PRO KIDS
On the last week of the training we actually lost Andrea Cucchi as a fellow competitor because he was coaching a 1 week pro kids camp! They say you got to start them young and with Andrea as coach and the kids eager to learn, it was incredible to see just how much they progressed in just one week. Today in pro surfing we are humbled each time we see kids that can barely walk do the most incredible cutbacks, and kids surfing competitions have started up all over the world. In windsurfing I feel the opportunities for kids need to be brought up to higher standards. With the right equipment, training and competitive opportunities, I believe ‘starting them early’ is definitely another big ingredient on windsurfing’s road to greater professionalism. I believe a better platform for youth slalom racing needs to be established and with that, the need for kid’s pro training will come, which in turn should lead to better results at an earlier age.
Many skills feature into being successful as slalom sailor, but experience above all other aspects seems to me to be the most important key to success. But of course for kids there is at present very little opportunity to gain professional racing experience (national competitions in most countries lack professionalism), hence the rate of successful younger sailors is low. So on windsurfing’s road to greater professionalism, the pro kids camp is actually one of the most important aspects I have witnessed here. I hope the body of professional windsurfing will be able to establish a successful youth racing platform in the very near future. Personally after witnessing the success of the Point7 Pro kids camp with Andrea I have decided to also step up and get involved with teaching at future camps.