Weekend 2 of the 6 weekend RS Aero Youth Winter Training Programme visited a breezy but mild Chew Valley SC on 8/9th December with the Youth Team of 30 young sailors braced for a fun but testing time afloat.
The weekend was focused on tactics, and ensuring that you were always in a position to make up places upwind and downwind. Coaches for the weekend were Ross Harvey, Ben Whaley, Liam Willis and Emily Covell, bringing in some new talent and ideas to the team for the weekend.
The RS Aero Youth Team sailors ventured out onto a very gusty Chew Valley on Saturday morning and after a few capsizes and turtles, including one myself, the decision was made to come back into shore for some shore based sessions. With the wind increasing throughout the day a number of sailors went back out in the afternoon for a blast and a lot of planning – all helping to expand their heavy air comfort zones! In the evening a great quiz was made and 4 teams battled it out with the RS Aero 7 team narrowly beating the RS Aero 5 girls team (which included coach Ross!) by 1/3rd of a point!
Sunday morning dawned and the expected strong winds never fully materialised, only in the gusts, and 2 more controlled sessions were achieved where the sailors could focus on the tips learnt from the coaches on the day before.
Overall a fun and constructive weekend was had by all. The RS Aero youth sailors are looking forward to a short break before the next Youth Winter Training at Rutland SC on 5/6th January. That weekend is open to all comers, youth and adults, details and sign up in advance via the Event Page.