Youth Development Squad

Over the next two seasons the club is collaborating with Yachting New Zealand to establish a regional youth development hub in Wellington, catering to sailors in the bottom of the North Island and the upper South Island.

The youth development programme will provide parents and sailors with a logical sailing path after the Optimist and the P Class. The club encourages sailors to join the youth development programme by moving into Starlings if they are sizing out of the Optimist (i.e. likely to weigh over 50KG in the next season). Once in the programme they are then supported to transition into either of two youth classes.

The Laser Radial is the single handed class in the programme. It has been chosen as there are good senior fleets, they are sailed by both genders and Wellington is a great place to learn to sail a Laser Radial. 

The 29er is the two handed class for the programme. It has been chosen as it is sailed by both genders, there are two opportunities for selection to the New Zealand youth team, it is one design and a progression into the 12ft skiff class in Wellington is available. Support is also provided for 420s alongside of Evans Bay Yacht and Motorboat Cub's programme.

The programme’s primary aim is to support our young people to continue to enjoy sailingand become sailors for life. The programme also provides a pathway for those young people whose goal it is to be selected into Yachting New Zealand youth and sailing talent development programmes and to sail for New Zealand at the World Youth Sailing Championship.

Boat Charter: The goal over time is to establish a fleet of 29ers and Laser Radials that young people can charter as they are starting out on their journey into the youth classes. This season we have two 29ers available for charter. Next season our target is to begin to establish a fleet of Laser Radials for charter. The boats are chartered for six months at a time. The cost of charter is $300 per six-month block. 

Coaching and training for the youth development programme takes place every Tuesday after school during the season. For every hour spent with a coach it is expected that sailors will spend five hours on their own training programme. The goal of coaching and training is to ‘consistently sail fast and the right way’. In order to do this the youth development coaching programme focuses on the four golden skills; ‘Speed Upwind’, ‘Speed Downwind’, ‘Starting’ and ‘Tactics’.

Sport Science:The programme will ultimately include four sports science modules. The modules are ‘Sail Smart’, ‘Hike Hard’, ‘Eat Well’, and ‘Sail Fit’. The modules are designed to help our young athletes begin to understand the impact that planning, review, biomechanics, nutrition, strength and conditioning have on performance. This season the focus will be on getting the modules underway.

Regional camps: This season we will be delivering a series of camps in partnership with Yachting New Zealand at Worser Bay as the first step in creating the regional youth development hub. The dates of these clinics will be confirmed during the season. 

Racing: Youth development programme sailors race in Starlings, Laser radials and 29ers on Saturday afternoons during the season. 

Key regattas in New Zealand are the Starling, 29er and Laser Radial National Championships, the Youth Trials and the Oceanbridge NZL Sailing Regatta. Sailors are encouraged to also compete in the Laser Radial Youth World and the 29er World Championships.

Payment: Coaching is in two blocks - through to Christmas 2020 and from January 2021 to the end of the season. Fees are to be paid at the start of each block, or alternatively at the beginning of the season with your membership.