Aarhus World Championships
Fourteen sailors’ from 14 nations participated in an Emerging Nations Program (ENP) clinic in advance of the Hempel Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.
The clinic ran from the 16-29 July in the Egå Marina, Aarhus. Just a short distance away from the World Championships venue.
The ENP is offered to already skilled sailors' who require financial and coaching support to prepare for the World Championships.
The two-week clinic focused on the Laser Radial and the Finn class. With the aim to improve sailor performance, the clinic included on-water and classroom training. As well as fitness and coaching support. This was the third ENP clinic held in Aarhus.
World Sailing’s Training and Development Manager, Rob Holden, summarised the clinic,
“Sailors were trained by a local Danish Laser Radial coach and a German Laser Radial coach spent a few days with them.
“They were on the water every day and, on some days, some of the top teams training joined them giving them the experience of training against some top competitors.
“The ENP sailors also spent some time in the gym and were given exercises which they can do at home, even if they do not have access to a gym.
“The girls have improved a lot over the time we have been working with them but due to most of them not having proper support at home they need to do all the planning and training themselves. This means they are developing slower than is ideal but there has been an impact.”
Holden concluded, “All the sailors that attended the clinic have been on previous ENP programs mostly through the World Sailing Youth Program, showing continuity.
“They will now receive coaching support during the event from myself and the local Danish coach.”
The athletes on the clinic included:
Laser Radial:
- Nethra Kumanan (India)
- Ebru Bolat (Romania)
- Mariela Nikolova (Bulgaria)
- Hulda Hannesdottir (Iceland)
- Deisy Nhaquile (Mozambique)
- Agija Elerte (Latvia)
- Isabella Marie Aguero (Guatemala)
- Kelly-Ann Arrindell (Trinidad & Tobago)
- Sanlay Castro (Cuba)
- Daniela Riveria (Venezuela)
Finn:
- Constantin Hatzilambros (Namibia)
- Rockal Evans (Bermuda)
- Ahmad Ahmadi (Iran)
- Luis Mario Suarez Manso (Cuba)
- James Dagge (Hong Kong)
- Andres Lage (Venezuela)
- Dave Shilton (South Africa)
- Tihomir Zakic (Serbia)
Four sailors highlighted above did not attend the clinic as they were sailing the Central American Games in Colombia, but they will be supported during the event.
The official opening of the Hempel Sailing World Championships starts in less 24 hours, here is what to expect:
By Aadil Seedat - World Sailing