Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition
This professional diploma helps you master the knowledge needed to excel in competitive water sports such as sailing, rowing, canoeing, surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing. You will study the governance and rules of each discipline, the physiology and conditioning of the water sports athlete, the optimization of boats, boards and foils, local weather and race tactics, safety and rescue during competitions, and post-race data analysis and talent development, combining an athlete-centered view with the essentials of running events.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
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What is the Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition?
This professional diploma prepares you to coach, compete and work in high-level water sports across several disciplines. You will learn how sailing, rowing, canoeing, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and powerboating are governed internationally and how boats and boards are classified and measured, how racing rules, judging criteria, protests and handicap systems work, which metabolic, biomechanical and psychological demands athletes face and how to train, feed and protect them from injury, how hulls, foils, rigs, sails and kites are trimmed and maintained, how wind shifts, currents and tides shape start strategy and race tactics, how safety cover and emergency plans protect competitors, and how GPS tracks and speed polars are used to analyze performance and develop talent.
What sets this professional diploma apart: an athlete-centered approach that puts performance, physiology and psychology at the heart of the program; a multi-discipline view covering sail, paddle, oar, board and motor sports; a technical module on hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, foils, telemetry and video analysis; a dedicated block on local meteorology, start strategy and race tactics; practical safety content for rescuing capsized or entangled athletes; and a final project in which you design the full operational and safety plan for a high-level water sports championship.
Program highlights
- Athlete-centered: physiology, biomechanics, conditioning, nutrition and sports psychology.
- Multi-discipline: sailing, rowing, canoeing, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and powerboating.
- Rules and judging: racing rules, wave-sport criteria, protests and handicap systems.
- Equipment optimization: trim, sails and kites, high-tech materials, foils and telemetry.
- Race tactics: local weather, start strategy and upwind and downwind decisions.
- Final project: operational plan and safety dossier for a high-level championship.
Syllabus of the Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition
8 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Foundations, classification and institutional framework of water sports
- 1.1. Historical evolution and types of water sports (sailing, rowing, canoeing, surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing and powerboating)
- 1.2. International governance: World Sailing, World Rowing, ICF, ISA, UIM and Olympic committees
- 1.3. Classification of racing boats and boards: Olympic classes, one-designs and open formulas
- 1.4. Technical rules, measurement certificates and gauge checks
- 1.5. Water sports infrastructure: clubs, marinas, slipways and race areas and courses
- 1.6. Sporting ethics, fair play, seamanship and the anti-doping code (WADA)
- 1.7. Environmental impact, sustainability in water sports events and green certifications
- 1.8. National and international federations
Competition rules and water sports judging
- 2.1. Racing Rules of Sailing and collision avoidance rules in competition
- 2.2. Competition rules in rowing and canoeing (sprint and slalom)
- 2.3. Judging criteria in wave and board sports (surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing)
- 2.4. Structure and roles of race officers, judges, umpires and measurers
- 2.5. Protest procedures, hearings, penalties and redress
- 2.6. Handicap and time-correction systems (ORC, IRC, Portsmouth Yardstick)
- 2.7. Safety rules and mandatory personal protective equipment by discipline
- 2.8. Race judges and officials
Physiology, biomechanics and physical preparation of the water sports athlete
- 3.1. Specific metabolic and energy demands in sailors, rowers and board athletes
- 3.2. Biomechanics of paddling, rowing, tacking kinematics and hiking posture
- 3.3. Training explosive strength, core muscular endurance and dynamic balance
- 3.4. Physiological adaptation to the aquatic environment, thermoregulation and prevention of heat stroke and hypothermia
- 3.5. Nutrition, hydration strategy and supplementation for performance on the water
- 3.6. Prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of recurrent water sports injuries
- 3.7. Sports psychology: focus, managing start-line stress and resilience in adverse conditions
- 3.8. Injury prevention programs
Organization, logistics and management of water sports events
- 4.1. Designing the master plan of a water sports event (local and world championships and ocean races)
- 4.2. Selecting, laying out and marking race courses (windward-leeward, trapezoid, slalom)
- 4.3. Shore logistics: boat park, zoning, weighing and access control
- 4.4. Managing maritime permits and coordinating with port and harbor authorities
- 4.5. Water logistics: support fleet, mark layers, press, judges and VIP boats
- 4.6. Budget management, sports sponsorship, broadcasting rights and nautical marketing
- 4.7. Planning volunteers, operational staff and the prize-giving protocol
- 4.8. Planning a water sports event
Hydrodynamics, aerodynamics and equipment optimization
- 5.1. Fluid dynamics applied to hulls, centreboards, rudders and oars
- 5.2. Trim, rig tension and design of sails and kites to maximize speed
- 5.3. Selecting high-tech materials: carbon fiber, aramid, resins and laminated fabrics
- 5.4. Maintenance, underwater hull preparation, hull polishing and care of racing equipment
- 5.5. Hydrofoil technology in sailing boats, windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing
- 5.6. Onboard telemetry, load sensors, navigation data processors and analysis cameras
- 5.7. Biomechanical analysis through video analysis and performance-tracking software
- 5.8. Optimizing competition equipment
Local meteorology, tactics and race strategy
- 6.1. Microclimates on coastal and inland race areas (lakes, rivers)
- 6.2. Visual detection and reading of gusts, wind shifts, thermals and pressure lines
- 6.3. Analyzing local currents and tides and choosing the favoured side
- 6.4. Pre-start strategy: positioning, timing, right of way and the favoured end of the line
- 6.5. Tactics on upwind, downwind and reaching legs (covering, clear air)
- 6.6. Using weather forecasting apps and tactical analysis tools
- 6.7. Adapting strategy quickly to sudden weather changes during a race
- 6.8. Reading the race course
Safety, water rescue and crisis management in competitions
- 7.1. Emergency action plan and medical evacuation at sea
- 7.2. Deploying the rescue cover: RIBs and rescue personal watercraft
- 7.3. Techniques for rescuing trapped, capsized or entangled athletes
- 7.4. Monitoring sea conditions and severe weather warnings and suspending races
- 7.5. Safety communications: VHF radio network, dedicated channels and links with rescue services
- 7.6. First aid in aquatic settings, basic life support and drowning management
- 7.7. Crisis communication, media relations and reputation protection
- 7.8. Safety in competitions
Data analysis, talent identification and final project
- 8.1. Post-race debriefing: GPS tracks, speed polars and tactical errors
- 8.2. Grassroots programs, sailing and rowing schools and teaching methodology
- 8.3. Identifying and developing high-performance water sports talent
- 8.4. Inclusion in water sports: adaptations for para sailing and para rowing
- 8.5. Trends and innovation: e-sailing, virtual regattas and urban show formats
- 8.6. Managing yacht clubs and high-performance training centers
- 8.7. Presenting the final project
- 8.8. Final project: overall design, safety dossier and operational plan for a high-level water sports championship
Duration and format of the Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition
It is 800 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition
Career opportunities after the Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition
Questions about the Professional Diploma in Water Sports Performance and Competition
Mainly sailing, rowing, canoeing, surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and powerboating, with references to other disciplines where relevant.
Both, with the athlete at the center: performance, physiology, equipment and tactics, plus the essentials of running events and keeping them safe.
No. Navalis Institute teaches the subject, but coaching qualifications and race official ratings are issued by the national and international federations.
Yes. You study hydrofoils, onboard telemetry, load sensors and video analysis to optimize equipment and technique.
Yes. A full module covers local meteorology, reading wind shifts and currents, pre-start strategy and tactics on each leg.
You design a high-level water sports championship, including its operational plan and safety dossier.
Fully online, through a virtual campus available 24/7, with live sessions that are recorded and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The professional diploma comprises 800 hours of study across 8 modules of about 100 hours each and ends with a final project. You can progress at your own pace within the schedule set when you enroll.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at sports coaches specializing in water disciplines, active tourism professionals, sport science and physical education students, sports facility managers and water sports enthusiasts who want to lead and promote the sport. A sports coaching qualification in a water discipline, or demonstrable experience practicing water sports, is recommended, together with basic knowledge of water safety and the rules of your discipline.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.