Metung sailor honoured with national trophy attribution
by Jeanette Severs 9 Oct 2024 00:07 PDT
1-5 November 2024
The International Etchells Class Association of Australia (IECAA) has honoured its precedents by naming the Corinthian trophy in honour of the late Alexander Milledge OAM, in time for the 2025 Australian Etchells Championship regatta.
The 2025 Australian Etchells Championship regatta will be held at Metung, in Victoria (Australia), November 1-5 this year.
There are some great synergies between Milledge, IECAC renaming the trophy in his honour, and Metung.
Metung was home of one of the first Etchells yachts, Brown Sugar, which was owned by Milledge, who lived at nearby Nungurner.
Milledge and Geoff Henke AO AM registered two of the first Etchells class yachts at Metung Yacht Club.
Milledge sailed Brown Sugar at Metung and out of Brighton, with Henke, John Miles, Keith Morcombe, Stephen Bull, or the late Jim Bull on board.
Milledge and Henke had sailed together from childhood, and were also members of Royal Brighton Yacht Club (RBYC).
It was at RBYC that the E22 Class Association of Australia was formed, on February 6, 1973, with Milledge the inaugural secretary.
Milledge was also one of eight guarantors to finance the importation of Skip Etchells' moulds from Connecticut, USA. The moulds to build hulls arrived in Australia in October 1973.
Etchells now sail in 13 fleets across Australia, and around 50 fleets worldwide.
On October 8, 2024, the Corinthian trophy was renamed the Alexander Milledge Etchells Corinthian Trophy, from a motion put up to IECAA by Metung Yacht Club, with unanimous endorsement from the Etchells fleet captains across Australia.
Metung Yacht Club (MYC) has previously hosted the Australian Etchells Championship, in March 2022, on Lake King.
MYC also hosted the International Etchells Class 2024 Victorian Championship in January, sailed on Lake King.
This year MYC will again host the Australian Etchells Championship, in a few weeks time, and races will again be held on Lake King.
Entry numbers are building for the regatta. The Notice of Race is online and entries are still being accepted, via metungyachtclub.com.au/sailing-events/2025-etchells-nationals
Milledge's widow, Sue, their family, and Henke and Miles will all attend the 2025 Australian Etchells Championship regatta in Metung in November.
The Alexander Milledge Etchells Corinthian Trophy will be presented by Sue Milledge to the yacht, skipper and crew in the World Sailing Classification Category 1, at the end of the regatta on November 5.