WindsurfingSA news

Many of you would have seen thisitem about Yachting SA’s BIC Techno Windsurfer Youth Coaching Program posted on our Seabreeze Forum, or if lucky, received an email about it. The date for registering interest has expired, but here’s a bit more about it.

• Aim of the program is to introduce the participants to high performance windsurfing.
• The Youth Coaching Program duration will be 12 weeks
• Every second weekend there will be a full day of training with a qualified coach.
• A Bic Techno or Niel Pryde RSX sailboard will be provided to all participants in the coaching program.
• Youth Windsurfing Program members will be responsible for maintaining the equipment in good racing condition.
• Participants will be encouraged to use the equipment supplied for practice in between the formal coaching sessions.
• Participants may represent SA in the Aust Youth Championship in Perth in Jan 2009

Cost: $350.00 per person. This fee covers the cost of coaching provided during the program.

Learning outcomes from the program

• Sailors will be able to sail a windward leeward course competently.
• Sailors will be able to rig and tune the equipment effectively.
• Sailors will be able to self rescue in the case of adverse conditions.
• Sailors will be able to windsurf in a range of conditions.

All youth sailors were invited to register their interest in joining the program. CLOSING DATE for applications is 22 MAY 2008

To register just send your sailing CV to:
BIC Techno Windsurfer Youth Coaching Program
c/- Yachting SA, 300 Morphett Street, Adelaide 5000 or
Email to: yacht_sa@bigpond.net.au

Any enquiries to: John at the Yachting SA office, Ph: 8410 2117
or Brendan Todd, SASI Sailing Program Coach, Ph: 0412597559 or 84166654
Email: todd.brendan@saugov.sa.gov.au  

About the time this was released, another program was launched in Queensland. The following is an edited excerpt from an email from Sean O’Brien Qld & PWA sailor.

Yachting Australia (YA) sent 2 or so Bic Techno kits up to Yachting Queensland (YQ) as these boards are doing the rounds around all the state sailing centres. Patrick Kotwall (who owns SurfConnect; wind/kite shop here in Brisbane) has now got involved and appointed as the Youth Coach in QLD. Patrick has a group of youths, age 14-18, who he sponsors through his shop who mostly wavesail or are just learning etc, but he’s got them interested in trying the Bic boards out and is organising a weekend shortly to get all the youths together to train and try out the new gear. At the moment this is completely independent of Windsurfing Queensland and is an initiative of the YA/YQ and Patrick. Patrick is hoping to kick off a Bic Techno Cup within Australia at some point, but I’m not sure exactly how many of these kits are available/in use within Australia just yet? Seems all positive.. On a side note, it’s great to “finally” see the YA doing something about windsurfing development because now that they’re not sending a man to the Olympics I can’t think of anyone who will be sailing RSX this season at all (or in the future) and that’s a sad state of affairs for a country that’s won quite a few windsurfing Olympic medals. 5/5/2008