Coaching
Coaching is not just about telling people what you know, it's about effective communication and support. A coach's role can be multifaceted and can be for an individual or a team. Sometimes you are just offering a view from a different perspective, other times you are helping people stay motivated and focused, offering a shoulder to cry on or providing an honest appraisal. The key to effective coaching is to know your individual or team and help them to realise their potential. It is also important to recognise that if you can't add value at a particular moment then stay quiet.

Project management
Yacht racing is as much about entertainment as it is sport. Understanding how your client enjoys his or her sports/entertainment is the key to being able to deliver on their goals and objectives and to ultimately manage their project well. Add to their goals your technical knowledge, time management, budgeting, communication & motivational skills and your project is running well. Over 20 years experience working and sailing on a multitude of projects across the sport has given me an empathy with owners and sponsors which I believe helps me to not only deliver on their goals and objectives but also allows them to relax and enjoy their sport for many years to come

Technical support
Whether you are thinking of a major up grade or just a few small changes its worth taking advice and talking to people. You would be amazed by how much taking even the smallest amount of impartial advice can help to clarify those important issues. As a qualified boat builder with many years working in sail making and rigging I have a vast amount of experience in a multitude of classes. I also love the challenging questions.

Motivational Speaking
Leadership and team development. Bringing something different to a company meeting to show that other people face the same challenges as you, inspirational after dinner speeches or talks at your local sailing club. Everybody can gain from hearing about the experiences of other people outside their normal environment. There is nothing more enjoyable for me than seeing peoples faces as I tell a story or answer a question of what it is like to race around the world for example. My talks are always professional, passionate and relevant.

If you would like to talk to me about any of these subjects please do not hesitate to contact me on nigel@nigelkingyachting.com

The Class
With a class association in its 20th year and the classes main event La solitaire du Figaro in its 41st year it is no wonder that this class is the model of French sailing culture. The best solo sailors in France cut their teeth in the class and continue to return year after year because of the fantastic level of competition and return on investment offered to their sponsors

Nigel's Figaro History
2007 saw Nigel purchase a Figaro II as he took his first steps to solo sailing, since that decision Nigel has become one of the most successful British Figaro sailors despite having a budget 1 tenth of the other 50 plus teams involved. The 2009 season saw Nigel achieve a 6th place finish on the final leg of La Solitaire du Figaro (the unofficial world championship of solo sailing) and a 23rd place overall, this result ranks him among the best British results ever posted in this class.

2010 and beyond
With no title sponsor for the 2010 season Nigel was left with the decision of trying to race the French circuit without the training time to be competitive or sit the year out and look for a sponsor. The reality is somewhere between. For the 2010 season Nigel will compete in the UK based Double handed series to help increase his sailing time whilst allowing the time to search for a title sponsor and continue working with his current sponsors and suppliers.

If you would like to talk to me about Classe Figaro or La Solitaire do not hesitate to contact him on nigel@nigelkingyachting.com

To find out more about Classe Figaro - Beneteau see the class website at www.classefigarobeneteau.com or La Solitaire website at www.lasolitaire.com

Rolex Middle Sea Race
Strait Dealer
18th October

Nigel will for the 2nd year be joining David Franks on his J125, STRAIT DEALER.

STRAIT DEALER is a J-125 with a winning pedigree, have taken the overall Rolex Middle Sea Race trophy in 2001 under Christian Ripard. David Franks has been owner since 2002 and since then has accumulated five races. His best result was fourth overall in 2003 and he has been first Maltese boat home on four occasions in 2002, 03, 05 and 06.

Franks is fielding an experienced crew of nine, which includes David Anastasi, Nigel King, Oliver Franks, Darren Cauchi, Alan Tabone and Kurt Loporto. Only two of the team will be participating for the first time. Franks has experience of other races including two Rolex Fastnet and a Giraglia Rolex Cup.

(2008 IRC Overall Position – 16th)

The Middle Sea Race was conceived as the result of sporting rivalry between great friends, Paul and John Ripard and an Englishman residing in Malta called Jimmy White, all members of the Royal Malta Yacht Club. In the early fifties, it was mainly British servicemen stationed in Malta who competitively raced. Even the boats had a military connection, since they were old German training boats captured by the British during the war. At the time, the RMYC only had a few Maltese members, amongst who were Paul and John Ripard.

So it was in the early sixties that Paul and Jimmy, together with a mutual friend, Alan Green (later to become the Race Director of the Royal Ocean Racing Club), set out to map a course designed to offer an exciting race in different conditions to those prevailing in Maltese coastal waters. They also decided the course would be slightly longer than the RORC's longest race, the Fastnet. The resulting course is the same as used today.

Ted Turner (USA) - today CEO of Turner Communications, (CNN) - has written that the Middle Sea Race "must be the most beautiful race course in the world. What other event has an active volcano as a mark of the course?".

In all of its editions since it was first run in 1968 - won by Paul Ripard's brother John, the Rolex Middle Sea Race has attracted many prestigious names in yachting. Some of these have gone on to greater things in life and have actually left their imprint on the world at large. Amongst these one finds the late Raul Gardini who won line honours in 1979 on "Rumegal", and who spearheaded the 1992 Italian Challenge for the America's Cup with "Moro di Venezia"

Another former line honours winner (1971) who has passed away since was Frenchman Eric Tabarly winner of round the world and transatlantic races on "Penduik". Before his death, he was in Malta again for the novel Around Europe Open UAP Race involving monohulls, catamarans and trimarans. The guest list for the Middle Sea Race has included VIP's of the likes of Sir Francis Chichester, who in 1966 was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly, making only one stop.

The list of top yachting names includes many Italians. It is, after all a premier race around their largest island. These include Navy Admiral Tino Straulino, Olympic gold medallist in the star class and Cino Ricci, well known yachting TV commentator. And it is also an Italian who in 1999 finally beat the course record set by "Mistress Quickly" in 1978. Top racing skipper Andrea Scarabelli beat it so resoundingly, he knocked off over six hours from the time that had stood unbeaten for 20 years.

World famous round the world race winners with a Middle Sea Race connection include yachting journalist Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Les Williams, both from the UK.

The Maxi Class has long had a long and loving relationship with the Middle Sea Race. Right from the early days personalities such as Germany's Herbert Von Karajan, famous orchestra conductor and artistic director of the Berliner Philarmoniker, competing with his maxi "Helisara IV". Later came Marvin Greene JR., CEO of Reeves Communications Corporation and owner of the well known "Nirvana" (line honours in 1982) and Jim Dolan, CEO of Cablevision, whose "Sagamore" was back in 1999 to try and emulate the line honours she won in 1997.

RC44 Regatta
Match Racing / Inshore

RC44 Circuit
The RC 44 is a high performance One Design racing yacht designed by three-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts, together with naval architect Andrej Justin. The RC 44 was created for top level racing in international regattas of both match racing and Fleet racing. The class rules control the number of professionals allowed aboard and the owner must steer the fleet racing, with the professional helms getting the chance to show their stuff in the match racing format

Nigel's History on the circuit
Having joined Chris Bakes Team Aqua on the circuit in 2008 as boat captain, 2009 saw Nigel not only continuing to run all aspects of the boats preparation, but also taking on an active coaching roll. Working with the team in training and racing to maximise the learning with the use of video and stills footage

2010
This year will not only see Nigel continue as boat captain and coach but also move on to the sailing team for the match racing. The team continues to grow and develop and is hungry to build on the 2009 season that was so nearly fantastic. Chris Bake also continues to be totally committed to the class and it is because of Chris's fantastic commitment that the team continues to strive to deliver the results that Chris dedication deserves

If you would like to talk to me about the RC44 class do not hesitate to contact me on nigel@nigelkingyachting.com

To find out more about Team Aqua visit www.teamaqua.org and the class at www.rc44.com

Coaching
Coaching is not just about telling people what you know, it's about effective communication and support. A coach's role can be multifaceted and can be for an individual or a team. Sometimes you are just offering a view from a different perspective, other times you are helping people stay motivated and focused, offering a shoulder to cry on or providing an honest appraisal. The key to effective coaching is to know your individual or team and help them to realise their potential. It is also important to recognise that if you can't add value at a particular moment then stay quiet.

Project management
Yacht racing is as much about entertainment as it is sport. Understanding how your client enjoys his or her sports/entertainment is the key to being able to deliver on their goals and objectives and to ultimately manage their project well. Add to their goals your technical knowledge, time management, budgeting, communication & motivational skills and your project is running well. Over 20 years experience working and sailing on a multitude of projects across the sport has given me an empathy with owners and sponsors which I believe helps me to not only deliver on their goals and objectives but also allows them to relax and enjoy their sport for many years to come

Technical support
Whether you are thinking of a major up grade or just a few small changes its worth taking advice and talking to people. You would be amazed by how much taking even the smallest amount of impartial advice can help to clarify those important issues. As a qualified boat builder with many years working in sail making and rigging I have a vast amount of experience in a multitude of classes. I also love the challenging questions.

Motivational Speaking
Leadership and team development. Bringing something different to a company meeting to show that other people face the same challenges as you, inspirational after dinner speeches or talks at your local sailing club. Everybody can gain from hearing about the experiences of other people outside their normal environment. There is nothing more enjoyable for me than seeing peoples faces as I tell a story or answer a question of what it is like to race around the world for example. My talks are always professional, passionate and relevant.

If you would like to talk to me about any of these subject please do not hesitate to contact me on nigel@nigelkingyachting.com