Tasmanian Sailing Academy Inaugural Pre Season Camp and Season Plan

by Richard Scarr on 23 Sep 2011 The Tasmanian Sailing Academy held its inaugural four day pre-season training camp at Orford from the 15th September to the 18th September; 24 sailors with 19 lasers/4.7’s/radial’s 2- 420s and 1 Bic windsurfer.

The four-day camp was made possible by Don and Jill Calvert allowing access to their beach house in Orford. Don Calvert is a Tasmanian icon with many yacht racing achievements including having his yacht part of the Australian Admirals Cup team in 1985. All sailors lived under the same roof for the four days.

Over the four days the camp consisted of 6.30 am fitness sessions at Spring beach then home for breakfast. There was a morning briefing and technical session followed by an on water session for two hours and debrief. After lunch again they were on the water for three hours. In the afternoon there was a debrief and video and stills photo analysis followed by a dinner and an evening Technical session. Team bonding played a big part over these four days and with ages from 13 to 19 there was great team strength developed.

The four days on water consisted of boat handling, speed and strategy and tactics drills. Coaches were Richard Scarr, Ben Price and Scott Price.

The sailors consumed 20 bags of bread rolls, 20 loaves of Bread, four boxes of Cereal, eight dozen eggs, two litres of yoghurt, 10 litres of milk, 10 kg of mince, four dozen sausages, six dozen Chicken fillets, five dozen beef burgers, 1 side of silver side, 100 slices of ham, five kilos of bacon plus a whole heap more. Philippa Calvert arranged all the meals, acted as mother to all 24 sailors as well as arranging all accommodation. Without her efforts the four days would not have been as successful as they were.

The Academy has had an influx of new sailors that have stepped out of the development classes (Sabot’s, Cadet’s, Optimist’s) and into the youth pathway classes. There are also three Windsurfer BICS now joining the Academy.

The primary objective of the TSA is to provide high performance coaching and related services to Tasmanian senior youth and adult dinghy sailors who intend to represent Tasmania at national or international sailing regattas.
Admission into the TSA is offered to sailors in the following select classes: 420, 29er, Laser, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7. Other classes may be included in the TSA if class strength and commitment to achievements of TSA objectives are demonstrated by those classes.

Membership includes high performance coaching throughout the year, associated off water sessions both theoretical and fitness oriented, planning assistance, on-going support and advice and some competition support.

The Tasmanian Sailing Academy (TSA) is a joint initiative of Yachting Tasmania, The Royal Yacht Club on Tasmania and Yachting Australia. The TSA has a established a sailing Elite Development Program with the Tasmanian Institute of Sport.

Over the coming months the TSA team has an intensive training program including two mornings a week, two afternoons a week and two Sundays a month, with Pennant racing on the Friday nights. This will be followed by the whole squad taking part in the Sail Sydney Youth regatta in December then on to Queensland for the Nationals and Youths. The majority of the team will spend Christmas together in Queensland training pre regatta.

As a new initiative the TSA sailors on a Saturday will get out of their lasers and team up to race the RYCT Dinghy Groups 7 - 420’s on a Saturday. The reason behind this is that the Laser 4.7 is used as the nursery for all sailors when they step out of their Optimists or Sabots. As they are at a age where they are still developing their bodies , the laser allows them to gain valuable racing experience. Once they have developed, they can step into the other pathway classes as their size and weight have settled.

The initiative to put them into the 420s on the Saturday is to develop skills in a two handed boat. This is also where they can see where they would like to focus their efforts for the next few years in the youth classes as well as provide the full time 420 sailors some competition and sailors will gain valuable fleet practice.

Dinghy Group is currently looking for more windsurfer one designs as well as a Hobie 16.

Over the last few months the TSA Laser sailors have taken part in World and European championships.

With the change of dates for the Down Under Series this meant that non of our members could take part, so the decision was made to travel overseas to compete on the international stage instead.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]
[Sorry, this content could not be displayed]