International Cadet Nationals - A great boost for Sandy Bay SC

by Peter Campbell on 4 Jan 2012 International Cadet Nationals were held on Lake Macquarie, just south of Newcastle, from 27 December 2011 to 4 January 2012.

Six young International Cadet class crews from Sandy Bay Sailing Club yesterday gave their off-the-beach club at Nutgrove Beach a great boost as the club prepares to host the Australian and World championships in under a year’s time.

The club sent eight of its best crews to the nationals and was rewarded with the first three places overall and six crews in the top ten, winning the Tillet Trophy interstate team contest.

Overall winner, by just one point was Impulse, sailed by 14-year-old Samantha Bailey and her crew, 12-year-old Hannah Chadwick.

A second place in the final race gave the two girls the winning margin over fellow team members Charlie Connor (14) and Ethan Galbraith (8) sailing Sirocco, who lost their lead with a 14th place. Third overall was Oliver Burnell (14) and Issie De Clerk (11) who placed fifth in the final race.

Also in the top ten were Sam Tiedemann and Chloe Abel sailing Phoenix (7th), Silas and Rupert Hamilton, sailing Executioner (9th) and Sam Abel and William Cooper (10th).

Samantha Bailey is a former Australian champion crew, sailing with her brother Alec, the siblings twice finishing third in a world championship. However, this is only the second season as a skipper for Samantha who sailed the tough regatta with great sailing and tactical skills, ably supported by her younger crew, Hannah.

In Queensland, sailing out of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron on Moreton Bay, another young Tasmanian, 14 year old Jock Calvert has finished fifth overall and first junior in the International Laser 4.7 class.

Sophie Chesterman, like Jock, from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania’s Dinghy Group, finished seventh overall and second in the women’s class of the 43 boat fleet of Laser 4.7s.

International Cadet Class of Australia website