The RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show happened at the end of February, and Gresford Sailing Club sadly didn’t win the RYA Club of the Year Award, but they came very close and were very happy to there as finalists – maybe next year!
Sustainable Sport
As sport collectively considers how best to tackle issues around climate change, RYA Cymru Wales has taken to land to find one solution for reducing its own impact on the environment.
Visit Sport Wales to find out more.
RYA Regional Training Days
The RYA has organised Regional Training Days (RTD), supported by Gallagher Insurance, for anyone involved in the practical delivery of activities supported by the RYA small craft schemes to help you get set for the season ahead.
Join your regional team for a day of personal learning and development. Expertise will be on offer to enhance and inspire your knowledge and practical skillset.
A comprehensive programme of workshops will be offered across the small craft schemes – Power, Sail, Boardsports. Whichever one you select; the theme will be ‘Creating a great participant experience’ and it will shape the whole day.
As well as a primary full-group session that will be common to every region, there will be small group sessions and activities, tailored to your region and covering both personal and teaching skills, run by the same delivery team throughout.
The next session is at Cardiff Yacht Club on March 18th, register now.
More training..!
There are lot of various training events happening across Wales at the moment, and here are the details for you to choose which ones you’d like to attend:
Swansea Watersports
Teaching in the Classroom, 13 March.
Marine Radio SRC Assessor, 14-15 March.
Navigation Instructor Course, 16-17 March.
Neyland Yacht Club is also hosting the Race Coach Level 2 (RCL) course on 25th and 26th March 2023.
This intensive two-day course looks at different areas of coaching and how to apply coaching skills in a practical series of on-the-water exercises. Each candidate will be expected to run complete sessions including a briefing, on-the-water exercises, and review. The aim of the course is to provide candidates with techniques to safely coach racing to youth and adult sailors.
For more information or to book now, contact Neyland Yacht Club.
Mark laying and Race officer opportunities
Mark layers and race officers are a crucial part of our activity. Local and national racing events wouldn’t take place without these volunteers.
For those completely new to mark laying but a willingness to get involved and get some skills there’s a Club mark laying course at Neyland Yacht Club on Saturday 1st April. This is free and is not an official qualification. Ideally you have a powerboat level 2 but it’s not essential. There are only 6 places, so contact Neyland Yacht Club to book your place.
The course covers:
Preparing the Kit
Positioning the Mark
Laying the Marks
Dropping Marks
Moving Marks
For those looking for an RYA Qualification and wishing to become a regional mark layer and or regional race officer, there’s a date booked for Oct 6th/ 7th Oct in South/West Wales. There would be some online work prior to attendance.
Both are one day courses with mark laying on the Saturday and race officer on the Sunday which does have a paper exam 50 questions. All details about courses can be found on the RYA website Mark Layer qualification details here and Race Officer qualifications here.
Pembrokeshire Performance Sailing Academy are also hosting several courses as part of our Aspiring Instructors Programme.
Regional Junior Championships
Our Performance Manager, Sarah McGovern, has been very busy organising a web page for the Regional Junior Championships, and here it is!!
The Welsh Regional Championships will also be held in Dale, Pembrokeshire on the 17th and 18th June next year. Entry will be opening very, very soon: British Youth Sailing Welsh Regional Junior Championships 2023.
Youth and Junior Open Training
RYA Cymru Wales aim to run Youth and Junior Open Training in the North, South and the West of Wales to support local clubs and sailors. Sailors can choose which training sessions they would like to attend and can sign up to all sessions or pay as you go.
Our intention is to have class specific training for those classes with larger numbers and then to have an ‘OnBoard introduction to racing’ group who can take part in any class of boat.
The dates so far are:
15-16th April West Windsurfing Open Training – Dale
22-23rd April West Single Hander Open Training – Dale
29-30th April West Double Hander Open Training – PPSA
6-7th May West Single Hander Open Training – Neyland YC
27-28th May West Windsurfing Open Training – Dale
3-4th June West Double Hander Open Training – Dale
Open to anyone U19 in any single or double handed class to join in. Sailors need to have sailed at least on season at their local club/ centre.
All information regarding open training can be found on our website.
Dates for your Diary
Ffin a Ffoil IS BACK in 2023, so save the dates now! The first event will be at Llanfairfechan Sailing Club on the 21st and 22nd of May, with the second event in Dale on the weekend of September 30th and October 1st – the events in 2022 were amazing so we look forward seeing you all again this year!
That’s it from us this month – see you next month!
The RYA Cymru Wales Development Team.