MEET YOUR COACH

This is Thomas.  He will be your racing coach.

But, who is Thomas really?

Thomas was born in Switzerland (in the Val de Travers to be precise) from a German mother and an English Father.  He started skiing at the ripe old age of 3, and has not stopped.  Thomas does not do things half way or casually.  He was racing downhill, super G… he likes it fast!  He also race motorcycles for a while, but decided that was a bit too extreme.

Thomas moved to England at age 18 and joined the Royal Navy as a Royal Navy Officer before going to University in Kent.  Thomas left the Navy and pursued a career in the City working for the big boys in the trading world.  He travelled the world, and seas, before finding his wife Sigrid in Switzerland.  They came back to the UK in 2018 and quit the rat race and pursued their dream of sailing and racing.

So what about sailing?  Well, Thomas started to sail when he was 6 on the Lake of Neuchatel.  He spent most summer holidays on a sailing yacht with his parents in Greece, Portugal, France and summer sailing camps in the UK. At 16 he spent his first summer teaching sailing in Scotland, and came back to his parents place and poured himself a tall glass of whiskey! Very independent he spent an entire summer onboard his father’s 5.5m boat on his own when he was 18.  

Since sailing is his passion, Thomas decided to get his RYA instructors certification.  Why not get paid for doing what you love?  Yes please!

He first started racing as a kid on dinghy’s on the lake.  The European Championships brought him to the J24 at 16. In 1984 he participated in the Tour de France A la Voile, finishing 1st amateur crew.

World record holder for the Lonely Rock on a Sunfast 3300 in 2022.

Since Thomas loves to go fast, it’s a no brainer that he will take it up a notch on the boat!

So grab your life jacket, and helmet if you like, and join us for some racing with a well rounded tri lingual coach!