Raul Rios (PUR), 420 Sailor

The World Youth Sailing Trust provides a type of coaching that has several advantages that will help you during the event. The coaching received helped to improve our sailing abilities.

It is always good to have different opinions and to expose our sailing to other coaches who advise and teach us various techniques and points of view. With the APP program it is especially meaningful because very talented sailors can share with you information and their knowledge.

I would recommend the coaching to any sailor who wants to improve their talent and those that have a real interest in the sport. Also, it is a great advantage that the WYST Coach knows a little bit of every boat participating. In the meetings, although the information is about the races in each course and different classes, there is always something that you can learn from the discussions.

Jasia King (LCA), Laser Radial Sailor

My name is Jasia King (LCA, Female Radial Sailor) and I participated in the Volvo Youth Worlds 2010 in Istanbul, Turkey. I was part of the Athlete Participation Programme (APP) and I absolutely loved it.

The Championship coach was Kristine Roug. She was wonderful. I did not have coach with me in Istanbul so she explained everything that I needed to know clearly, she picked up my spirits when I was down and congratulated me when I deserved it. She taught me more than I thought I would have learnt from the regatta. I am very grateful that I was in the APP and participated in such a wonderful event.

The lessons I have learnt -both on and off the water- will stay with me forever and for that i am thankful to ISAF and Kristine Roug. It was an honour being coached by her, even though it was for a brief period of time. I tried my best to absorb all of what she told us. By all means, who would not have? An Olympic Gold medallist and three time European Champion! All I am able to say is thank you so much!

Andrea Pontón (COL), Laser Radial Sailor

My name is Andrea Pontón. My friend, Julian Ramírez, and I were able to participate in the APP programme, representing Colombia in the ISAF Youth World Championship 2010 Istanbul, Turkey. We went there by our own so we kind of made fun of that, saying that I was the team leader, getting the lunches and making all the paperwork, and he was the coach.

That year was our last chance to participate in this fabulous championship, because we both turned 18 that year. We were very happy of being part of the group that the ISAF Coach, Kristine Roug, looked after. We were able to learn many new things thanks to her and other coaches that helped us like the Australian laser coach, Kristin, and the USA laser coach, Brad Funk.

This experience was very important for us because it gave us a whole new understanding of what was our love for the sport of sailing and that we really needed to continue training and giving it all we could. It is not just a sporting experience; we were able to make new friends like the guys of South Africa that were very fun or the guys from Singapore that taught us a funny new game.

Also, we shared rooms with people of other nationalities; my roommates were Daniela, from Peru, and Natalia, from Mexico. We had a lot of fun and I know that we will meet again in championships that will come in the future.

Also, we were able to participate in briefings that were made by the APP coach or another person that had great knowledge about the theme; we were capable to learn many new things watching videos of the races and tips that they gave to us.

If you have the opportunity of participating in this great championship you should really do it and even more if you can apply to the APP programme, because you are going to be able to be coached by a great person and sailor, meet new friends, and learn a lot more about sailing and racing.

A lot of thanks to the ISAF and its programme!

Philipine van Aanholt (AHO), Laser Radial Sailor

Twice AHO has been a member of the ISAF APP for the ISAF Youth Championships. This was for the events in Denmark and in Brazil. When you get to the ISAF Youth Worlds and you are coming from a small Caribbean island it is easy to become overwhelmed by the event. Being a part of the APP helped, because you feel that you also belong to this group of special sailors. Sailing in a single handed dingy is an individual sport and in Caribbean islands these fleets are also usually small.

The onsite coaching provided by WYST helped me feel more comfortable with the local circumstances and gave me new insights about the trim and sailing technique which is difficult to get in 'remote' areas. The programme stimulates contacts with other sailors from developing sailing communities and that is helpful when going to future sailing events. Sharing rooms and coaches becomes easier when you already have bonded before.

By going to the ISAF Youth Worlds and of course my last result (9th in Turkey) opened the eyes of our National Olympic Committee that sailing might be one of the sports where small Caribbean islands can excel in. For young sailors in our local club Youth Sailing Curacao I'm a role model and at my University I'm a participant in the Talent Program.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity.