OLYMPIC SUCCESS TOPS IT OFF FOR BASTEN
Chris Basten finished his time at Welsh Sailing within sight of achieving one of his major objectives.
After nine years he decided to call an end to his time as chairman, but with Hannah Mills about to compete in the 2012 Olympics the aim of getting a Welsh sailor back competing at the highest levels is about to be fulfilled.
As recognition for the work Basten has put in he received an RYA Award from HRH the Princess Royal (pictured).
“I have enjoyed it and I am glad people think I have done well, but the best part has been seeing the young children coming through and enoying sailing,” he said.
“I remember Hannah Mills starting when she was eight and now she is in the Olympics, in the last ten to fifteen years we have seen a number of sailors sailors who are as talented as Hannah and I see Wales as a major source of top world class
sailors for many years to come.
“That is down to the commitment of the volunteers and staff and I am delighted to have been part of it.
“Welsh Sailing certainly punches above its weight, we have 31 per cent of the Great Britain squad in Toppers coming from Wales, 25 per cent of the Optimists squad, and that is something which can grow and grow as there are more talented youngsters coming through.
“They come through the Welsh system and then into the GB system, but we keep track of them and look after then as much as we can.
“The Great Britain squads develop that talent, while our job is to look at the development pathways.
“We are also very good at participation at the moment. We had a target of giving people 10,000 opportunities to sail in he last few years – we are currently standing on more than 30,000 children having been given the chance to sail.
“OnBoard is the scheme that allows us to do that and it is going really well right across Wales, in partnership with councils.
“I will still be involved in sailing, it is my passion and my sport, but I know I am leaving it in good hands with the likes of chief executive Steve Morgan.”
athletics
Scott helping Wales hit the heights
Scott Simpson is the latest top performer to be brought into the Welsh Athletics system so that talent emerging in the Principality can draw on their experience.
Pole vaulter Simpson is the newest addition to the Welsh Athletics line-up developing the raw talent that can lead Wales, he believes, to become one of the world's best athletics nations, let alone in the UK.
At 32 years of age, Bath-born, Cardiff-based Simpson could easily still be challenging for competitive medals and titles but, for the past few years, he has been nurturing his own group of vaulters at the Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Now, after a stint as director of athletics there and having been 'headhunted' for a top job by UK Athletics in Loughborough, Simpson is aiming to guide people from across the various track and field disciplines towards the podium at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games in Glasgow - and beyond.
Under Simpson's wing have been the likes of rising vaulting talents Sally Peake, Bryony Raine and Paul Walker, while he has helped in a specialist capacity with other Welsh athletes, such as decathlete David Guest.
Now he has become the National Performance Coach, working alongside a team of other coaches, staff and officers at the National Athletics Stadium, Leckwith, including another new appointee in Dave Goodger, the Coaching Development
Manager.Simpson has his hands full at the moment. Four of his 'group' could be taking part in this year's London Olympic Games, with one pretty much nailed into the British team..
"Kate Dennison is the British record holder and she's reached 15th in the world last year. She is high calibre. She is a dead cert to be in the Olympics," said Simpson.
"There is another one who has got a shot at the Games, and two who are outside chances. So my concentration this year is going to be on this."
Once that is over, though, it is all guns blazing towards Glasgow, with 26-year-old Sally Peake one Welsh athlete who is flying high on the way to a medal in Scotland.
sailing
issue20twothousand&twelve sportingwales
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