As well as offering RYA training courses at GTSC, the club is famous also for the innovative Youth Club sessions that usually run from after Easter until the school summer holidays. Held on Friday evenings starting at 5p.m. a professional coach trains youngsters who are approaching their 11th birthday or older and who can already sail but who want to develop their sailing skills and confidence, so that they become accomplished sailors in both single and double handed boats.
Training ultimately focuses on the annual Thames Challenge, a team racing event that GTSC initiated with the former Black Swan SC in 2008. Now a major fixture, the event held towards the end of June matches experienced sailors with less experienced sailors who together compete in a double handed Team Racing event that combines sailing skills with challenging tactical sailing.
Since each Youth Club session culminates with a supper, there’s small wonder that Youth Club is a really popular event that up-skills youngsters into budding pros to be proud of.