Introduction

The Eastern Region has an enviable reputation for its commitment to training. Encouraging more young people into the sport and supporting clubs and individuals in achieving their goals lies at the heart of the Region’s work.

To this end a number of years ago the Committee set up the Regional Training Panel. It’s remit is to operate and maintain the fleets of training dinghies, and to advise and assist coaches and instructors.

The Region is the biggest in the country, stretching from the Wash to the Thames and from the coast as far West as Buckinghamshire. There are 175 affiliated clubs, some 95 training centres — both commercial and integrated into clubs — and over 14,000 personal members. Over the years the success of its training support can be seen by the growth of youth sailing, the growing number of clubs selected for Volvo Championship Club (VCC) status, by the increasing number of clubs signing up for the RYA OnBoard youth scheme, and by the number of world champions and Olympians who started in, or have close connections with this region.

Several of the disabled sailing centres in the region have pioneered methods and techniques now used universally. One of the five Sailability Centres of Excellence is also in our region. With the support of the Training Panel windsurfing is set to grow, a new fleet of windsurf boards and rigs was delivered in 2009. The youth windsurf racing scheme Team 15 is strongly supported by the Panel.

Fleets

With three fleets of Optimists, two of Toppers (all have six boats a fleet) and fleet of Fevas (three boats) and a 10-board fleet of windsurfers, the region is well placed to help clubs with equipment to stage training weekends, OnBoard starter events, youth training weeks and regattas.

The Region’s training  fleets undergo a comprehensive maintenance schedule each winter, including replacing sails, mainsheets, buoyancy bags, dagger boards and tillers and small repairs to hulls as required.

Event Support

The region is organising a round of area heats for competitors in the increasingly popular Honda RYA Youth RIB Championship. In 2010 heats will be held at Paxton Lakes, near St Neots, Alton Water, near Ipswich and Island YC on  Canvey Island, Fishers Green, Herts. The Eastern Region final will be held at Island YC on July 17th, 2010. Any clubs that wish to hold an area heat should contact the Garth Cooper on 01362 699195 email garthword@btinternet.com

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Team 15 is the youth racing windsurf club competition, and the Panel is actively encouraging more youth windsurf clubs to take part. The Panel is currently planning the purchase of a fleet of 10 assorted windsurf boards and rigs to form a training fleet for the Regional Windsurf Coach and Team 15 Co-ordinator Graham Colam  As with the dinghy fleets this fleet can also be hired for club training events.