January 19, 2021
Dear Parents and Friends of AYC Junior Sailing Programs:
The AYC 2021 February Program Sailing Sessions begin on February 1 and end on February 28! Sign Up Now. Schedule Attached Here
Registration must be completed via the AYC Office and payment must be made in full by the first day of the session. Payments can also be made by calling 460-1799 and paying by credit card over the phone. Contact me directly if you are unsure which category to register your sailor. A reminder that all junior members must be part of a program in order to sail out of AYC. Having your own boat does not entitle you to sail out of the facility. This policy is a mandatory safety requirement and ensures that all young sailors are supervised properly. New sailors and their parents must sign the Code of Conduct Forms available in the Sailing Office as part of the initial registration process.
The Notice of Race and Registration details for the 2021 Optimist World Championship , to be hosted in Riva del Garda, Italy during June 30 – July 10, 2021 is now available and you can find it here: http://2021worlds.optiworld.org/en/default/races/race
The intent is to send an Antiguan team of 5 sailors, the maximum permitted to any IODA Member. IODA requires that sailors be a minimum of 12 years old, and that they qualify for the team in qualification events in their country. We’ve had one qualifier on January 10, and it is the plan to run a second qualifier on February 14.
For more information about this championship and the IODA rules for entry please contact me directly.
Fitness: Congratulations to all the Junior Club Members (and their parents) who participated in the “Rocky Ridge Challenge” on January 17. Lots of great pictures have been posted on social media and I encourage you to check out their Facebook page. You should be very proud of how far you’ve come with general fitness and the results from this challenge are the proof. Overall fitness is the one of the best ways to prepare for success in sailing.
Health safety protocols remain in place by the AYC in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the Ministry of Sport for Antigua & Barbuda. It is very important that you make yourself aware of what these are. A full list is posted at the club, on the website and is available from the office. Included in these rules are:
- Wear a mask or a buff at all times (an AYC branded buff is available for purchase in the office)
- Hand hygiene must be observed – Wash your hands and Use hand sanitizer frequently!
- Maintain Social Distance: maximum 2 persons in the dinghy shed and in the bathroom at any one time. Elsewhere in the Club area the 6 feet/2 metre rule is in effect especially in the boat park when rigging boats.
- No sharing of equipment – use your personal lifejacket exclusively.
- All boats must be properly cleaned by the user following the session regardless if it is your own or the club’s.
- Sailors must be dropped off and picked up promptly – no lingering at the club or in the restaurant either before or after lessons.
- GARBAGE – to minimize contact spread of Covid 19, put all garbage in the bins provided VERY IMPORTANT!
Thank you in advance for your efforts. The safety of all participants is our priority. As we progress forward, please note that some changes may be made to make the system work more efficiently.
If you have any questions regarding the above, please contact me directly either by email at ayc@yachtclub.ag or telephone 268-728-5045.
Regards,
Karl James, OLY, GOH, FMC, MBE
Manager of Dinghy Sailing and Youth Training Scheme, Antigua Yacht Club