Sailing charting a firm course

Earlier this year, Barbados was one of three nations awarded technical training courses in sailing, as part of Steering the Course, World Sailing’s global women’s sailing festival. That promised Technical Course came to fruition this past week.

Facilitated by British Paralympic sailor Hannah Stodel, with support from Cat Duncan and World Sailing, the Level 1 course catered entirely to female coaches and potential coaches.

Stodel has represented Great Britain at three Summer Paralympics and, with her colleagues John Robertson and Stephen Thomas, has won multiple medals in the Mixed Sonar class at the Disabled Sailing World Championships, including gold in 2005 and 2006.

After seven days of intense instruction, including theory and hands-on learning in the water, the nine female coaches under the auspices of the Barbados Sailing Association (BSA) are now much better equipped to grow the sport.

In addition to the classroom and water sessions, the coaches also engaged in a beach cleanup exercise. Upon conclusion of the week-long training, each participant was awarded with a coaching certificate.

“It was a truly epic seven day World Sailing Technical Coaching Course hosted by the Barbados Sailing Association,” Stodel enthused. “I am so grateful to get the opportunity to lead these courses, and to meet incredible women like this. Time to head home for the next adventure!”

In addition to the coaching course, the BSA also launched its 2024 summer camps, where future sailors are being introduced to water safety and the rudiments of sailing. After just one dahy of instruction, a half-dozen kids were already on the water in their dinghies.

And on the international scene, whereas Barbados is not in sailing at Paris 2024, Joseph Whelan is certainly hoping to become an Olympian some day. He is representing Barbados in Lake Garda, Italy this week, at the Trentino 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships. He was able to take in three days of training before the main event.

(TF)