IOCA South Pre-Nationals Training at Hamble River Sailing Club

Barbecue during the IOCA South Pre-Nationals Training at Hamble © Roger Cerrato

Seventeen keen Optimist racers joined coaches Sophie Holloway, Peter Baddeley and Sarah Jarman for three days of Pre Nationals training based out of Hamble River SC. As well as sailors from Warsash SC, HRSC and the Royal Southern YC we were pleased to welcome Theo Smith from Barnt Green who travelled down from the Midlands to join the fun.

The coaches kept the participants busy with a real variety of training exercises and some informal racing. All the sailors enjoyed the training and are looking forward to putting their new skills to the test at the Nationals in Pwllheli starting next Sunday August 5th.

I spoke to a few of them about their favourite part of the training. See below, some answers may strike fear in the heart of any Oppy parent who spends far too much time and money on keeping these racing machines in tip-top condition...

• Evie (10) – I liked the Sprit racing where we lay over the front of the boat and used our sprit as a paddle
• Ella (11) – I liked the wet whistle game
• Felix (8) – I liked doing press ups on the boat
• Marcus (9) – I liked practicing my upwind sailing
• Ffion (10) – I liked winning my first race
• Kai (11) – I liked the racing best as I could practice what we'd been learning
• Sabine (11) – I liked playing "Mark Mayhem" where we all sail downwind together and then all round the mark at the same time