Training & Development

Training and development is key to help our young UK optimist sailors achieve their goals. This could be anything from starting to attend local training events (and local regattas) beyond your own home club, up to being part of your RYA Regional Training Group.

Regional and National events allow you to improve your racing and tactics, and to make good friends who will hopefully be with you for a lifetime in the sport! Many of our parents involved with the class are still sailing with friends they met in their Optimists.

All upcoming training events are in our training calendar

Please see our Winter 2022/23 training plan here. 

Regional Training

Good access to regional training means sailors should be able to train in their own area without long journeys, and cost effectively. We at IOCA UK are committed to ensuring that we hold regular class training and events across the UK, and support club and regional training across the country. Each region has a representative (volunteer) who is supported by the IOCA Central Training Team, Jane and Deborah.

The IOCA regions are Scotland, Wales, North East, North West, Midlands, East, Thames Valley, London & South East, South and South West.

Each region offers a series of winter training dates and a summer area championship or regional regatta programme to attend. All different abilities are catered for using a variety of coaches with different skills and expertise.

Please see the Regions page for details of your local IOCA contact. 

For national queries please contact the IOCA UK Training & Development Team - we'd be delighted to hear from you!:

Deborah Waggett - training@optimist.org.uk

Nick Holley - deputy.training@optimist.org.uk