COACHES AND SAILORS READY FOR 420 CLASS CLINIC IN SOUTH AFRICA
The International 420 Class is heading to the Hermanus Yacht Club in South Africa for a Coaches and Sailors Clinic under the expert coaching of Michalis Mileos (GRE).
The 5-day clinic will take place on the lagoon at Hermanus, which is located about 130km south-east of Cape Town, South Africa's capital city, from 22-26 September 2019. Following the clinic the South African 420 National Championships will see the nation's best teams face each other for three days of racing from 28-30 September 2019. The competition is set to be tight, although expect the frontrunners to be Ross MacKinnon/Alex Falcon who have won each of the three major events preceding the 420 Nationals.
The Hermanus Yacht Club provides the perfect venue, equipped with huge grounds, some small keelboat moorings and a dinghy park. Most members own a cabin and visit from Cape Town to spend the holidays or the weekends and enjoy the lake sailing, whilst for larger large events sailors camp in tents. The clubhouse is well equipped with youth room, training room, offices and a tuck shop with huge dining hall, and in the evening everybody enjoys the shoreside facilities to cook or braai (South African BBQ).
A strong turn-out is expected for the Clinic, with around 10-15 teams staying on at the club to compete at the South African 420 Nationals. Many of the established 420 teams and newcomers to the class have transitioned from the Optimist, Laser, RS Tera or Dabchick, which is a local one-person scow that is solidly embedded in the South African sailing pathway.
Weather conditions might be unpredictable with some overcast days, as the rainy season comes to a close, and predominantly lighter breeze, but there could be a few surpise windy days.
The South African 420 National Championship is being sponsored by Gurit, North Sails and King Tony. North Sails will be providing prizes and equipment, King Tony is a local supplier/importer of tools and have also contributed to the line-up of prize giving goodies, and Gurit is the leading composite boatbuilding material supplier in the world.
Led by expert coach Michali Mileos (GRE), the 5-day Coaches and Sailors Clinic features a packed daily programme to equip coaches and sailors with knowledge and expertise in the 420 Class, through a mix of shore side theory and on-water practical sessions. Topics will include:
• Tactics
• Strategy
• Skills Setting
• Boat Preparation
• Training Exercises
• Running a training programme
• Effective Briefing/Debriefing
• Racing Rules and Race Management
• Video Skills
• Psychology and Physiology
• And more …
The Clinic will be a mix of on-water sessions, lectures, exercises and presentations. Please take a look at the Clinic Programme and General Conditions for full information.
Thanks to Allen Brothers, who sponsor the 420 Class Development Programme, and provide a full set of boat fittings for every one of our 420 Class Coaches and Sailors Clinics.