Windsurfing Instruction Programme Review Document

YNZ / NZWA Windsurf Instruction Program

and the

NZL Windsurfing Early Development Program.

Author: Bruce Kendall

October 2009

Current situation in NZL

The NZWA have a comprehensive windsurfing instructors system that is aimed at teaching windsurfing students how to windsurf competently as quickly and safely as possible. It is not designed to teach students to race or advanced techniques

In most places around NZL, windsurfing instruction is delivered by windsurfing schools that are either linked to a windsurfing shop or are privately owned and operated. The main focus of the schools is to teach windsurfing to a competent level safely to as many people as possible. Only a small fraction of these people go on to purchase their own equipment or reach an advanced level and even fewer ever race.

Current Windsurfing Schools

Most windsurfing schools teach a wide range of the population. The boards need to be stable for students of up to around 80 kilos, and the board still needs to turn easily. The best board design is a wide short board. For ease of the first stage of learning, it is best if the rig is in a fixed position and the center board and fin are fixed and not to long, so the board is easy to operate and can sail in shallow water. This hull design dose not go up wind well. The rigs need to be small and light weight. The sail size range is from 5.5 square meters down to 3 meters s.m.

The main intention for this style of equipment is to get students to use a harness and planning at an early stage so they can go short-board sailing.

Students generally get to the level where they can get back to where they started, but in the majority of cases not much more and they are often lost from the sport.

The skill set required for windsurfing is more than sailing and so learning time is longer and the conditions, equipment and instruction make a big difference to the learning experience and out come.

Recommended Future of Windsurfing Instruction in NZ.

While windsurfing schools continue to bring anyone of any age to learn windsurfing, retention of students for longer, needs to be worked on.

For windsurfing numbers to properly increase in NZL there needs to be a fresh approach so that future New Zealand windsurfers can continue to do well on an international level in all disciplines. There needs to be a NZL Windsurfing Early Development Program.

Primary and Intermediate schools, junior sailors at yacht clubs and sailing events need to be approached and regularly offered the NZL Windsurfing Early Development Program.

Based on successful over seas models, windsurfing is best taught to people at around nine years old. They then need to stay in an instructional program to reach an advanced level early so that students literally grow up with the sport. Their mental and physical reactions need to become second nature before they start to get a lot taller and put on muscle mass, [which happens normally from around 13 to 15 years old.] With a good follow up program, their potential level of performance by the time they are in their early 20’s is much higher and they are much more likely to win Olympic Medals and other world championships in all windsurfing disciplines.

It has been proven that any physical skill set needs to be repeated within 72 hours of learning it, so there needs to be several lessons over a short period of time to ensure the kids retain these skills well. The program needs to retain these kids during the year so that they sail all year round. New Zealand’s North Island is blessed with a climate where this is possible, unlike much of the northern hemisphere where it freezes over in some places. South Islanders need pretty good wetsuits, gloves, booties and hoods for the cold days there.

Teaching kids to race, is important, as it creates a need for kids to arrive at the same time to rig up, sail at the same time, de rig at the same time and wait around together for wind or what ever at the same time. This group will socialize and become friends and this will be a big part of the reason they will stay with the sport. Trying to out perform your mates is a big part of any sport, but not the only part, it is a good sport for growing good people and learning to care about the environment.

Windsurfing equipment for the

NZL Windsurfing Early Development Program.

For the first stage of level 1 the board should not be too big and most windsurfing schools already have suitable boards and rigs.

For the rest of the program the equipment needs to suit sailors from 30 to 50 kilos. The hull needs to be a good shape for general all round performance and feel fun to sail. It should relatively light so it is easy for maneuvering on and off the water. It should be durable and reasonably inexpensive and easy to obtain.

It should be an internationally recognized racing class with a strong class association in NZL and internationally.

The Bic Techno ticks all the boxes.  There were 250 competitors at the 2009 Bic Techno world championships. This is the same number as the Optimist world champs and is currently the biggest windsurfing class world championships in the world. The BT is recognized by the developed nations as the feeder class for the windsurfing class at the Olympic games and gets generous support.

The rig size classes at the BT world champs are 5.8, 6.8 and 7.8.

For New Zealand, the sail sizes for level 1, 2 and 3 should be according to the needs of the sailor.

For racing events the rig sizes should be as per the international class size rules and a smaller rig is optional although sailors can only nominate one rig for an event. Racing divisions will be run by sail size. I would recommend that the size below the 5.8 would be a 4.8 and any size below.

If non-Bic sails were used to reduce costs, a sail size measuring system would need to be used to ensure non-Bic sails were below the maximum sizes. For any qualification events, only standard Bic class legal rigs should be used.

Operation of the

NZL Windsurfing Early Development Program

There needs to be a person paid to manage this program. It will require constant year round management and expansion of the program in general numbers and around NZL. The list of the functions required would be as follows.

1. Obtain funding to cover time and expenses to manage and run out the program. Possible funding sources. YNZ / SPARC, public trusts, sponsorships [windsurfing industry and out side]
2. Revise the current NZWA windsurfer’s instructor’s syllabus to ensure it encompasses the path way described here in.
3. Meet with windsurfing school owners and encourage them to participate with the program, up skill their instructors and obtain the correct equipment.
4. Help run an instructors seminar to qualify the required number of instructors to start the program with the interested parties.
5. Meet with priority targeted yacht clubs to encourage them to obtain the correct equipment and suitable windsurfing coaches. Encourage board storage at yacht clubs.
6. Promote the program to schools and city councils as a pathway to the Olympic games and other aspects to the sport such as slalom, wave sailing, free style etc.
7. Ensure the program is and continues to run smoothly through the windsurf schools and yacht clubs through emails, phone calls and visits.
8. Create promotional events to attract new participants to the program and encourage those in the program. These could be attending junior sailing events, school assemblies, sports trade shows [like “big boys toys” or “the boat show”].
9. Create motivational events to encourage those in the program to stay involved. These could be advanced coaching clinics, video evenings, and special sailing events in interesting locations.
10. Encourage inter club competitions and run inter school national championships.
11. Run the selection process for the Bic Techno class for continental and world championships.
12. Help ensure the NZL team at major over seas events is well supported so that NZL sailors achieve respectable results.
13. Run and manage the class rules and racing formats.

NZL Windsurfing Early Development Program.

Kids should be taught level 1 at 9 to 13 years old. Level 2 is taught 10 to 14 years old. If the kids are progressing well, by the age of 15, they should have completed level 3. The program on level 2 & 3 should be on the Bic Techno. Bic Techno sailors are normally no longer as competitive above 60 kilos in below 16 knots. From 55 to 60 kilos they should start sailing the RSX in the light wind races. The Youth RSX class sailors start to become competitive from 54 kilos.

The age limit to kids starting the program is 16 years old and the weight limit to start the program is 55 kilos.

A Youth Development Program on the ISAF youth board and Olympic Class Board will be running to look after the sailors coming out of the NZL Early Development Program.

Level 1

This is best done by windsurf schools, as they have the entry-level equipment and the experience to deliver most of the program. If they cannot deliver the second part of the program due to a lack of equipment, this can then happen with Yacht clubs who should easily be able to get funding for a set of boards for this purpose. Instructors from the windsurfing school or experienced windsurfers trained to deliver part 2 & 3 can do this at the yacht clubs or W/S schools.

1. This first introduction teaches them the basics of getting going to a level where they can sail in any direction. [wide boards]
2. Know general water safety, the rules of the road and self-rescue techniques.
3. Sail around a standard racing course that includes a start line, up wind and down wind, gybing and tacking. [long-boards and or decent size dagger board]

Level 2

This may be best delivered through yacht clubs with people correctly trained to teach these skills. This is to remove distractions from other learners and begins to integrate the sailors into a yacht club. If they have completed this level they are most likely windsurfers for life and will want to obtain their own equipment.

1. Operate an adjustable dagger board and mast track system around as standard racing course.
2. Basic rigging up a board and rig and how to carry and look after it.
3. Use a harness and know how to trim a sail for the conditions.
4. Sail around the standard racing course in 15 to 20 knots.

Level 3

This would best be delivered through private coaching or yacht clubs with people correctly trained to teach these skills. At this level sailors will need to have their personal board so they can set it up and maintain it to their personal requirements.

1. Proper racing tacking and planning gybing techniques.
2. Sailing the board properly in all conditions up wind and down wind.
3. Fine tuning a sail for racing.
4. Jumping the board and landing it for the various conditions. Jumping for height and distance, slalom and up wind jumping.
5. Beach and water starting.
6. Launching and sailing in an onshore beach break.
7. Pumping techniques.
8. Proper starting and mark rounding techniques.
9. Racing tactics and rules.

Level 4

This is where sailors will have decided they really want to excel at windsurfing. Specialist coaching and travel around New Zealand will be required. They may be looking at competing over seas. After reaching the top in this level they will be more than ready to make the transition to the Olympic class or any other part of windsurfing and compete at a reasonably high level.

1. Race tune board handling. Tacking and gybing in all conditions.
2. Fine tune rigs, boards and fins for speed.
3. Learn speed training and testing systems.
4. Fine tune pumping techniques
5. Fine tune starting various techniques for competitive fleets.
6. Fine tune mark rounding and tactical maneuvers.
7. Cross training. Introduction to gym and aerobic training and other sports.
8. Fine tune tactics for small and big fleets and regatta strategies.
9. Learn to use a peak performance program for on and off the water.
10. Learn wave sailing and freestyle techniques [equipment dependant]
11. Learn how to repair equipment. Hulls, fins, sails, masts and booms.

12. Learn how to manage racing their own campaigns, from sponsorship to travel and accommodation.
    

Summary.

This is a big undertaking and requires a full time position for a talented person with the right experience and skills to start up and run this program properly.

If this program is carried out correctly and has the support of the key organizations, the results will follow through to the Olympic games and the professional circuit. The skills learned will often be transferable to other yachting classes.