Transitional Youth Squad named

Seventy talented young sailors from the Laser Radial, 420 and 29er classes selected

After two weekends of training at the Weymouth and Portland Sailing Academy, the 2001/2 Volvo RYA Transitional Youth Squad (TYS) has been selected. Training took place in three youth classes of boat; the single-handed Laser Radial dinghy, the double-handed 420 dinghy and the double handed asymmetric 29er dinghy, with a total of 70 talented young sailors being selected.
"I have been really impressed with the overall standard of sailing over the two weekends, it has been far better this year compared to 12 months ago. It is a shame that we can not select everybody, but it is important for those sailors that were not selected, to keep going and to practice what they learnt over the training weekends, to hopefully join us next year", commented Youth Manager Steve Joel, who went on to say "I am looking forward to working with this group of sailors and to achieving results in the future at international youth events".

The aim of the squad programme is to support the most talented graduates of the National Junior Squad programmes to progress into the demanding Volvo RYA National Youth Squad. It provides squad based coaching, training and competition guidance to fast track the development of selected sailors' essential boat handling skills and boat speed. The newly selected members of the TYS will be exposed to training and competition programmes designed to lift them to National Youth Squad standards.

The TYS has five training camps to look forward to over the winter, this is a chance for them to work with some of the top sailing coaches, to improve their boat handling skills. In the New Year they will link up with the National Youth Squad to focus on advancing their boat speed, working towards getting selected for the National Youth Squad at the Volvo RYA Youth Championships and Trials.

"With quality coaching from some of the top sailing coaches, they will expand on their skills, and work on all aspects of their sailing, to hopefully get selected next year for the Volvo RYA National Youth Squad", commented the RYA Laser standard national coach, Chris Gowers.

470 World Silver Medallist Joe Glanfield spoke about his experience of working with the TYS; "During the training I worked with some superb young sailors, and saw some of the stars of tomorrow. The squad offers our most talented junior sailors a fast track training scheme into their new youth classes. If these talented young sailors can use the knowledge they gain from the 'transitional' training it will give them a huge leapfrog into their Youth sailing"

Congratulations to the following youth sailors that were selected;

Laser Radials
Alex Stothert, Giles Scott, James Alderton, James Boyce, James Royston, John Booth, Keir Clarke, Kellie Covington, Mark Heather, Matt Packer, Nikki Sharp, Paul Cox, Ross Harvey, Ross Howell, Thomas Hepburn, Tony Adams and William Wall

420
Ben Ainsworth/Thomas Heywood, Joanna Brigg/Michaela Boughton, Joanne MacDonald/Faye Govan, Laura Farrell/Victoria Havill, Laura Wade/Jessica Makey, Lucy MacGregor/Nicola MacGregor, Mary Rook/Hanah Burke, Matt Burge/Simon Wheeler, Neil Crossouard/Sam Pascoe, Oliver Dix/Philip Lasko, Rachel Wigmore/Katie Martin, Rory Sharvill/James Cooke Simon, Lambert/James Hughes, Tom Mallandine/Adam Litchfield

29ers
Andrew Skubala/Mari Shepherd Bernard, Gammon/Andrew Gammon, Chris Kilsby/Tom Odell David, Evans/Ben Redwood David, Freemantle/James Penn, Edward Chapman/Anthony Chapman, Jenny Gammon/Chris Duffin, Josh Wilce/Olly Wilce, Luke Patience/David Wallace, Mark Bartlett/Joe Runnaccles, Paul Childs/Charlie Hill, Samantha Perry/Elizabeth Willows, Will Crocker/Phil Bacon