Founder and Executive Director

TREVOR MILLAR

Where to start! Trevor’s innovative coaching style has landed him countless awards and honours over the past 40 years, with his athletes winning Olympic medals, European titles, World number one rankings, World Sailing Youth medals and many World Cup and Europa Cup victories. Trevor, originally from the small village of Newtownards on the outskirts of Belfast, began his prestigious coaching career with the RYA, where he was the UK National Laser Coach with Team GBR for several years, enjoying successes at World and European Championship levels. He later moved back to his native Ireland, setting up the Irish Olympic Development Sailing Team and coached his squad of single and double handers on the international stage. Renowned for his visionary approach to coaching, Trevor later set up SailCoach, where he has guided sailors from an array of different nations to 7 Olympic Games and countless World, European and World Cup Championships with a plethora of silverware along the way. His experience at the highest end of our sport is unique in today’s age, and his knowledge and medal-winning formulae are of great benefit to the young sailors presently in Team SailCoach.

Senior High-Performance Coach and Director

ALEXANDR DENISIUC

Alex joined SailCoach as an Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) athlete, competing in the Olympic ILCA/Laser World Cup Series. He was proud to represent his home nation of Moldova, achieving an incredible five ILCA World and seven European Championships, a first for a Moldovan sailor.

Now a highly accomplished sailing coach, Alex has reached the top of his profession through sheer dedication and a passion for the sport. He has led teams to numerous World and European Championships, delivering medals for several different nations, including Asian Games, medals. With the honour of coaching at two Olympic Games, in Rio and Tokyo, Alex’s expertise has made him a valuable asset to the SailCoach team.

In addition to his extensive practical experience, Alex has also been recognised academically with a World Sailing Training Scholarship. This opportunity further developed his skill set as a National Training Programme Manager, allowing him to put in place and manage effective and sustainable National Sail Training Programmes.

Alex has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, as well as a Diploma in Coaching and Sports Management from the National Institute of Physical Education and Sport, Moldova. He also holds a Level 4 Certificate in the Foundations of Coaching from the University of Malta. He is fluent in English and a native speaker of Russian and Romanian. Alex is a truly international coach and a great inspiration to many in the sailing community.

Chief Instructor at RMYC Sailing School

RÜYA ÇAKMAKLI

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 onto her students successfully. From Istanbul in 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 High-Performance Coach, Fitness Trainer and Dietitian

ROGER CRAIG

Roger is a multi-accomplished individual who not only excels academically but also possesses a unique combination of talents in coaching, nutrition, and fitness. He studied Dietetics at the University of Plymouth and has a degree in Food Science from University College Dublin. This knowledge in these fields means he can tailor his approach to meet the specific needs of each athlete, making him an invaluable addition to any team.

Moreover, Roger’s experience in campaigning in the ILCA 7 during two Olympic cycles has given him a first-rate understanding of the techniques and skills required for coaching this class. He is passionate about helping athletes reach their full potential, and his enthusiasm is infectious to everyone he meets. His engaging and personable nature, coupled with his extensive knowledge of the sport, make him an outstanding coach.

Roger spent a number of years in the Middle East as Performance Director at the Abu Dhabi Sailing Yacht Club managing the development of Abu Dhabi sailing. This experience provided him with invaluable knowledge of running performance programs. As a result, Roger has a good grasp of Arabic.

Senior Performance Coach

MIŁOSZ WOJEWSKI

Miłosz has a Master’s Degree in Sailing Coaching from the Polish Academy of Physical Education and Sport. He has taken over SailCoach’s Charter Operations with the new company “Charter Boat” focused on logistic and boat charter solutions. He started sailing from an early age, working his way through a number of youth classes to completing two Olympic campaigns in the Finn class. He has been a member of the Polish Olympic Sailing Team from 2008 to 2016 and finished second at the 2011 Junior Finn Worlds. He was also a regular top 20 sailors in the Sailing World Cup regattas. When he is not sailing his Finn, he can be seen racing on iceboats where he has been a National Champion at Junior level. As well as his native Polish, he speaks English and elementary Russian.

Senior Performance Coach

CHARLIE LINSELL

Charlie’s passion for sailing began at a young age, when he competed in a range of classes, including the Cadet dinghy at national and international regatts, before progressing to the Laser Radial and Standard. Alongside his sailing career, Charlie pursued a degree in Sports and Exercise Sciences, where he expanded his knowledge in areas such as physiology, biomechanics, nutrition and sports psychology. Charlie’s dedication to sports also led him to become a personal trainer and fitness instructor.

During his studies, Charlie worked at the prestigious Peligoni Club in Greece, running the watersports centre for three summers. After graduating with honours, Charlie joined SailCoach at the Royal Malta Yacht Club Sailing School, where he focused on coaching ILCA, Optimist and Feva teams. He then moved up to become a high-performance coach, leading camps and providing guidance to athletes from a diversity of nations.

Drawing on his background as a sports scientist and personal trainer, Charlie has also helped guide athletes and groups with fitness programmes, nutritional guidance and sports psychology. SailCoach recognised Charlie’s skills and entrusted him to run the Yachting Association of India training camps for their sailors, with him visiting India annually. Most recently, Charlie has become the centre manager of SailCoach’s Valencia SailBase, continuing his passion for sailing and coaching.

Senior Performance Coach

Dara O’Shea

Dara, a graduate of the University College, Cork, Ireland, joined us first as a young Radial (ILCA 6) sailor in the Irish Team training to participate in the World and the European Championships. Whilst at university, he became a coach to the Irish Optimist Team, accompanying teams to the Worlds and European Championships with noteworthy results. During the Covid years, Dara decided to use that time to further his education, and now has two masters degrees in finance. He brings the experience of working at one of Ireland’s top Optimist and ILCA clubs, the Royal Cork Yacht Club, and continues to sail sports boats when the opportunity arises. Dara has represented his country several times as a sailor in international competitions, but his focus now is on coaching. As both a coach and sailor, he sets himself high standards, something we welcome at SailCoach.

Apprentice Coach and SailCoach's Bosun

Lucas Nixon

Lucas was brought up in the small County Down village of Carrowdore and went to the acme Campbell College, one of Northern Ireland’s top Grammar Schools. After deciding, he preferred a life in the outdoors, and as a keen sailor, Lucas contacted SailCoach. He joined us after he finished school in the summer of 2022, and we discovered a huge talent in this young man. His knowledge of boats and engines is way beyond his years, having been brought up surrounded by keen mechanical engineers. He started sailing at Donaghadee Sailing Club and quickly moved on to join one of Northern Ireland’s premier dinghy clubs Ballyholme Yacht Club. He promptly made it into the RYANI Academy sailing ILCA 4s and represented his country internationally. We are sure that Lucas will have a bright future as one of our trusted SailCoach staff.