CYA Byte/29er Training Camp February 6-9^th, 2005                

Martin County U.S. Sailing Centre, Jensen Beach, Florida

(Byte Sailors: L-R (Back Row) Lauren Laventure (PQ), C. Paloma (MB), Jocelyn McLaren (MB), Joanne Prokop (ON), Barbara Kaars-Sijpesteijn (ON), Erin Rafuse (NS), Matthew Archibald (NS):(Front Row) Hannah Kennell (PQ),  Kristine Coons (SK), Alessandra Herrera-Bennett (ON))

In preparation for the Byte/29er Mid-winters and with the onset of the Canada Summer Games, the Canadian Yachting Association set up a class specific training camp in Jensen Beach, Florida.  Leading the camp were coaches Kelly Hand and Rob Fox.  The fantastic venue provided by Martin County U.S. Sailing Center was ideal for hosting the 10 Bytes and 13 29ers from Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.  

The camp began by reviewing general skills, rigging, tuning, and identifying areas that required further attention.  Starts, mark-rounding, downwind rules, boat and sail adjustments seemed to the theme of the camp.  Over the duration of the next 4 days a vast improvement over initial performance was identified.  Athletes gained confidence in their skills and tactics and by the final day of training were running through the drills as though they were in a competition. 

In addition to great training, the warm, sunny weather with winds ranging from 5-8 knots provided an excellent opportunity to simulate conditions not only for the Mid-winters, but also conditions expected in Regina, Saskatchewan at the Canada Summer Games.

Left: Rob Fox getting some training footage.  Right: Kelly Hand giving some feedback to Hannah Kennell