Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron welcomes home Youth Champions

by Suellen Hurling on 17 Jan 2009 On a regular basis up to 85 Lasers race from the shores of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS). The Laser is by far the strongest fleet racing on the waters of Waterloo Bay and includes State, Australian and World Champions across all the disciplines in the class.

Emerging from the fleet are two youth sailors who give their elder competitors a serious run for their money.

Ashley Stoddart and Curtis Skinner will represent RQYS, Queensland and Australia at the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship to be raced in July in the South American country of Brazil after both gained selection from their successful campaigns at the 2009 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Champions.

Their intense training schedules have paid off.

Curtis won the Laser Radial Boys while Ashley placed fourth overall and first Australian Radial Girl.

Ashley began sailing Lasers when she was just 11 years old. At the tender age of just 15, the world will need to be on the look out for this potential superstar of the Laser class. As a student of Mueller College in the Redcliffe region, Ashley will commence Grade 11 and will juggle an increased training schedule with her studies. Living on the north side of Brisbane the commute of 40 minutes just to get to RQYS certainly has its challenges.
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'Since my brother got his license he has been driving me to the club for racing and training as he sails Lasers as well. During the week for after school training it’s my Mum who makes the trip for me,' said Ashley.

'The support I have received from the other Laser sailors at RQYS has been great. Even before the Youths and the Nationals all the other sailors encouraged me to push harder and train just that little bit more.

'I’m lucky because I have people like Peter Conde and Greg Adams who are both champions in the Laser to guide me along the way,' continued Ashley.

Seventeen year old Curtis Skinner, also from the north side of Brisbane and a student at the prestigious Nudgee College will represent RQYS at the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship alongside Ashley. Going into Grade 12 when school resumes, Curtis will focus his time on study, training and at this part time job as a Senior Sailing Instructor at the RQYS Sailing School.
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Nudgee College is known for their world class athletes however this is the first time that a sailor has gained selection for a world event. Formally a team racing school, sailing has not been a part of the sporting curriculum for five years however the school fully supports their newest star.

'I’m really into team racing as well but since my school no longer has a team I trained to become an umpire,' said Curtis. Curtis now holds a National Umpires ticket and is involved with the numerous team racing regattas held at RQYS. 'I’ve been invited to umpire at the Queensland and Australian School Team Racing Championships which are both at RQYS this year which I am really looking forward to.'

After stepping off the plane from Western Australia Curtis drove straight to RQYS for the Sailing Schools Sail & Play program where over 50 youngsters enjoyed the waters were he and Ashley conduct most of their training.

'Being involved in teaching young kids is vital for the sport and the program at RQYS ensures that young kids have a chance to get involved in sailing,' said Curtis.

Ashley and Curtis will both be available for training sessions for their younger peers at RQYS in the coming months.

In between their day-to-day lives Ashley and Curtis are members of the Yachting Queensland Youth Squad and the newly formed Squad has played a major role in the success of these two sailors. The increased training weekends have ensured they, and the other members of the squad receive vital training information as well as maintaining healthy lifestyles that are required to become a top athlete.

Initiated by Executive Officer Norman Fry the Squad formed almost 12 months ago. Yachting Queensland President Ken Hurling was enthusiastic in establishing the policies for the Squad and the team emerged. Adrian Finglas took on the role as High Performance Coach and together with Ken where with Ashley and Curtis during the 2009 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Champions in Mandurah Western Australia.

'Ken played a major role in our success,' said Curtis. 'He single handedly drove Ashley and my Lasers, as well as five others and my brothers Optimist to Perth from Brisbane. If it wasn’t for him making this venture then the whole expedition to Western Australia would have cost our parents a considerable amount more!'

'Ken has really pushed for youth sailing in Queensland and it’s been fantastic to be a part of the evolving program that Yachting Queensland now offers,' said Ashley.

Ashley and Curtis publically thanked Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Peter Conde, Greg Adams, Ken Hurling and Adrian Finglas as well as former Laser Radial World Champion Stuart Casey for their success at the recent Australian Laser Championships and 2009 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Champions.

There is no rest on the horizon for Ashley and Curtis with both getting back on the water on the Australia Day weekend. Ashley plans on jumping straight back into her Laser for the RQYS Australia Day Regatta where as Curtis plans on switching classes and will race onboard the modified Farr 40 E11even to Mooloolaba and return for the RQYS Commodore’s Ocean Classic Cup.

'Yacht racing let’s me escape for a while. The crew on board don’t let me talk about Lasers so it’s a nice break from my training,' said Curtis.

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