ISAF Youth Sailing Worlds - Aussies Treharne and Gilbert prepared

by Craig Heydon on 13 Jul 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship 2012 gets underway on Saturday 14th July in Dublin, Ireland. Sydney windsurfers Sam Treharne and Annalise Gilbert are ready to take on the world’s best.

Treharne will be competing at his first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship while for Gilbert it will be the second time she has represented Australia at the event, finishing 17th in Croatia in 2011.

It may be the first time that Treharne has made the Australian Youth Sailing Team but his selection has been a long time coming, narrowly missing out on the spot in 2011.

'Representing Australia at the Youth Worlds has been my biggest goal since I started racing windsurfers,' said Treharne. 'After just missing out last year I really wanted to make the 2012 team as this year is my last chance to go to the Youth Worlds.'

Gilbert said that she learnt a lot from the experience of competing at the event in 2011 and is keen to go racing in Ireland.

'Last year I was only quite new to the sport and this year I have a better understanding of what to expect which is making me even more excited,' said Gilbert. 'Thanks to the 2011 event I developed better racing skills and learnt that while the event can be overwhelming at times being a part of a team is important.'

The ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship is the biggest youth regatta in the world and has a lot of similarities to the Olympic Games which kick off just a week after the 2012 event finishes. Just like the Olympics countries can only have one entrant per class with all of the sailors accommodated together in an athlete village set up.

'I'm really excited to compete against the best youth windsurfers in the world,' said Treharne. 'Also, I can’t wait to represent my country alongside the rest of the Aussie team.'

Gilbert is also looking forward to representing Australia on the world stage.

'I enjoy that the Youth Worlds is different to any other event you’ll ever compete in,' said Gilbert. 'The whole experience that comes with it is fun and enjoyable and also to know that you are the one to represent your country against all of the other nations is a real honour.'
ISAF Youth Sailing Worlds website