Riding the trail

This week in Scuttlebutt, the newsletter has included some interesting commentary about kids and sailing. 2-time Finn World Champion Hank Lammens states how “the desire of the athlete is paramount” and that he hopes kids are committing to serious training at a young age “for the right reasons.” 2-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Ken Read preaches, “that sailing is a means to an end,” where it teaches kids about “teamwork, organization, ownership of an expensive toy, and respect,” and not intended to be a 365-day sport. His fear is that the “way most high-end kid’s programs go today, there will be no more sailors left because they will all be burnt out.”

Among the forty attendees at a recent Opti clinic in Miami were four of the top ten from the 2006 Worlds, winners from the 2006 North Americans, and the current French and Puerto Rican National Champions. How can that roster not impress you? Train with the best, and the best get better. Not sure what happens to the kids that don’t get better - hopefully they continue having a good time - but there is no doubt about our current landscape: the desire to seek higher ground is everywhere. A generation ago, a college Masters degree really set you apart. Today, not so much.

Sailing is just following the same trail as the rest – and maybe not as bad as some sports. The 2002 Winter Olympics were in Salt Lake City, where Utah Olympic Park was built to host, amongst other events, the Nordic jumping. During a ski vacation last week, my family took a tour of the facility, where jumpers continue to train year-round. Any guesses on what the ideal starting age is for a Nordic jumper. Try 4 years old. - Craig Leweck