ILCA 4 European Championship Coaching Tour

The 2026 ILCA 4 European Championships will be held in Murcia, Spain, from 11th to 18th of April 2026. We offer two options, one including the Spanish Europa Cup and a standalone European Championship coaching packages. The full Coaching Tour will run from 4th April (arrival day) to 19th April (departure day). Leading up to the European Championships, SailCoach will take part in a warm-up regatta, the Spanish Europa Cup, also held in Murcia, providing sailors with a full six days of intensive preparation. This is a great opportunity to hone racing skills, work closely with our coaching team, and build momentum towards the championship, as well as familiarise themselves with the venue.

Background and Overview
As SailCoach enters our 30th year, we take pride in offering what we call “Coaching Tours” backed by three decades of experience. This legacy ensures you can trust us to provide the confidence and expertise needed for success at these important regattas.

The SailCoach Coaching Tour package has everything you need to have a successful championship, with none of the hassles that goes with trying to bring things together at the right place, at the right time. So let SailCoach look after everything at the regatta, and you only need to enter and book your flights.

When you join us, you’ll have a coach who is experienced and skilled, often having Olympic level experience. Our coaching group’s target size is six sailors per coach,
so you’ll get personalised attention. We provide a complete package that includes airport transfers, accommodation, and high-level coaching. You also have the option
to rent an ILCA Dinghy charter boat from SailCoach. All you need to do is enter the regatta and book your flights, making it simpler and straightforward.

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 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.