33rd CISA Racing Clinic at Long Beach this week

by Rich Roberts on 6 Apr 2010 With a week off from school, more than a hundred of America's best young sailors from the East Coast to Hawaii will spend Thursday through Sunday absorbed in another sort of institution: the California International Sailing Association's 33rd annual Advanced Racing Clinic at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club.

But it's more boot camp than spring break. Driven by a team of world-class instructors, the 111 boys and girls ages 13 to 18 selected by their résumés will see 12-hour days on and off the water learning fine points of the sport before breaking free with some real racing Sunday.

They'll train twice a day in their assigned two-person 29er skiffs, International 420, C420 and CFJ dinghies and singlehanded Lasers and Laser Radials, between spending as much time in group lectures and video reviews.

Evening programs are scheduled after dinner featuring selected speakers: 2008 silver medalist Zach Railey on the Olympics and Kenneth Andreasen of US Sailing on how to organize a world-class campaign, including the Olympics.

Andrew Campbell is the clinic director for the second year. He was once a clinic student who sailed a Laser for the U.S. in the 2008 Olympics and is now campaigning a Star with crew Brad Nichol for 2012.

Railey, of Clearwater, Fla., is also on the coaching staff, along with Charlie McKee, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in 49er and 470, and Brian Bissell, Brendan Casey, Genny Tulloch, Nigel Cochran, Isabelle Kinsolving Farrar, Zack Maxam, Brett Davis, David Wright, Cameron Biehl, Zander Kirkland, Brian Stanford, Graham Biehl, Skip Whyte, Molly Vandemoer and Peter Alarie. Harry Legum returns as the physical director.

Campbell has laid down a training regimen for the clinic no tougher than his own. The program, he has told the instructors, emphasizes 'potential and having the kids focus on increasing their personal capacity, regardless of the level of their sailing.'

Furthermore, Campbell said, 'I want to push the concept of personal responsibility. There are absolutely no parents allowed on the premises during clinic hours from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sailors should be expected to take care of their boats and their schedules.

'Coaches should be motivating the kids but not waiting for individuals who hold up the group, just as none of us would wait for stragglers during training camps of our own. I will take the role of bad cop getting kids out of the boat park and into meetings and off the dock.

'Your responsibilities as a coach will be to engage the kids who want to be coached and let the stragglers waste their own time. I want to set a very strong precedent at this clinic for how these kids approach future training.

'There also will be a focus on fitness by taking the entire group through a morning program as well as class-by-class. Harry Legum will be available for each of the classes on demand after the morning session.'

Railey was a clinic student for four years starting in 1998. He won an Olympic silver medal in the Finn class at Qingdao in 2008 and just last week won the Finn medal race at the 41st Princess Sofia Trophy World Cup event in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Another instructor, Graham Biehl, of San Diego, sailing with Stuart McNay, placed sixth overall in 470s.

The class includes several of the 48 members of the U.S. Sailing Development Team, a training track to the international level of competition. The next step up with an emphasis on the Olympics is Team AlphaGraphics, which currently includes Campbell and CISA coaches Railey, Biehl and Farrar.

Over the years several accomplished sailors such as Paul Cayard, Robbie Haines, Dave Dellenbaugh and Vince Brun have sent their offspring to the clinic.

CISA, founded in 1971, supports amateur sailors by providing travel grants for regional, national and international competition and also funds local sailing programs and racing clinics.

The CISA Advanced Racing Clinic is sponsored by Atlantis WeatherGear, Kaenon Polarized sunglasses, Laser Performance, Gill Sailing Gear and Apparel and North Sails.

Unlike other nations, the U.S. has no federally supported assistance programs for its amateur sportsmen or for the development of young talent. CISA, a 501(c) 3 organization, relies on contributions of corporations and individuals to provide support of amateur sailors. Because it is non-profit and tax-exempt, all contributions are tax deductible.

www.cisasailing.org