Izzy Miles is one of the faces behind the Rarotonga Sailing Club. A seasoned sailor himself and an example of the opportunities that can come from Rarotonga’s Sailing Club, having been selected to represent the country at a high school tournament at the age of 10, which then opened a wealth of experience from an Auckland Grammar sports scholarship to extensive travel for competitions. He now gives back his wisdom and experience through coaching high school aged sailors and always advocates that sailing is full of travel opportunities and provides people with a tangible skill that can even be used as a career pathway – Izzy’s brother works on yachts in the Caribbean.
CISNOC checked in with Izzy to get some insight into Ratonga’s Sailing Club plans for 2022. Like many other codes, he shares that the sailing calendar has recently been stripped back because of Covid-19 however, they do have a few exciting plans for the next couple of years.
The first initiative, focuses on youth and increasing participation in sailing, ‘Learn to Sail’ was headed by the Sailing Club’s Open Day mid-February in Muri. Budding sailors are welcome to jump in at any time and will find that there are a range of coaches and lessons to suit their age, experience and skill level. For the younger groups, it’s about building water-safety and confidence, and for the older groups, it’s about guiding them around the workings of the boats.
Second initiative is centered on developing the Pa Enua, whereby Sailing Cook Islands will be inviting youth from the different outer islands to learn to sail so that all Islands might be represented at the Cook Islands Games. Some of the senior sailors mentioned that they would be happy to sacrifice their spots in the CI games in favor of seeing the next generation, and particularly Pa Enua kids, participating.
What many people perhaps don’t realize is how relatively accessible sailing is in Rarotonga. For $50 (the cost of a club membership), a child has access to boat use and coaching sessions for a full year. There is also a full range of boats, some owned by Sailing Cook Islands, some privately, but all available for club members to use. Next time you’re in Muri be sure to catch up with Izzy and be sure to ask about the Tangaroa 18 - which is the Cook Islands unique class of boat that is only found in Rarotonga.
