Tragic Loss of Champion Youth Sailor

by Yachting Australia on 14 May 2008 The skipper of the 2008 OAMPS Australian Youth Team 29er, Nick Peate, tragically died while at home in Ballina (NSW) on Saturday 10th May. He was just 17 years old.

Nick was a member of the Richmond River Sailing Club, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and The Southport School Sailing Club, where he was the 2008 Sailing Teams Racing Captain.

With a natural sporting talent, Nick achieved representative honours in many sports including sailing, gymnastics, cross country and hockey. He also had success in schoolboy rugby union, athletics and rowing.

Nick was regarded as one of Australia’s top youth sailors, beginning his career in 2001 with the Richmond River Sailing Club in his home town of Ballina in northern NSW. He tasted his first National success just 6 months after taking up the sport, at 11 years of age, placing 3rd in the ‘Manly Junior’ National Championships at Woollahra SC in Sydney.

In 2004, Peter Vaicuirgis, the ‘NS 14’ National Champion and NSW Academy of Sport Sailing Coach asked Nick to crew for him in the NSW ‘Heron’ State Championships. Against sailors with more experience than him, Nick rewarded the faith Peter showed in him, with a flawless performance placing them 1st after three races.

Later that year he was accepted as a cadet into the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) and in 2005 became a member of their Elite Junior Youth Development Squad.

In 2006 he won his first National Title, in the ‘Sabot’ class, and was offered a prestigious Sporting Scholarship for sailing at The Southport School (TSS). Nick relocated to the Gold Coast and despite it being his first year in the TSS squad he was immediately selected as skipper for the 'A' team at the GPS Sailing Championships.

Ongoing triumphs in State and National competitions culminated in Nick being selected for Australia to compete in the 2007 Austalian Youth Olympic Festival as well as a nomination for the 2008 Ballina Shire Young Sports Person of the Year.

Success continued with Nick, and his crew Rhys Mara, recently being selected as NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holders and also members of the 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Sailing Team to compete in the Volvo ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Denmark in July.

Outside of sport, Nick was a very high achiever earning the Silver & Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as participating in numerous community programs including Solomon Islands Outreach Work and a Server and Crucifer at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Ballina NSW.

Nick is survived by his father Roger, his mother Janice and his siblings Katherine, James and Matthew.

Our sincere condolescenes to all Nick's family and friends.