Warren Jones Regatta - Walker expecting tough competition

by John Roberson on 31 Jan 2011 Warren Jones Regatta 2011.

Evan Walker, the winner of last week’s Colin Mullins International Youth Regatta sees a tough job ahead if he is to repeat the success in this week’s Warren Jones International Youth Regatta, with more hot young teams arriving he sees a step up in the level of competition.

Talking after his Colin Mullins Trophy victory on Saturday afternoon, he said, 'the guys who are coming next week, that didn’t race this week, Seve (Jarvin), (William) Tiller, Peter Nicholas and Dave Chapman, they are going to slot in up near the top, so with the two guys we had close racing with today, that’s six teams that could be in the top four, so it’s not going to be easy.'

However his win last week has certainly boosted his confidence, 'we’re glad we came over early because we’re a whole level ahead of where we would have been, if we get some consistent winds I think we’ll be comfortable.'

Though most of his sailing at the moment is on 18 Foot Skiffs in Sydney Harbour, he would like to further his match racing career with a season in Europe.

New Zealand skipper William Tiller won the Warren Jones Regatta last year, and the previous year was on the winning crew with skipper Phil Robertson, so is no stranger to the boats or the location, and has had a swift rise up the world rankings in the past twelve months, now sitting at 35th place.

Close behind Tiller on the ranking ladder is Sydneysider David Chapman who is currently 37th in the world, he will be desperate to improve on his ninth place in last year’s event.

Seve Jarvin, another 18 Foot Skiff sailor from Sydney, has twice finished third in the Warren Jones Regatta in 2005 and 2006, and although well down the world rankings will be a tough competitor.

Peter Nicholas, from Perth’s Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, has skippered a boat in the event three times before, with eighth places in ’07 and ’09, but finishing a hard fought fourth last year, he is keen to keep moving up.

The Warren Jones International Youth Regatta was created in memory of the man who did so much to motivate the crew of Australia II, when they won the America’s Cup in 1983, he was also a live-wire in the Perth business community, and a great supporter of youth programmes of all sorts.

The event is being hosted this year by the Royal Perth Yacht Club, and sailed in the Swan River’s Matilda Bay, using Swan River Sailing’s fleet of Foundation 36 yachts.

Competitors:

Skipper	Country	Club	Ranking
William Tiller	NZL	RNZYS	35
David Chapman	AUS	RSYS	37
Peter Nicholas	AUS	RFBYC	63
David Gilmour	AUS	RFBYC	95
Evan Walker	AUS	CYCA	110
Matthew Steven	NZL	RPNYC	126
Tristan Brown	AUS	RFBYC	190
Kosaku Yoshida	JPN	JYMA	302
Seve Jarvin	AUS	CYCA	649

Warren Jones International Youth Regatta website
Swan River Sailing website