North West Area Training

Open Training Programme 2019

Each year we organise an Open Coaching programme for the region's Topper sailors. Open Coaching is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills alongside other Topper sailors. It aims to increase sailors’ skills, confidence and enjoyment in Topper sailing. The coaching will focus on boat set up, boat handling, boat speed, race tactics, wind strategy, starting techniques, target setting, fitness, diet and nutrition.

Open Training Programme 2019/20

	Date	Club	Head Coach	Notes / Focus of Training
1	Sat. 31st August 2019	Pennine SC	Lucy Means	Girls Only Training
2	Sat 5th October 2019	Pennine SC	Curtis Means	Part of the Zone Squad Selctions
	More dates to be confirmed soon

An email with details of each coaching day will be sent out a few weeks ahead of the date for that event. The coaching events can be entered via the ITCA (GBR) websites Event Entry system Early entry is greatly appreciated, as this allows us to get the best coach to sailor ration for the day which we consider to be 1 : 6.  

Provided there are sufficient numbers, sailors will be divided into groups of similar ability for part of the day's training. This helps the less experienced sailors work on one set of goals, while the more experienced sailors may work on slightly different goals.

The specific objectives for each coaching day are based on the RYA's Start Racing programme. Examples include mark rounding, starting technique, boat handling, wind strategy, boat on boat tactics, together with specialist techniques for setting up a topper in various conditions. As well as briefing and on-the-water training, we usually include coaching games and some friendly racing to help practice what has been learnt.

Our Open Coaching days normally start at 09:30am and finish around 4:30pm, depending on the light and conditions. Sailors are asked to have their boats rigged and be in the training room for 09:30am, but are requested not to change into sailing gear until they are asked to do so by the coaches. It is essential that all sailors wear appropriate clothing to keep them warm when wet, as it can be cold during the winter months.

Training at Your Local Club

If there are sufficient sailors at your local club, the Area can arrange for an experienced topper coach to provide a day's coaching.

RYA Topper North Zone

This is training organised by the RYA and usually consists of a squad of 12 to 18 boats that training over 6 weekends from November through to May. The squad is selected over a short series of race and training events during September and is open to sailors under the age of 14 years old on 31st December. More details about RYA squads can be found here

The Provisional North Zone Squad training events for 2019/20 are listed below:

9/10 November 2019

16/17 November 2019

7/8 December 2019

18/19 January 2020

7/8 March 2020

18/19 April 202

23/24/25 May 2020

For more information contact:

Greg Martin

NW Area Training Rep