PASSION AND FUN ARE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS TO ENJOY SAILING
The O’pen BIC World Championships will be starting at the end of December down-under in New Zealand, the home of Russell Coutts, legendary five-times Americas Cup winner. He will be present at the event, to oversee the organisation and to mentor the young sailors. This exceptional world sporting superstar is heavily involved at the grass roots level with his local club, as well as on the international stage, creating learning and training programmes for sailing that are very much based on the core principles of enjoyment and passion. These values are a perfect fit with the spirit of the O’pen BIC class since its creation. This latest interview gives an insight into his views on technique and training, a perfect illustration of why he’s right behind the originality of the O’pen BIC concept.
Which boat did you start your sailing career on?
A New Zealand design called a P Class.
If the O’pen BIC class had existed when you were young, do you think you would have been tempted to do that?
Absolutely, I would have been attracted by the O’pen BIC! After all, it’s a pretty cool looking boat!
Would you advise a youngster to start their sailing on an O’pen BIC? Why?
The O’pen BIC is a perfect boat to begin your sailing. It’s very similar in look and feel to many of the classes sailors progress to. The transition to sail a RS Feva, 29er, or Laser 4.7 or Radial is relatively straight forward.
In fact, the techniques you learn in an O’pen BIC are immediately applicable to sailing a Laser and the responsiveness of an O’pen BIC is more similar to a 29er or a foiling boat like a Waszp or Moth than many of the other junior classes.
So, I believe it’s a very good choice as an initial boat to learn in.
