Welcome to the 2026 Euromed Optimist Coaching Tour.

Join us from the 12th (arrival day) to the 21st (departure day) of December 2026 for an exciting event filled with world-class coaching and exhilarating sailing experiences. The tour begins with four days of intensive pre-regatta training in the stunning Mellieha Bay. Our experienced coaches will provide comprehensive guidance to help you sharpen your skills and prepare for the upcoming Europa Cup challenge. Throughout the coaching tour, you will be staying at the four-star Seabank Hotel and Resort on a half-board basis.

During this event, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in the Euromed Optimist Championship, Malta’s top dinghy regatta, while your ILCA family and friends can compete in the Malta Europa Cup, all hosted by the Malta Young Sailors Club, in what promises to be an exciting regatta experience.

Comprehensive Coaching Package

By signing up with SailCoach, you get a dedicated, skilled coach who, in most cases, has campaigned at the Olympic level. These “Coaching Tours” offer small coaching support groups, with a target group size of six sailors. We aim to provide a complete package, including airport transfers, accommodation, and outstanding coaching, with an extra add-on option for an Optimist charter boat. All you have to do is enter the regatta and book your flights, which could be more straightforward.

Lead Coach

We’ve partnered with Pavlo Dontsov, a renowned Optimist coach widely recognised for his coaching expertise. He won the prestigious 2023 Seamaster Award at the Düsseldorf Boat Show for outstanding work with his Ukrainian Optimist sailors. Pavlo is an Optimist coach from Ukraine, currently residing in Italy. Under Pavlo’s guidance, his Ukrainian team has continued to achieve top podium finishes in the most important international Optimist regattas.

Learning Goals

At this Championship, the SailCoach team will focus on improving your regatta preparation skills. Our coaches will work with you daily, setting up a structured plan and goals for the upcoming regatta. You’ll learn important details about preparing for events, ensuring you’re informed and ready.

Additionally, our coaches will teach you how to adapt to the different weather conditions and handle the pressures of high-level competition. A big part of this will be developing and using effective race strategies. You’ll get better at analysing races and refining your tactics, with our coaches giving you helpful feedback and showing you how to assess your own performance. This coaching will prepare you to compete like leading athletes prepare.

Success in sports doesn’t happen overnight, it requires a lot of time and effort. With our coaching, you will have learned the right ways to prepare for a championship. Therefore, we recommend you continue to train and compete regularly to hone these techniques and skills.

A typical day

The day would start with a morning briefing, looking over the weather forecasting and communicating anything important from the coaches meeting and specific points to note for the days racing. The SailCoach coaches will offer you coaching support afloat, such as towing if necessary to get to the starting line. Carry any bags with food and spare parts, along with a jacket to keep warm between races.

The day finishes with a post-race debrief and discussion of the day’s events. In some cases, our coaches will make briefings individually going around the boat park before or after racing, depending on the circumstances. We advise our sailors to settle any differences on the water or in the boat park when possible. However, we will be there to support you during protests if all else fails.

Numbers will be limited on this coaching tour, so you are advised to book early.

Program:

12th of December 2026

Arrive at into Malta International Airport (MLA) and be met by SailCoach’s friendly coaching staff member, and they will take you to Mellieha Bay, the venue for this year’s Euromed Optimist Championship.

13th to 16th of December 2026

Before the event, we will have four familiarisation and coaching days at the regatta venue, as it’s SailCoach’s home waters, our experienced coaches will aim to help you become familiar with the local conditions and gain valuable knowledge about the area. Our coaches will assist you in developing a race strategic “Game Plan” and offer video analysis to improve both your boat handling and speed, as adequate preparation is crucial for a successful regatta. Additionally, these pre-regatta days will allow you to get to know our coaches, which will give you a significant advantage once the racing begins.

17th to 20th of December 2026

Racing starts in the Euromed Optimist Championship, with what promises to be a tough event. Ahead lie four days of intense racing. However, don’t worry, SailCoach’s experienced coaching staff will be there with you, giving you all the support you need on and off the water to help you reach your goals.

21st of December 2026

At the end of the event, a SailCoach staff member will take you to Malta Airport (MLA) for your journey back home, hopefully with a couple of trophies to celebrate your achievements. One thing is certain: you will have gained valuable experience from this regatta and created lifelong memories and new friends that will stay with you forever.

Euromed Optimist Championship Coaching Tour Package

The package includes airport transfers, hotel accommodation with half-board, and our exceptional World-Class Coaching. Please note that flight tickets, Optimist charter, entry fees, and pocket money should be budgeted separately.

I hope the above information is helpful, and if you need any further assistance or would like to confirm a place, please don’t hesitate to contact us.