Last weekend 22 young Optimist sailors participated in IODAI’s newly formed Development Squad hosted by Malahide Yacht Club. The first in a series of training weekends and under the supervision of head coach Adam D'Arcy and his team, the young sailors were put through their paces on Saturday morning in wind of around 15 kts, before being split into groups for the afternoon session.
Sunday morning dawned foggy and without a breath of wind, the team undertook theory and physical training session as they awaited suitable wind to fill-in. Then in the afternoon as the breeze increased the fleet managed to complete 3 races.
“This is a great initiative by IODAI to encourage and train younger sailors during the winter months. We at MYC were honoured to host the first part of the training programme and look forward to welcoming all back in the near future” says Paddy Ryan, Optimist Class Captain, Malahide Yacht Club.
If you have a young optimist sailor who would like to participate in IODAI training programmes then Baltimore during the February half term is your next opportunity.
