Squads, squads and more squads – this winter is going to be so good. The surprising result of the selection process this year is the way that the RYA pathway has worked out on the class squads. As we all know we used to have a simple structure to our training – top 12 were National Squad, next 12 were National Intermediate Squad and then we had 2 Regional Squads. Then we got RYA recognition and funding and this happened...

The pathway is an age & ability based progression with a Junior level, a Transition to youth stage, Youth level, Olympic Development level and Olympic Squad. For the pathway to work the pre-olympic levels must offer a sailor the possibility of progressing from one stage to the next age wise. Working backwards them, given that the Youth level ends the year a sailor is 18, they should be in the Youth Squad during the winter at the end of the year they turn 17 (or earlier). This in turn means that to benefit from Transition training the winter before, the sailor is going to be TT'ing at the latest the winter at the end of the year they turn 16. The traditional strategy for junior level therefore is to concentrate on the development of sailors at 15 or less. Well that’s the background.

Under the selection criteria there were guaranteed places and discretionary places. It became clear during the discussions (very lengthy they were too!) that those looking for the discretionary places formed a formidable group. It thus gradually dawned on us that we could turn enormously difficult decisions into a massive advantage. If we did it right we would end up with 2 equally strong squads. The full squads will be published once all responses are in and places accepted. I think that when you see them you’ll agree that these squads are indeed pretty evenly matched. This meant of course that our original simple structure no longer worked – it didn’t do what it said on the tin any more. So we had an RYA National Junior Squad and a class squad on an even par with it. The tin clearly had to say what it actually did... It is squad, it is organised by the class and it is on level terms with the other national squad...er, doh, clearly it is therefore the Class National Squad (CNS). It isn’t second rate, it isn’t intermediate – it is going to be a battle royal this winter between the two squads.

If the numbers improve further in years ahead we might yet up with an Intermediate Squad again but for now I’m just so excited by this almost accidental development for this year. I hadn’t expected this outcome at the beginning of the selection meeting. If truth be told I still thought that we would be in the position of having the original setup. I reckon that Niall and Guy Fillmore will be having a quiet little bet with each other as to whose squad will pick up the most choccies next year!