Australian Etchells pilot a National Championship League
by Jason Hawkins 13 Aug 2020 17:11 NZST
Etchells National Championship League © Emily Scott
With interstate travel off the table for foreseeable future, the Australian Etchells Association are launching unique pilot competition where sailors from every fleet, and at every skill level, can compete nationally, without leaving their own safe harbour.
Mark Robert's, the national president of Etchells Australia unveiled pilot at the recent AGM:
"We are really looking forward to giving Etchells club sailors at all levels the opportunity to see how they compare. During these challenging times, it is a fantastic way to bring the fleets together and have a bit of fun. We are really excited to get this rolling in the 2020-21 season."
It's not your average one-design, scratch performance scoring. Instead, the intention is to level the field a little and give professional and corinthian sailors a chance to come out on top.
David Clark, national vice-president and the brains trust behind the new initiative shares the design of the competition:
"We have built an algorithm to level the playing field by awarding points reflecting not only your scratch result but also taking into account the number of professionals on board, youth teams, and the quality of the fleet. Your results at a fleet level will be compared and aligned with results from other fleets and this will lead to a National Leagues Ranking"
For more information on how it works, the rules and to register your fleet or your interest competing, visit etchellschampionshipleague.com. For further information contact National Secretary, Niesje Hees