pathway for future ETNZ team members so they have been very supportive in the introduction of these boats to our training and also helped make this possible.”

The first event for members of the Performance Programme will be the China Cup International Regatta held in October 2016 travelling under the Team New Zealand banner. Three Performance Programme members George Anyon, Layton Hern and Peron Pearse will compete in the Beneteau 40.7 class on-board with the RNZYS team of Kelvin Harrap, Chris Steele, Craig Monk, Chris Ward, Joey Allan, Laurie Jury and Guy Pilkington.

Sailors under the age of 25 years old are invited to apply for the two final positions by emailing their CV to gpilkington@rnzys.org.nz .

RNZYS also offer; Learn to Sail, Learn to Race and a variety of other training options for ages 15 through to adults.

For further information please contact Guy Pilkington or Laurie Jury.

Phone 09 360 6800

Email gpilkington@rnzys.org.nz | ljury@rnzys.org.nz