Please select your home edition
Edition
Palm Beach Motor Yachts

IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training at Spinnaker Sailing Club

by Roger Cerrato 26 Oct 2019 23:34 PDT 26 October 2019
IOCA South Pre Zone Winter Training at Spinnaker © Roger Cerrato

Whilst sailing events up and down the country were being cancelled due to extreme wind conditions, twelve plucky young Optimist sailors met up at Spinnaker SC for the first session of the IOCA South Pre Zone Training.

Coaches Andy Kerr and Chay Taylor started off by explaining the goals for the winter training which can be summed up by:

  • Improve your sailing
  • Have fun!
With 25 knots, plus much stronger gusts whistling across the lake, the day was going to be a challenge for sure! For the initial session afloat the sailors paired up for some flag racing which have the youngest participants (some of which are only seven) a chance to get to get used to the venue and conditions.

After a warming lunch around a large convivial table, the sailors were split into two groups according to sailing ability and age. Chay took the more experienced sailors out to the middle of the lake and set them off blast reaching between two marks.

Andy towed the younger sailors to the far end of the lake to find some shelter before setting them free for a sail. Maybe there wasn't quite as much shelter as some of them wanted but once back ashore and warmed up they were all smiling.

The more resilient sailors from both groups went back out after a short break ashore for the final session of the day.

We've all got our fingers crossed for less breeze for the next session on Saturday December 21st.

Related Articles

Chichester Yacht Club Optimist Open Preview
Registration is open and visitors are very welcome Registration is open for this year's Chichester Yacht Club Optimist Open on Sunday the 13th of July. Visitors are very welcome to come and enjoy the clubs facilities while watching the racing from CYC's lawns. Posted on 3 Jul
Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy 2025 Preview
International sailing & ocean conservation unite in Cascais From July 4 to 6, Cascais hosts the biggest sailing regatta of the year with a strong focus on sustainability. The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy celebrates six years of diversity, competition, and environmental commitment. Posted on 30 Jun
2025 International Classes Regatta preview
The ICR has earned a stellar reputation as an outstanding lead-up regatta for competitors The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) is proud to announce that the 2025 International Classes Regatta (ICR)—the Club's premier annual dinghy event—will take place on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November 2025. Posted on 27 Jun
South and Southwest Regional Junior Championship
Exciting, high-quality competitive racing for 5 classes at Weymouth There were 145 sailors competing in Topper 5.3 and 4.2, Optimist, RS Feva XL, RS Tera Pro and Sport and ILCA 4 classes. The excellent race team led by PRO Paul Kimmens delivered exciting, high-quality competitive racing for all classes. Posted on 26 Jun
NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
They had it all: heat, sun, torrential rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning We had it all at Ullswater, heat, sun, (torrential) rain, wind, calm, thunder and lightning but nothing switched the smiles, sailing and socialising off at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships at Ullswater. Posted on 25 Jun
Welsh Regional Junior Championships
74 boats have a glorious weekend alongside a number of Welsh Sailing initiatives The event was hosted with Dale Yacht Club, Celtic Sea Watersports and Windswept Watersports and attracted a total of 74 entries, including 18 sailors keen to develop their racing skills in the coached regatta fleet. Posted on 25 Jun
All set for NEYYSA Championship at Ullswater
Youth and juniors from all over the NE and Yorkshire will battle this weekend With less than 24 hours until the first warning signal at the North Region Youth & Junior Championships organised by North East & Yorkshire Youth Sailing Association (NEYYSA) and hosted by Ullswater Yacht Club final preparations are in hand. Posted on 20 Jun
Gill Optimist Early Summer Championships
Brightlingsea delivered a thrilling test of skill and adaptability The IOCA Early Summer Championships at Brightlingsea SC delivered a thrilling test of skill and adaptability for the Optimist Fleet, with sailors battling extreme variations in wind speed and direction over two days of racing. Posted on 19 Jun
Cambridgeshire Youth League at Grafham Water
33 sailors took part in windy conditions The second leg of the Cambridgeshire Youth Sailing League took place at Grafham Water Sailing Club on Saturday 14th June. Despite the forecast for strong winds, 33 intrepid young sailors set sail in gusty conditions. Posted on 18 Jun
Tyson Tops 32nd International Optimist Regatta
Getting good starts and sailing fast led to the win at St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands Getting good starts and sailing fast led the USA's Daniel Skutch Tyson to win the 32nd International Optimist Regatta (IOR), hosted at the St. Thomas Yacht Club (STYC), June 13-15, 2025. Posted on 16 Jun
Zhik 2024 DecemberCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTERMaritimo S Series