Founder and Executive Director

TREVOR MILLAR

With over 40 years of experience, Trevor is a highly acclaimed coach known for his innovative coaching style, which has earned him numerous awards and accolades. His athletes have achieved Olympic medals, World and European titles, World No.1 rankings, and World Sailing Youth medals. Originally from Newtownards, Northern Ireland, Trevor began his coaching career with the RYA, serving as UK National Laser Coach for Team GBR. Under his leadership, British sailors achieved major successes at the World and European Championships. He later returned to Ireland as Olympic Coach for the Barcelona Games, where he helped establish what is now the Irish Youth Academy, inspiring future generations of Irish sailors. Trevor’s pioneering approach led him to founded SailCoach in 1995, the first private coaching organisation in sailing. Over the years, he has coached athletes from around the world at seven Olympic Games, contributing to multiple podium finishes. Despite his success, Trevor remains deeply committed to supporting talented sailors who might not otherwise have the opportunity to compete internationally. With unparalleled experience at the highest level of the sport, Trevor is an invaluable mentor to both young sailors and emerging coaches at SailCoach. His wealth of knowledge and winning strategies continue to shape the next generation, ensuring their growth and success. A true innovator, Trevor’s coaching legacy is defined by his exceptional track record and his unwavering dedication to advancing the sport of sailing. His impact continues to inspire and elevate sailors and coaches worldwide.

Senior High Performance Coach and SailCoach Director

ALEXANDR DENISIUC

Alex is SailCoach’s Head Coach and Director, bringing decades of elite-level experience to the team. A former Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) athlete, he competed in the Olympic ILCA World Cup Series, proudly representing Moldova. He made history as the first Moldovan sailor to compete in five ILCA World Championships and seven European Championships. Now an exceptional high-performance coach, Alex has led teams to World and European Championship podiums, securing medals for multiple nations, including at the Asian Games. His expertise has seen him play a key role at three Olympic Games, guiding athletes at the highest level of the sport. Beyond coaching, Alex has been recognised academically with a World Sailing Training Scholarship, enhancing his skills as a National Training Programme Manager. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, a Diploma in Coaching and Sports Management, and a Level 4 Certificate in the Foundations of Coaching from the University of Malta.

Chief Instructor at RMYC Sailing School

RÜYA ÇAKMAKLI DENISIUC

The first thing that impresses you when you meet Rüya is her passion for being on the water, and she’s able to pass that passion on to her students successfully. From Istanbul, Turkey, with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Bahçeşehir. After successfully finishing her degree, Rüya travelled to New Zealand, where she took a language course in Auckland and spent her free time teaching sailing. Upon returning home, she worked for the biggest water sports company in Turkey before joining SailCoach in 2016 as Chief Instructor at RMYC Sailing School, bringing with her a wealth of experience in the industry. Rüya has also gained a lot of experience coaching Optimists, both in New Zealand and with SailCoach, and has worked alongside several world-class coaches, gaining an abundance of experience with that class. Recently, Rüya has achieved success coaching in the RS Feva class, with her young athletes having podium finishes in both the European and World Championships.

Senior Performance Coach and Director of CharterBoat.eu

MIŁOSZ WOJEWSKI

Miłosz holds a Master’s Degree in Sailing Coaching from the Polish Academy of Physical Education and Sport. He has taken over SailCoach’s Charter Operations, setting up the successful CharterBoat.eu, a company focused on logistics and boat charter solutions, building it into a major force in the sport. Miłosz started sailing at an early age, progressing through several youth classes before completing two Olympic campaigns in the Finn class. He was a member of the Polish Olympic Sailing Team from 2008 to 2016, finishing second at the 2011 Junior Finn Worlds and regularly placing in the top 20 at Sailing World Cup regattas (now the Sailing Grand Slam series). When he’s not sailing his Finn, he can often be found racing on iceboats, where he has been a National Junior Champion. Fluent in Polish and English, with elementary Russian, Miłosz brings a wealth of experience and expertise to SailCoach’s team.

Valencia SailBase Manager and High Performance Coach

LUCAS NIXON

Lucas hails from the quiet village of Carrowdore in County Down, Northern Ireland, where he attended the acme Campbell College, one of Northern Ireland’s top Grammar Schools. However, Lucas soon realised his passion lay in the great outdoors, particularly in sailing. He was recommended to join SailCoach as a coach which he did in the summer of 2021 after completing his studies. To our delight, we quickly discovered that Lucas possessed an extraordinary talent well beyond his years. His in-depth understanding of boats and engines is remarkable, a skill he developed through his upbringing in a family of skilled mechanical engineers.

Lucas’s sailing journey began at Donaghadee Sailing Club, and he swiftly progressed to become a member of Ballyholme Yacht Club, one of Northern Ireland’s top dinghy clubs. His dedication to the sport awarded him a place on the RYA NI Academy, where he excelled as a leading ILCA 4 sailor. Lucas went on to proudly represent his country at international level on multiple occasions.

Through his hard work and diligence, Lucas has been promoted to Valencia SailBase Manager. With his skilled coaching and deep knowledge of the sport, he is a valuable part of the SailCoach team and has a promising future within the organisation.

High Performance Coach Sailcaoch

KARLIS JUNAERS

Karlis joined SailCoach at the RMYC Sailing School as the club’s ILCA class coach in the autumn of 2023. A regular on the ILCA 7 European circuit, he brings valuable first-hand racing experience to his coaching. His keen eye for detail and technical understanding make him a strong coach, helping sailors refine their skills. As one of Latvia’s best young sailors, Karlis began sailing at the age of 8, starting in the Optimist class before transitioning to the ILCA Dinghy. He is a three-time Latvian Youth National Champion and has been the top Under-21 sailor in several European regattas. Fluent in Latvian and English, Karlis also has an excellent command of Russian, thanks to a close school friend. His combination of racing experience and analytical coaching approach makes him a strong asset to the SailCoach team.

High-Performance Coach Sailcaoch

ANTONIO CAVALCANTI ROSA

Antonio Cavalcanti Rosa is a dedicated ILCA coach and accomplished sailor from Brazil, bringing over 20 years of on-the-water experience, including nearly a decade as a coach. He first took to the water at just seven years old and has since cultivated a deep passion for the sport, drawn to the lifelong journey of self-improvement.

Antonio transitioned to the ILCA class in 2010 and quickly established himself as a standout performer, securing national titles across ILCA 4, ILCA 6, and ILCA 7. He is a two-time South American U21 Champion in ILCA 7, a bronze medallist at both the ILCA 6 World Championship and the ILCA 6 South American Championship. His versatility is further demonstrated by his gold medal at the U21 Snipe World Championship.

In addition to his sailing achievements, Antonio holds a degree in Industrial Engineering and has pursued further studies in areas such as Continuous Development Mentality, Productivity, Time Management, and Purpose. This academic background supports his methodical and focused approach to coaching at the highest level.

Now part of SailCoach’s coaching team, Antonio brings with him a wealth of competitive experience, a strategic mindset, and a relentless drive to help athletes reach their full potential.

Optimist High-Performance Coach

PAVLO DONTSOV

We’re proud to partner with Pavlo Dontsov, a renowned Optimist coach widely recognised for his expertise. In 2023, he was awarded the prestigious Seamaster Award at the Düsseldorf Boat Show for his outstanding work with Ukraine’s Optimist sailors. Originally from Ukraine and now based in Valencia, Pavlo has coached some of the world’s top Optimist sailors, including Sviatoslav Madonichn, a leading Optimist sailor in recent years. Under his guidance, his sailors have consistently achieved top podium finishes at the most prestigious international Optimist regattas. Pavlo’s I for detail and deep knowledge of the class along with his proven track record make him a valuable addition to SailCoach’s coaching team, helping young sailors reach their full potential on the international stage.

Senior Performance Coach

VICTOR ARCE

Víctor comes from a well known Spanish sailing family at Real Club Marítimo de Santander and has a strong background in competitive sailing. Progressing through the Optimist, 420, ILCA (Laser), and Finn classes, he achieved success as a gold fleet sailor at World and European Championships and a regular top 30 finisher at World Cup regattas and a member of the Spanish National Finn Squad. He later earned a degree in Naval Architecture from the University of Southampton, deepening his technical knowledge of the sport. Beyond his own racing career, Víctor has coached Finn class athletes and competed professionally in Maxi Yachts, J70s, and M32s in both inshore and offshore regattas. Fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian, he brings a well rounded approach to coaching, combining his expertise in sailing with a passion for sports psychology and endurance training.

Media Manager | Photographer & Videographer

LUIZA PASSOW

Luiza Passow is a talented Media Manager with a passion for capturing the spirit of sailing through compelling visual storytelling. Her work combines technical precision with a keen eye for authentic, joyful moments, giving each story a distinctive human touch. Originally from Porto Alegre, Brazil, with dual German citizenship, Luiza grew up immersed in sailing. She began in the Optimist class and later sailed ILCA 6 before venturing into freestyle and wave kitesurfing. She holds a degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing and Entrepreneurship. She brings experience from Red Bull’s marketing team, her own entrepreneurial ventures, and over 20 major regattas covered since joining SailCoach in the spring of 2024.

Luiza’s creativity is matched by her adaptability,  fluent in three languages and having travelled to 58 countries. Whether she’s capturing the intensity of a race or the quiet pride of an athlete ashore, she brings a fresh, vibrant perspective to every story she tells through her lens.

Administration and Operations

ANEESH RAVI

With a background in computer science and a passion for sports, Aneesh holds a bachelor’s degree from VNR VJIET, Hyderabad, one of India’s top 20 universities. He furthered his studies with a master’s from Valencia’s Universal Arts School, ranked 14th in the world. Combining his technical expertise with a keen interest in the sports industry, Aneesh is gaining hands-on experience in administration, operations, and day-to-day activities at SailCoach. Fluent in English, proficient in multiple Indian languages, and intermediate in Spanish, he brings a diverse skill set to SailCoach’s growing team of professionals.