The Techno Worlds have recently come to a close in Sopot, Poland with a strong UK team and Emma Wilson scoring a podium finish. Boards caught up with coach Ali Yates for a full run down of the event and some wise words from the Techno competitors. You can also check out the results here. 

Wow, what a worlds!!!!

A total of 26 young windsurfers, 6 coaches from Team GBR and lots of help from the most fab group of parents made the treck across Europe to the Polish town of Sopot to take part in the Techno World Championships 2013. The event was really well supported attracting 383 competitors from over 30 nations from all over the world.

Head coach from the GBR national sailing squad said:

It’s was an awe inspiring sight to see so many windsurfers pit their wits in challenging conditions.

The training for the National Junior Squad lead by Ian Roberts and Ed Strange got to work on the Friday 26th July in preparation for the event. The Techno Class Association also organised coaching and support for the individual sailors who entered without being apart of the National squad and soon became the TCA squad headed up by Ali Yates alongside with Becky Ellis (flown in from her season for Flying Fish, Greece), Emma Labourne, Techno worlds medalist and RS:X Youth squad member was with us for the first 4 days before going to compete in the Eurosafs in Portugal and then we were joined by Saskia Sills 2 x Techno World Champion and ISAF World Champion.

Mia Adcock was the only girl racing in the Under 15 6.8 fleet. At her first international event she said:

Going to Sopot in Poland for the World Championships was an amazing experience. I have learnt so much in the time I was there! The coaches were so supportive and helpful! I made so many new friends there and I’m really looking forward to doing it all again next year in France.

In the boys under 15 6.8 fleet, Scottish Andrew Brown from Loch Inch had a storming worlds. Again first time international experience and not only made it to the gold fleet and finished 22nd overall. On the windy days he got as far up the leader board as 11th. Andrew says:

I loved the Worlds and felt like I learnt a lot everyday.

Team Wilson were on form in the 7.8 fleet where Dan Wilson worked hard for his 12th place whilst sister Emma struck bronze with a 3rd place. Ali Yates, TCA coach for the event says:

it was so close in the top 5 places going into the last day, I was so glad Saskia was with me to do the maths!

In a nailbiting last race Emma was sitting in 3rd place, 14 points behind Hong Kong due to a double discard coming into play on race 11 and 10 clear points ahead of France. All she had to do was sail as well as she did all week and she did coming in 2nd with a big smile on her face.

“It was important to me to just give Emma the support and encouragement she needed and not much more. We just tried to keep the pressure down by making her laugh and so crucially making sure she believed in herself. She sailed her own race and brilliant regatta, an inspiration to watch.”

Saskia Sills said:

Emma did really well, at only 14 years old she medaled in the under 17, 7.8 fleet

It was first time coaching for Saskia and strange seeing the competition from the coach perspective “Ive had such and amazing time and feel like I have learnt loads myself looking at it from a different angle.”

Next years Worlds are to be held in Brest in France 19th – 23rd July. “I actually cant wait” says Ali “to have a worlds so relatively local is an amazing opportunity for us to get a massive GBR contingent.”

The RYA will be supporting those selected for the National Squad and the TCA are looking at supporting not only the Worlds but also the 2014 Europeans in Lake Garda in Italy. The Techno Class is the strongest windsurfing class with the emphasis very much on the kids having fun and enjoying the international competition and experience.

Hamish Burns from Scotland says:

I had a fantastic week and was surprised how friendly everyone was. I was most impressed on the start line, looking down the line and seeing 80 other windsurfers compared to the 10 I see in Scotland!

Hamish is going to be too old to enter the under 17 group next year but is really hoping to enter in the 293plus fleet which is an open fleet with no age limit, even Ali entered this fleet last year and had a wail of a time!

“I would love to see a British contingent of 50 plus next year from England Scotland N.Ireland and Wales” says Ali. “I am on a mission!“