Issue date
It is run out of Willow Park Camp, which is right on the beach at Eastern Beach in Auckland. It is designed to support and advance our top Opti sailors as they develop their sailing and racing capabilities. It has a cap of 60 sailors with some of NZL’s top coaches assisting the sailors, as well as some guest speakers.
This year the sailors had some great learning opportunities, made some new friends and had loads of fun.
The program was led by coach Sam McKenzie with support from PT trainer Wiri Warriner and Terry Nicholas.
It was wonderful to see the top sailors from the South Island attending this clinic and taking advantage of free Opti's from the legacy created from the 2011 Opti worlds in Napier - a big thanks to the Opti Worlds trust for making these boats availiable to our sailors on an ongoing basis for clinics and regattas when these sailors live far away.
One of the themes of the clinic was Progression in sailing and development as sailors, so having insights about what might come next in their sailing from Terry Nicholas as chair of the YNZ Olympic Committee was helpful to the sailors.
Andrew Wills coached the NZL Opti team when Chris Steele won the Opti Worlds in 2007 and when NZL won the trophy for Top country team that same year, so the sailors appreciated having “Wilzy” and Chris Steele available to present about what it takes to be your best in Optimist sailing. Joey Allen, ETNZ coach and sailing legend added some other angles around these topics including how to get yourselves into the best frame of mind as possible to race well.
Opening night
Chris Steele talks hiking while Joey Allen facilitates
It was inspirational for the female sailors to have current NZL Sailing Team members and 49er FX Olympic Campaigners Erica Dawson and Ellie Copeland in support as coaches.
Consistent with the theme of progression, the sailors had an evening of sailing and racing on the J24 yachts generously supplied by Buckland Beach Yacht Club. The sailors helmed and operated the boats with a coach in support on each boat. The racing was fierce. This was a real highlight of the week for many of the sailors.
J24 Racing
YNZ RSO’s Hamish Hey and Kim Admore supported the camp for a day of Teams racing learning followed by 54 teams races. The racing was close and there was some highly effective teams racing strategies being implemented. A highlight was the coaches race at the end of the Teams racing day – some spectacular boat on boat rivalry was seen!!
We were fortunate to have a wide range of sailing conditions all week, but the last day of the clinic was a day of fleet racing. Designed to simulate a regatta race day, it was cut to 2 races after winds peaked over 30 knots. Sailors demonstrated just how much they had learnt during the week however, and it was Josh Armit who won the day, followed by Lewis Anderson and Jonathon Weston.
Fleet racing day
It was a great week or learning, with lots of very tired sailors at the conclusion of the clinic. Thanks to all of the coaches and helpers, Willow Park Camp and Bucklands Beach Yacht Club. Be sure to put this Clinic into your diary as a goal for next year!
