Intl Cadet Nationals - 82 boats descend on Largs Bay for massive event

by Marc Ablett on 11 Jan 2017 The SA Summer of Sail continues this week when Largs Bay hosts 164 excited junior sailors for the 55th International Cadet Australian Championships.

The 82-boat fleet features sailors from right around Australia in a ready-for-action intermediate two-person dinghy.

The Australian representatives for the Cadet class have just finished a successful campaign in Argentina and the now experienced pair of William Cooper and Hugo Allison, which came third in last year's nationals, will lead the always strong Tasmanian team.

This year the Tasmanian Team has a vast amount of top-level experience and will make a strong push for the Tillett Team Trophy for the champion state.

The 34-boat Victorian fleet will hope it can be up at the pointy end of the high-quality fleet.

Last year's champions Julian Sasson and Mischa Suda will not be competing at this year's regatta, which will open the door for the next chapter in Victorian Cadet sailing.

The South Australian team will be keen to have success on their home coastline, where they are sure to have the local knowledge.

Brooke Gaffney and Darcy Conry in Endless Summer have taken recent success in an extremely close SA fleet and will look to further their case at the coming nationals.

The New South Wales team has consistently had a strong showing in the Cadet Class and if the winds are on the lighter and shiftier side look for them to have some good results.

The International Cadet Nationals will be highly competitive this year as there is a strong balance of established sailors as well as new talent pushing through.

The forecast is for strong sea breezes over the next few days, so whoever can be consistent in these conditions will put themselves in a really good spot to win the title.

If you are interested in who else has entered head to the full regatta entry list.