Flying Ant National Championships at Toronto Amateur SC
by Yachting WA on 2 Feb 2012
Oliver Medd, Shannon Wright, Holly and Hayden Hunt, Jamie Glaskin and Domenic Mann took all three placings in the Invitation Race - Flying Ant Nationals 2011-12 Jennifer Medd
Flying Ant National Championships were hosted this year by Toronto Amateur Sailing Club (TASC). The traditionally strong Western Australian Flying Ant fleet again proved themselves a force to be reckoned with.
WA’s Flying Ant fleet maintains its reputation as being a primary source for WA elite sailors and world champions. The Flying Ant, designed over 30 years ago in New Zealand by John Spencer, who also designed the Cherub provides exhilarating and competitive sailing for youngsters aged between 9 and 18 years of age.
In great weather with perfect winds the WA contingent sailed solidly to secure the upper sector of the leader board after New South Wales sailor Dante Olivieri sailed neatly clinching the lead. Misguided Missile, Dante Olivieri and Lachlan Nardone sailed their way consistently into first place having finished sixth in last year’s event.
Strongly battling second through to sixth places was a WA contingent who took it down the wire to determine final positions only on last day.
First season skipper and crew Hayden and Holly Hunt from Mounts Bay Sailing Club, defeated East Fremantle’s Shannon Wright and Oliver Medd by only a point.
Fourth and fifth positions were also closely decided between two more WA boats, with Domenic Mann and Jamie Glaskin taking fifth place by eight after Jack Kelly and Owen Ready from East Fremantle Yacht Club and Shelley Sailing Club.
The newly introduced asymmetric spinnaker identifies the ‘Ant’ as the only junior boat to carry both spinnaker types. The Flying Ant has undergone many changes over the years and maintains its status as a modern design and a 'State of the Art' racing machine attracting juniors from entry level classes such as the Manly Juniors, Mudlark, Minnow, Optimist and the Pelican, looking for a fast exciting planing skiff with a single trapeze and self draining cockpit.
The skills developed in the class have enabled many sailors to progress to elite levels via the 29er, 49er, 16' Skiff and the 18' Skiff classes.
Results:
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1st
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Misguided Missile
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Dante Olivieri and Lachlan Nardone
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PKSC/IYC - NSW
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2nd
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Phantom
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Hayden and Holly Hunt
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MBSC - WA
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3rd
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Hard Yakka
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Shannon Wright and Oliver Medd
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EFYC - WA
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4th
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Lightning Jack
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Jack Kelly and Owen Ready
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EFYC - WA
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5th
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Temporary Insanity
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Domenic Mann and Jamie Glaskin
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MBSC - WA
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6th
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On Fire
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Corey Hamilton and Sarah Petherbridge
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TASC - NSW
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Flying Ant Skiff Sailing Association website
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