Aussie sailors ready to compete at Youth Sailing World Championship
by Megan McKay / Australian Sailing on 15 Dec 2016
420 girls Sophie McIntosh and Emily Summerell - Youth Sailing World Championships Pedro Martinez / Sailing Energy / World Sailing
With racing scheduled to commence today at the 2016 Youth Sailing World Championship, Australia’s stars of the future are in Auckland and ready to come up against the world’s best. 380 sailors from 65 nations are at Torbay Sailing Club in Auckland to contest this year’s event.
The Youth Sailing World Championship, now in it’s 46th year, has been a springboard for many stars of the sport, including 2016 Rio Olympic Silver Medallists, Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin.
Australians will compete in all nine classes in Auckland, and the team came together in Melbourne last week for their final preparations.
“We have a great team representing Australia this year,” said Laser Radial coach, Tristan Brown. “We’ve got some strong sailors and a great team spirit. Everyone is well prepared and really looking forward to the event.
The young Aussies representing Australia are:
Girls single-handed (Laser Radial): Zoe Thomson of Royal Freshwater Bay Sailing Club and Fremantle Sailing Club, WA
Boys single-handed (Laser Radial): Finn Alexander of Double Bay Sailing Club, NSW
Girls Windsurfer (RSX): Courtney Schoutrop of Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, QLD
Boys Windsurfer (RSX): Alex Halank of Georges River Sailing Club, NSW
Mixed multihull (Nacra 15): Kyle Fortier and Bonnie Butler of Vincentia Sailing Club, NSW
Boys double-handed (420): Nicholas Sharman of Mornington Yacht Club and James Grogan of Black Rock Yacht Club, VIC
Girls double-handed (420): Sophie McIntosh of Gosford Sailing Club and Emily Summerell of Gosford Sailing Club, NSW
Boy’s skiff (29er): John Cooley of Woollahra Sailing Club and Simon Hoffman of Belmont 16 Foot Sailing Club, NSW
Girl’s skiff (29er): Natasha Bryant and Annie Wilmot of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, NSW.
All the Aussies competing this year are ‘first-timers’ at the Youth Sailing World Championship, and will be vying to defend the Nations Trophy, which was won by the Aussies in 2015 in Langkawi, Malaysia.
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