September 3, 2010 MSC/O01/10
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High performance coaches from Australia and New Zealand will meet at Maroochy Sailing Club this weekend (September 3-5) to conduct Yachting Queensland’s second ever ‘Identification and Development Program’. The decision to take this camp to Maroochydore follows the small club’s bold initiative to purchase a container load of 19 Optimist dinghies from China. Junior membership has exploded since the shipment arrived last month.
Forty children from as far a field as Southport Yacht Club and the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron will benefit from top-level instruction this weekend. Adrian Finglas, Australian Olympic Programme Coach, currently with the Queensland Academy of Sport, will join Martin Watson (AIS scholarship coach), Scott McInally and Tim Edwards who, between them, offer 80 years of international coaching/racing experience.
Maroochy Sailing Club Commodore John Pearce today acknowledged the support of both Yachting Queensland (YQ) and the Queensland International Optimist Dinghy Association (QIODA) in his mission to draw more youngsters into the sport. “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to welcome these kids”, Mr Pearce said. “I hope that our facility will offer a range of sailing challenges for them throughout the weekend, and look forward to working closely with YQ and QIODA”.
Fully rigged, the Optimist dinghy weighs no more than 35 kilos. With a length of only 2.36 metres, it is easily transportable, compact and simple to handle. Built in the main by Shanghai Far East FRP Boat Co. Ltd, the Optimist is now considered the world’s premier single-handed dinghy for juniors.
“The club felt ‘Optis’ were the way to go, and I noticed on an overseas website that Far East were offering ex regatta boats for USD$2200,” Mr Pearce said. “We had to wait for the conclusion of the South American Championships in Uruguay, and for ‘our’ boats to return to Shanghai before we could ship them to the Sunshine Coast. We were pretty excited by the time they arrived!”
The Maroochy Sailing Club is located on Chambers Island, off Bradman Avenue in Maroochydore. Optimist camp participants range in age from 8 to 14 years and will begin training at 6.30 am on Saturday, 4th September.
