Youth Sailing Gets New Coach
The Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association [BODA] has hired High Performance Coach, Martin Jenkins to assist with the development of the top end of Bermuda’s Optimist sailors.
He is currently here in Bermuda conducting a clinic based at the RHADC and is working with our top sailors in preparation for the South American Championships in Buenos Aires next month and then the World Championships in the Dominican Republic this summer. These are both venues where he has a lot of experience, which should bode well for the Bermuda Team.
The 31 year old Argentine comes to the Bermuda after success in building up two “small nation” programmes in the Dominican Republic and Netherlands Antilles. He has coached teams and individuals to a number of top 20 finishes at World and Continental championships and has conducted clinics all over the world.
Jenkins himself was a two time IODA Optimist World Champion (1995 & 1996) and placed 4th in the Laser Radial Worlds in 2005. Jenkins lives in Mar del Plata, Argentina and will travel to Bermuda for various clinics throughout the year. Jenkins was also an Olympic training partner for Bermudian Zander Kirkland during his first Olympic bid in the Laser dinghy some years ago.
A spokesperson said, “BODA is excited to have access to someone of Martin’s caliber. This would not have been possible without support from sponsors such as the Bank of Bermuda Foundation, Argo Foundation and Tokio Millennium.”
