The main aim of the Approved Training Centres is to encourage and assist in the development of Olympic and Paralympic-level sail training programmes for national athletes and coaches in all ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs), with the ultimate goal of helping sailors qualify for future Games.

The programme also wants to increase the number of ISAF MNAs regularly participating in international events, such as the World Cup and World Championships.

The equipment for which the training programmes at the Dinghy Academy in the Spanish coastal city are currently granted is in the Laser and Finn classes.

"Sailing is and has been my life," said proud owner and head coach at the Dinghy Academy Luca Devoti of Italy, himself an Olympic medallist having won silver in the Finn class at Sydney 2000.

"For the Dinghy Academy and for all those working, training and racing here, to be recognised by ISAF is a great honour.

"We will not only strongly promote the Olympic values in the athletes we train but also try to do our best to introduce as many young sailors as possible, from all over the world, to enjoy our beautiful sport."

Briton Andy Jeffrey was the ISAF-nominated expert that conducted the audit in Valencia.

The Dinghy Academy in Valencia will be hoping to produce future sailing stars to follow the likes of Spain's Rafael Trujillo, who won Olympic silver at Athens 2004 in the Finn class ©Getty Images



The creation of an official list of Approved Training Centres was decided at the ISAF Annual Conference in Muscat, Oman, last November.

The governing body said it is currently working with a number of other sail training venues wishing to be granted this status based on their provision of training programmes for sailors and/or coaches.

"If we can point all of our MNAs towards Approved Training Centres such as the Dinghy Academy in Valencia, in order for them to be able to choose the right programme that suits their needs, then we have made yet another development option available to those National Sailing Federations that would not otherwise know where to go to receive support in turning good sailors into great sailors and even potential Olympic athletes," said ISAF training and development manager Dan Jaspers.

"I look forward to Luca and his team training many such sailors and am sure that we will see the positive results in the very near future."

To apply for Approved Training Centre status, training providers must initially provide a written letter of endorsement from an authorised person at their respective MNA along with a letter of intent outlining why the ISAF should consider their application.

To view the full report on the ISAF audit at the Dinghy Academy click here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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