Class Academy Sessions 2020

Lots of work has been going on behind the scenes in recent weeks to set up a full academy programme which we can deliver across October in line with the continually changing situation as far as the Covid-19 pandemic is concerned.

The RYA Scotland Performance team aim to provide single session academy training to local clubs allowing sailors to access quality training and still engage with club activity over the weekend in a safe environment.

We currently have almost 70 sessions, scheduled across around 15 different clubs involving nearly 25 different coaches.

The RYA Scotland Class Academies are designed to support sailors of all levels and ages along their sailing journey. In a non-Covid scenario there would be 6 training sessions in each class delivered over the winter by our expert coaches focusing on racing skill development, supporting sailors both new to racing and those involved in further performance programme teams. These run in the Optimist, Topper, Laser, 420, 29er and Techno classes and be open to all sailors in the specified classes regardless of age.

This will be piloted across the month of October for us to be able to adjust the model as necessary to maximise the effectiveness of this programme across the winter and to support the highest quality of training in local clubs for sailors of all abilities.

Performance Manager Matt Toynbee noted. “Great to be able to deliver against our long term strategy of energising activity locally within the clubs. We hope that this will encourage sailors to get more time across the winter in informal training groups as we know the gains that increased water time can provide.”

Performance Sailing Officer, Kate Pounder added. “We are very excited to be able to bring local training to clubs for our junior and youth sailors. We hope the new Academy model will decrease travel time and enable more water time with our Academy coaches. As we have been running our return to the water sessions we have seen an increase in new sailors entering the Academies this October, this will be a great opportunity for them to make new friends, develop their skills and be part of a sailing community.”

Places are still available to book onto the sessions later in the month with more information and full dates available below.

https://www.rya.org.uk/scotland/performance/class-academies/Pages/hub.aspx