More than 20 coaches from five coastal provinces across Vietnam have participated in the first technical sailing course in the central of province of Binh Thuan.

The Vietnam's Level 1 Technical Course for Coaches in Sailing took place at the MANTA Sailing Training Centre.

The event was the first step in collaborative preparation for inclusion of sailing sports in Vietnam's 2016 Asian Beach Games and 2019 Asian Games.

National sailing development was recently put on the fast track for Vietnam, with the federation being set up in 2011 and joined the International Sailing Federation last May.

The course aims to open opportunities for national training for coaches and athletes at international standards of sailing and safety.

The event presents opportunities for Vietnamese businesses to support a fleet of young athletes who train at the sailing school via company sponsorships.-VNA