Nine coaches from nine nations have completed World Sailing's 2026 Development Coach Scholarship, wrapping up a four-week residential programme at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.
Selected from 36 applications, the cohort of three women and six men represents Algeria, Belize, Jamaica, India, Mauritius, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, and St Vincent & the Grenadines.
The scholarship was reshaped following approval by Olympic Solidarity in 2025, moving from a seven-week residential model to an eight-month hybrid format. The new structure pairs the four-week practical residency with online course-specific modules and structured project mentoring, a change driven by participant feedback calling for shorter in-residence periods.
Coaches left Portland qualified in Technical Courses for Coaches Level 1 and 2, powerboat and safety boat handling, safeguarding, and Para and Inclusion sailing. The curriculum also covered building national sail training programmes, operational management, and practical foiling.
Fiona Kidd, World Sailing's Head of International Development, said the redesign marked a meaningful step forward. "By refining our framework into a hybrid model, we are now providing an even more targeted, accessible, and effective development pathway for coaches across our Member National Authorities."
"Witnessing these nine coaches develop over their four-week residency, which tackled everything from safeguarding to practical foiling, has been incredibly inspiring," Kidd added. "We are confident they will return home to build robust national sailing training programmes, following in the footsteps of our distinguished alumni who have gone on to become MNA Presidents and leading international race officials."
Fully funded by Olympic Solidarity, the programme has a strong alumni record, with graduates going on to serve as Member National Authority Presidents, International Race Officials, and high-performance national coaches.
