A short interview with Ronnie Meir:
– Manager, Sailing Club Eilat
– Head of Israeli Windsurfing Association
– Israeli Team Leader[more]
CW: How many years have you been involved with, and coaching, junior and youth racing?
RM: My first big international event as coach was the Aloha Worlds in Ostia, Italy, 1991 – so it is over 22 years now..
CW: What are the most significant changes you have noticed over the years?
RM: The knowledge we have acquired (as coaches and managers) is now available to the wider community; youth racing has become more “professional” and our training methods have improved a lot.
CW: Your sailors, from Eilat, have achieved a lot, to what do you attribute this success?
RM: Our ability to sail all the year in a “friendly ” environment; a club structure that nurtures talent – the club is a ‘second home’; and every training session, getting out from and back to the club, provides experience in managing ‘shifty’ and variable wind conditions.
CW: How important is windsurfing in Israeli sailing?
RM: VERY important ! Israel has its only olympic gold medal, not just in sailing but all sports, when Gal Fryman won windsurfing men gold in Athens. Techno is the most important windsurfing class; and our junior/youth programme is the biggest of all sports in Israel.
CW: What do you hope for the future?
RM: I hope that windsurfing is selected as a “core” event in the olympic sailing programme; and that the Bic Techno 293 continues unchanged for many, many , years.
Sailing Club Eilat results at these championships include:
Under 15 (junior) Girl: 1st – Katy Spychakov
Under 17 (youth) Boy: 1st – Ofek Elimelech
Under 17 (youth) Girl: 2nd – Shoval Ravitzki 3rd – Noy Drihan
