Aussie International Cadet team gets set for Dutch Worlds

by Harry Fisher on 7 Jun 2017 Following the recent International Cadet Australian Championships at Largs Bay in late January, the Australian team has been selected for the upcoming 51st World Championships, which will be hosted by The Netherlands at Bruinisse on the Lake Grevelingen.

The regatta will be held from August 3 through to August 11 later this year with racing starting on August 5 after two days of measuring and registration. The regatta is hosted by the Dutch Cadet Class Association (DCCA) in conjunction with the host club, Zeilclub Kurenpolder (ZCK).

The team of eight Australian boats will head to Europe to represent their country after great performances at Largs Bay. Of the team, the top four qualifying boats all hail from the Sandy Bay Sailing Club in Tasmania, a famous breeding ground for talented International Cadet Sailors over the years.

Leading the way from the coaching side is veteran Australian Cadet coach Tony Bull, more affectionately known as Bully. He has been at the front of the Victorian and Australian Cadet teams for many years and will no doubt have the group in top shape going into the regatta.

The Tasmanian boats consist of Charlie Goodfellow and Lawrence Jeffs in Meltemi, Archer Ibbott and Charlie Boman in Little Devil, Jacob McConaghy and Sam Hooper in Hurricane and Matilda O’Donoghue and Aya Gibson in Sea-Ya.

At the nationals in Largs Bay, the Tasmanians finished all six boats in the top nine, as well as the first five positions of the regatta, which awarded them the Tillett Team Trophy for the best combined state performance.

The remainder of the Worlds team heading to The Netherlands is made up of one South Australian boat and three Victorian boats, which all sail out of different clubs.

Brooke Gaffney and Darcy Conry in Endless Summer hail from the Largs Bay Sailing Club and are proudly flying the flag for the Croweaters. They capped off a stellar season in South Australia with a sixth place at their home club nationals to deservingly earn a spot in the team.

The final three qualifiers, all from Victoria, are Tilly Davis and Will Shepard in Whip it Real Good from the Sandringham Yacht Club, Sophie Alexander and Tim McCoy in Checkmate from the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and Peter Allen and Oliver Grieve in Spitfire from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria in Williamstown.

These three boats were great performers for the Victorian team at the nationals and will do their state and their country proud in The Netherlands.

Over the next few weeks in the lead up to the World Championships, we will be profiling each of the eight teams and giving you a run-down of their preparation and achievements leading up to the event.

Australian International Cadet Team - 2017 World Championship, the Netherlands:

- Meltemi – Charlie Goodfellow and Lawrence Jeffs – SBSC, Tasmania
- Little Devil – Archer Ibbott and Charlie Boman – SBSC, Tasmania
- Hurricane – Jacob McConaghy and Sam Hooper – SBSC, Tasmania
- Sea-Ya – Matilda O’Donoghue and Aya Gibson – SBSC, Tasmania
- Endless Summer – Brooke Gaffney and Darcy Conry – LBSC, South Australia
- Whip it Real Good – Tilly Davis and Will Shepard – SYC, Victoria
- Checkmate – Sophie Alexander and Tim McCoy – RGYC, Victoria
- Spitfire – Peter Allen and Oliver Grieve – RYCV, Victoria
- Head coach: Tony Bull – RGYC, Victoria