Tasmanian champion flies in for Sail Mooloolaba

by Holly Kenny on 30 May 2011 Tourism Downturn? Kids fly in from as far afield as Tasmania to Sail Mooloolaba. Tasmanian State Champion Sophie Chesterman is one of a growing list of young sailors flying into the region for Sail Mooloolaba’s weekend regatta, which starts on Saturday at 11.30am.

Miss Chesterman, selected to represent Australia at the World Championships in San Francisco this July, will compete on a Laser 4.7 dinghy, one of 18 different boat classes in action at the prestigious event, which incorporates State Championships for the Optimists and Moths.

'I have sailed in every other state except Queensland,' Miss Chesterman, age 16, said today. 'On holiday here, I’ve watched the boats from the shore so many times, so I’m itching to get out there and have fun!'

Tasmania’s Youth Sailor of the Year who trains four times a week and twice before school, will have to defeat Matthew Flinders Anglican College student Madi Kennedy, also 16, to win the Laser 4.7 event. Kennedy, the Girls Australian Youth Champion, represented Australia at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore last year.

Nine year-old Hamish Swain will also catch a flight this week to reach Mooloolaba in time for the nine day ‘festival of sailing’. He and his friend Aiden Gummow, also 9, will travel from Airlie Beach to compete in the Optimist Green Fleet section of the regatta.

'He absolutely can’t wait,' Mrs Swain said. 'The boys are taking their own sails, but hiring Optis in Mooloolaba. Hamish loves going to regattas, he says he makes a new friend every time. At the Nationals this year he made friends with a boy from Western Australia whom he hopes might also be entering.'

Hamish is one of six representatives from Whitsunday Sailing Club signed up so far.

The regatta, in its second year, brings together sailors of all ages from grass root level through to national and Olympic standard. Pint-size Optimists will compete alongside sports boats, Etchells, monohull and multihull boats over four different courses both in the river and on the open water off Mooloolaba Beach.

The unprecedented line up of activities planned for Sail Mooloolaba (June 3-9) begin this Friday when Sailability Sunshine Coast will be in action from 9am at Mooloolaba Marina. A schedule of events is attached.

Sail Mooloolaba is proudly supported by the Sunshine Coast Destination Ltd (regional tourism entity) and the Sunshine Coast Council, and Events Queensland.

Holly Kenny, Media Manager E: hollykenny@bigpond.com T: 5443 3436 M: 0431 186511
Get on board for Sail Mooloolaba 2011 – www.sailmooloolaba.yachting.org.au