Second ISAF Approved Training Centre successfully audited

by ISAF on 1 Jan 2015 The International Sailing Centre Medemblik, Netherlands has successfully undergone a formal audit visit from ISAF and has subsequently become the second venue to become an ISAF Approved Training Centre.

The new ISAF Approved Training Centre status states that training programmes for all Olympic and Paralympic Classes are available at the International Sailing Centre Medemblik.

Maurice Leeser, CEO of the Watersportverbond said, 'We are very proud of the result of the audit. The comments and recommendations from ISAF Inspector Andy Jeffrey will help us to further develop our ISAF Approved Training Centre in Medemblik, which opened its doors in 1998. In this centre our recent Olympic medal winners like Dorian van Rijsselberghe (RS-X), Marit Bouwmeester (Laser Radial) and Lisa Westerhof / Lobke Berkhout (470) have spent many hours training and refining their skills.

'We are thrilled to be able to welcome sailors and trainers / coaches from other sailing federations, like emerging nations, to Medemblik in order to help them to participate in International Regattas and ultimately in the Olympic Games.'

ISAF is currently working with a number of other Sail Training venues wishing to be granted this status based on their provision of training programs for sailors and/or coaches.

The overriding objectives of granting this status to individual Training Centres are:

• To encourage and assist in the development of Olympic and/or Paralympic level Sail Training pathways for National Sailors and Coaches in all ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs);
• To increase the number of nations attending and regularly participating in ISAF events;
• To assist all MNAs with developing 'performance' training programmes that will help give their National Sailors more of a chance to increase their skills and ultimately qualify to and attend the Sailing Competition of the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games.

A full audit report for all ISAF Approved Training Centres can be found on the ISAF website.

Dan Jaspers, ISAF Training and Development Manager said, 'It is wonderful to have Maurice Leeser and the Watersportverbond in the Netherlands getting behind our latest development project and leading by example. The Dutch MNA has been incredibly supportive throughout the application process for this audit visit. I have no doubt that once we have audited and approved a more comprehensive network of ISAF Approved Training Centres around the world, to which we can help signpost our National Federations, the ISC Medemblik as well as all of the ISAF Approved Training Centres will play host to many international teams wishing to benefit from World Class facilities and exposure to input from a dedicated team of professional Coaches, that will help develop the skills of their sailors in Olympic and Paralympic Class programmes.'