Sailing clinic for kids

(CNS): Fourteen young sailors attended the 2nd International Optimist Clinic, held at the Cayman Islands Sailing Club and National Sailing Centre over the Easter weekend and run by Allan Coutts, an America’s Cup sailor and Cayman Islands high performance Optimist coach. The clinic focused on boat speed and boat handling and the sailors practised in the North Sound and just outside the reef near Stingray City. (Left: Local sailor Tristan Connault)

The Optimist is a one-person dinghy for children. It is the most popular dinghy in the world and as a result more Olympic medalists learn to race in the Optimist than any other sailboat.

According to the CISC, the The Cayman Sailing Team members who participated were: Tristan Connault, Matthew Courtis, Alex Robertson, Iain Robertson, Ben Williams, Jamie Williams and Niklas Wolfe, and there were also seven youngsters from the United States. The clinic is one of the many international coaching events run at the Sailing Centre throughout the year.

Sailing Director Mike Weber was pleased with the clinic. “Once again Mr Coutts’ coaching was very well received by the sailors and wesaw tremendous improvement” he said.

“The Cayman Islands is growing as a sailing tourism destination,” says Weber. “We are getting more interest from foreign sailors to come to Cayman to train and we look forward to hosting more sailing events in the future.”

For more information on sail training opportunities in the Cayman Islands, please contact Mike Weber at sailing@sailing.ky or visit www.sailing.ky