RS Tera class pilots Emerging Nations Program at World Championship 2024

RS Tera class pilots Emerging Nations Program at World Championship © International RS Tera Class

Taking inspiration from World Sailing's Youth Emerging Nations Program (ENP), the International RS Tera Class Association has created their own performance support program that is being piloted at the RS Tera World Championships this year.

The RS Tera International Class ENP aims to help close the performance gap between emerging and developed sailing nations. It will support the growth of RS Tera Class activity by nations currently not engaged in world-wide competition.

Using World Sailing's ENP criteria (which allocates countries in tiers based on a number of areas including, but not limited to, their physical and financial resources), the International RS Tera Class identified nations that they could offer support to. The Ukrainian team of five sailors and their coach are partaking in the inaugural class-specific ENP program as they compete against the 120 sailors from a total of nine nations.

The pilot ENP program offers coaching support and a dedicated point of contact, appointed by the RS Tera Class, to help mentor sailors and their coaches. The RS Tera Class also purchased some apparel from Rooster, which the participating sailors and coaches were presented with on the first day of the event.

"We have two coaches from the UK, appointed by the International Class, that are the point of contact in the boat park," explains Dan Jaspers, RS Tera Representative from RS Sailing. "They're doing morning briefings and an afternoon debrief. They are providing guidance to the coaches from the emerging nations team and supporting the sailors, giving input where required and providing moral support and encouragement, ensuring that the sailors have fun during the competition."

"We're super excited to be offering this program. While this year is limited to shore-based support, we are looking to do more year-on-year, including water-based coaching input", Dan continues. "Sailing is for everyone and the International RS Tera Class wants to do what it can to help get more and more nations represented at class events in the future."

The RS Tera World Championship 2024 was officially opened in Greve, Denmark, at Sejlklubben Køge Bugt on Sunday 4th August, with racing taking place over the last three days. The final day of racing takes place today; see the results.

RS Tera class pilots Emerging Nations Program at World Championship - photo © International RS Tera Class