UKLA Chair Blog #3

UKLA aims to provide training for all levels and I wanted to provide you with an overview.

Our regional open training, led by our UKLA training officer Tim Hulse, was a great success last year. It has opened our training to a wider demographic of sailor, both in age and ability. Open training is truly ‘open’ and we celebrate this as a Class Association, ensuring all sailors in the Class feel supported.

This year in 22/23 we have also introduced UKLA subsidised club training which clubs were invited to bid on. At least six of these training sessions are now available on the calendar at clubs across the country. This is an exciting initiative which we hope to build on depending on the feedback this year.

We will also now have a National Training Weekend monthly alongside the existing regional open training. These are for more experienced racers who regularly attend our National events or International events. 

So for ILCA4 sailors, as well as the regional open training, there will be monthly National training for more experienced sailors. In addition, the RYA have regional training groups (RTGs) in three regions to which you must apply through the RYA (deadline is 11th Sept). Our aim in the UKLA is to provide training to a wide base of ILCA4 sailors to develop their core skills.

For ILCA6 sailors, we also have the regional open training and there will be monthly National training for more experienced sailors. In addition the RYA have their Youth Squad which is typically a smallish group of sailors (deadline for applying through RYA is 18th Sept) with the National training seen as a compliment to this.

For ILCA7 sailors as well as the regional open training, there is National training with ASC Performance Academy run in conjunction with the UKLA catering for U23s who aspire to the top end of ILCA7 sailing.

To a large extent, dates have been designed to ensure minimal clashes with UKLA training available on our calendar.