Optimist, Open Skiff, Youth & Olympic Sailing Blog

For a few years now, there has been talk about reconstituting a provincial youth sailing team in Quebec. Here are some ideas for doing so, which are not only adapted to the situation in Quebec, where competitive sailing is a little practiced sport, but which also rely on the methods used where high performance athletes are regularly produced. These ideas focus on youth sailors aged 12 to 18 and aim at making them more successful without hurting their schooling, which typically becomes more demanding as the years go by. The considerations discussed here are diverse, from the choice of boats to annual planning and cost control. These ideas are the result of many discussions and reflections on the subject in recent years. They aim at offering practical solutions that address the needs of athletes, coaches, parents, as well as club and provincial officials. Find here the original document in French. Trouvez ici la version originale en français. ————————————————— CONTENTS I. Strat...

In the wake of the surprising choice by the Club de voile des deux montagnes (CVDM - located in Vaudreuil, in the vicinity of Montreal) to acquire 10 Topper dinghies, the Quebec Sailing Federation has just announced that it has also chosen the Topper for the next Quebec Games. For those who are not familiar with them, the Quebec Games are a major youth event taking place every other year in a range of disciplines (athletics, swimming, etc.). https://thetford2018.jeuxduquebec.com As discussed previously, the Topper is a dinghy whose design is outdated, and which does not offer opportunities for regattas in North America , unlike alternatives that would have been probably more justified - the Open Bic and the Laser 4.7, or even the Radial Laser.  For those who are familiar with youth sailing in Quebec, it is well known that none of the best youth sailors will ever sail in this boat.  Two years ago, the same federation had chosen another dinghy, virtually unknown - th...