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News Archive
July, 2012
Race wins for Aussie sailors on Weymouth waters Australians have picked up wins in three classes on day two of sailing at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Tom Slingsby got his London 2012 Laser campaign off to an ideal start with a second and a first giving him the overall lead, while 49er crew Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen are third after two races and Women’s Match Racers Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty are tied for first following four wins from four starts. Slingsby went into the first two Laser races with plenty of pressure on his shoulders. The 27 year old is the reigning World Champion and current world number one, the same position as he was four years ago in Beijing.
Today Slingsby rose to the occasion, sailing consistently well in the moderate conditions to cross the line second in race one and first in race two. The results give Slingsby an eight point buffer over the second placed Guatemalan and third placed Croatian sailors.
“I had good starts and I knew I was going to be pretty quick,” said Slingsby. “My coach and I had a pretty good feel for what the wind and current were doing and I kept it pretty conservative and it seemed to work.
“I remember yesterday watching the Finns when the commentators were stressing because Ben Ainslie was back in 10th around the top mark and I was thinking to myself, I’d take a 10th around the top mark any day of the week,” he said. “I said to myself today that the result didn’t really matter, just get out and race well, two top 10s would have been a nice start, last Games I started with a 22 and a 21 so anything’s an improvement on that.”
Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen took to the water in the 49er class with the reigning World Champions keen to extend their unbeaten run in Weymouth to six regattas and claim Australia’s first Olympic medal in the class.
The pair made a conservative start, deciding to re-cross the start line as they thought they had gone over it before the gun went off. Rounding the top mark in 15th they worked their way up the fleet to finish race one in eighth.
Outteridge and Jensen made a clear start to race two, getting to the top of the course in third and picking up another position by the bottom gate. From there they passed the leading Portuguese crew on the next upwind, eventually crossing the line first.
The results leave the pair third overall, three points behind the leading Danish crew and one behind their Swedish opponents.
“In the first race we were in a group that was a bit closer to the line than we realised,” said Outteridge. “Once the fleet goes you’ve got to go with them otherwise you get spat out. We went and as we did I thought we were a bit early, the individual flag went up and people started peeling back, so we just had to go back, not worth having an OCS in the first race.
“It wasn’t an ideal start but we did a great job to get back,” he said. “There were a few tense moments but we kept our composure and chipped away. That’s what this week is all about, those sort of things are going to happen a lot, either a start or a bad wind shift or a capsize, you just have to make sure get back into that front group again.
“In race two we got a good start, no one was over and waited our turn for a shift to come and were in the top three at the first mark, from there on just ground away and didn’t make any mistakes, it was a good race and we got the bullet,” he said.
Jensen, who is competing at his first Olympic Games, said that the pair is working on being as consistent as possible across the regatta.
“We’re aiming for top fives and trying not to get a drop early on in the event, so an eight and a one is close enough to top fives,” said Jensen. “We’re just going to keep trying to post low scores and if we can be consistent I’m sure we’ll be there at the end.”
Australia’s Women’s Match Racing team of Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty continued their great start with another two wins, making it four wins from four starts.
The Australian trio came up against America’s Anna Tunnicliffe in their first race today. The Australians won the start after a strong pre-start work against the 2011 World Champion and held a small lead at the first mark. Tunnicliffe managed to grab the lead right at the second mark and held it till Price, Curtis and Whitty overtook just before the downwind finish line to win by the smallest of margins, less than a second.
Next up Price, Curtis and Whitty took on Great Britain’s Lucy MacGregor with the Australians winning by a comfortable margin to end the day tied at the top of the leader board with the Russians.
“It was another tricky but fun day for us,” said Price. “We had similar conditions to yesterday so we went out there trying to do our normal thing and it paid off.”
Brendan Casey has moved up from his overnight 16th to 12th in the Finn fleet following races three and four. The Finn fleet headed to the Nothe spectator course for race three with Casey finishing ninth and the Queenslander was 14th in race two on the Weymouth Bay West course.
“Today I had to put the wheels on but it didn’t really happen, I had good starts and good first beats but just got let down on the downwinds,” said Casey. “I was up there with opportunities, they just didn’t fall into place today.
“I improved from yesterday, got to finish two races today instead of one and we just keep on trying, it’s a changing sport every day,” he said.
Krystal Weir didn’t have the best start to her event, finishing 18th in both of Monday’s Laser Radial races to be in the same position overall.
“Today was a tough one, it wasn’t quite my day,” said Weir. “I had really good starts and my speed was good at times but I just made an error at the top mark in the first race, went the wrong way and it just didn’t quite pan out like I wanted.
“There’s a long way to go yet, I’ll just reassess for tomorrow and give it a crack,” she said.
All five Australian crews return to the water on Tuesday with Jessica Crisp joining them as the RS:X women’s competition begins.
For more on Australia’s sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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Crisp ready for fourth shot at Olympic glory The most experienced member of Australia’s London 2012 Olympic Games sailing team is ready to go for her fourth shot at Olympic gold. Jessica Crisp will begin her London 2012 campaign on Tuesday when the women’s RS:X class complete their first two races on the waters off Weymouth and Portland in south-west England. “I’m feeling good and am ready to race,” said Crisp. “I’m excited and a little nervous but actually more relaxed than normal which is good.”
The 42 year old is Australia’s most experienced campaigner at these Games, having competed at the last four Olympics.
“This time I’m embracing the whole Olympics thing,” said Crisp. “The first time I completely blocked everything off, this time I’m like no way, enjoy every minute of it. I’m going in with a different attitude and I think it’s much better to do it like this, enjoy every minute and you can look back and think how great it was.”
As well as competing at every Games since Sydney 2000, Crisp also took part in the windsurfing demonstration event at Los Angeles 1984 when she was just 14 years old.
“1984 was the turning point in my career and why I kept on windsurfing,” she said. “I had so much fun there, it was very different because I was so young, just 14, and you don’t really know what was happening, but as you get older and you realise just how big the Olympics are.”
Traditionally Crisp has had success in lighter conditions but has been spending a lot of time in the gym to prepare for everything that Weymouth will throw at the windsurfing fleet.
“Usually I prefer the light conditions but I’ve been training a lot in the heavier stuff and have speed and height which is good,” she said. “In the practice race today I was third around the top mark and normally I’m third last in these conditions.
“I had to put on weight for these Games and have been lifting a lot of heavy weights trying to get bigger and stronger,” said Crisp. “It’s all about trying to put on muscle weight and gain strength. They’ve been trying to get me stronger for 12 years and finally I’ve got it this year.”
“I’m really enjoying these conditions and hopefully things can go my way, a lot can happen out there,” she said.
The RS:X women’s fleet will contest two races on Tuesday with competition continuing until the medal race on Tuesday August 7.
For more on Australia’s sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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Aussie Women’s Match Racers make perfect start to London 2012 campaign Racing is underway in the sailing competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games with Australian crews in action in two classes on day one. Australia’s Women’s Match Racing crew of Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty kicked off their London 2012 campaign in perfect fashion with two wins from two races. The Australian trio is currently in a three-way tie for the lead, alongside their Spanish and Russian competitors.
Price and crew began the day with a strong win against the current World Champion Finnish crew, led by Silja Lehtinen, on the Nothe course in front of a large spectator crowd. The Australians led throughout the race after good pre-start manouvring.
Next up the Australians faced Claire Leroy from France, who they beat to win the Sail for Gold Regatta at the same venue last month.
The French led narrowly on the first downwind when the Australian crew forced a penalty for a rule infringement. The Australians sailed a smart race to stay in close touch with the French and pounced for the win as the French had to execute their penalty turn just before the finish.
On Monday Price, Curtis and Whitty will face off against the 2011 World Champion American and 2010 World Champion British crews.
The Finns were the first fleet in action at London 2012, completing one race on the Nothe spectator course before moving offshore for race two.
Australia’s Brendan Casey had a mixed day on the water, being forced to retire from race one with boat damage but bouncing back well in race two to cross the line seventh.
“I made an unforced error and capsized the boat,” said Casey. “While righting the boat deck and gunnel were pulled apart and it was filling with water. I had to retire from the race and prepare it for the next one.
“We ‘Macgyvered’ the boat back together with a roll of duct tape and tried to get as much water out of it as possible, I then calmed myself down and tried to put a good race two together,” said. Casey was in third position for the early part of the race but lost some ground on the two downwind legs to finish seventh.
The results leave Casey 16th overall after the opening two races, with races three and four scheduled for Monday.
“Luckily it’s a long event, you can come back from this position, it’s a matter of scoring consistent results,” said Casey. “I’ve got one, a seventh, that’s fantastic, so we regroup tonight, let the shore team do their job and follow the normal routine, come down in the morning and get back into it.”
Day two of competition is set to be a busy one for Australia’s sailors with crews racing in five classes.
While the Finn and Women’s Match Racing competition continues the Laser, Laser Radial and 49er classes get underway.
Tom Slingsby is representing Australia in the Laser fleet, in the Laser Radial it’s Krystal Weir and Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen line up in the 49ers.
For more on Australia’s sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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Weir brings Olympic experience to first solo Games Australian Laser Radial sailor Krystal Weir is lining up for her first solo Olympic Games appearance at London 2012 but the 27 year old is no newcomer to the biggest show on earth. Weir campaigned for Australia’s Laser Radial spot at Beijing 2008, eventually missing out, but had her Olympic dream realised when she stepped in as a late injury replacement in the three-person Yngling class. The Australians finished 10th in Beijing, fast forward four years and Weir is back to do it all again, this time in the class she won the 2004 World Championship in.
“Beijing was a great opportunity for me,” said Weir. “I was a young kid coming through and got the opportunity to jump on the back of the Yngling which was a good experience and a good preparation for these Olympics.”
A part of that preparation was learning how to deal with the pressures that come with competing in the biggest regatta in the world.
“I don’t get wrapped up in the circus anymore,” said Weir. “When you go to your first Olympics it’s all about just competing, this time around I’m trying to absorb it all and take it all in. In your first one I think it can be a little overwhelming and a bit too much and you start blocking everything, the second time around it’s a lot more relaxed.”
Weir took the opportunity to head up to London for the Opening Ceremony on Friday night, marching alongside five other Australian sailors.
“That was the most amazing thing I’ve done in my sailing career so far,” she said. “I didn’t get the opportunity in Beijing which was a bit disappointing, but wow it was great to walk into that stadium. The stadium lifts off when the athletes walk in, it’s a pretty amazing experience and refocuses you on what the goal really is.”
The Laser Radial class will contest two races on Monday with the fleet warming up with a practice race on Sunday.
“We got to do our practice race today which allowed us to see things like what marks we’re going around and how big the start boat is, it was a good little hit out,” said Weir. “It was good to stretch the legs finally after a week of no wind, it looks like the regatta is going to be windy so it was nice to actually stretch them out and get them going.”
Weir said she’s treating London 2012 like any other regatta.
“Just because it’s the Olympics I won’t be doing anything special, just the same process that we’ve done for the whole season,” she said.
The Laser Radial fleet will contest 10 races between July 30 and August 4, with the top 10 boats taking part in the medal race on August 6.
For more on Australia’s sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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49er pair out to continue winning run in Weymouth Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen will be out to create history and win Australia’s first Olympic 49er medal when they begin racing in Weymouth on Monday. The pair head into the event full of confidence having won three of the last four 49er World Championships and all five regattas they have contested in Weymouth. With races one and two scheduled for Monday, Outteridge and Jensen will take part in a practice race on Sunday to finalise their preparations.
“The practice race tomorrow is more about making sure the boat is all good, it’s nice to have some breeze here for it so we can check the settings and that we’re on the pace,” said Outteridge.
After a week of lighter conditions the wind is expected to pick up for racing, something that Outteridge is understandably happy with.
“It’s back to normal now, we’ve been here for a lot of time over the last four years and 80 per cent of the time the wind has been from this direction,” he said. “Our forecast is good for at least the next seven days with 10 to 20 knots from west. We’ve spent the whole time training for it so it was a little bit nerve wracking a week ago when we were seeing these really light winds, it just wasn’t quite what we were expecting, but now it’s back to normal and we’re pretty excited.”
Competition will be fierce in the 49er fleet with a number of countries capable of taking gold. The majority of the crews race against each other on a regular basis, all except one, the Spanish pair of Iker Martinez and Xabi Fernandez who have just finished the nine-month long Volvo Ocean Race.
“They’ll be good,” said Outteridge. “There’s no doubt about it, they’ve won a gold medal, they’ve won a silver medal, they’re won three World Championships, so they’re one of the top teams who have been in the class almost forever. They haven’t done a whole lot of 49er sailing this year but they’ll be fine, right up there.”
Outteridge and Jensen made the trip up to London on Friday to march in the Opening Ceremony, an experience Outteridge said he’ll never forget.
“It was really cool, I didn’t get to go to the one in Beijing so to march out with the rest of the team provided great chance to meet all the other Australian athletes,” he said. “Being down here in Weymouth means that we miss out on all the activities happening in London so it was great for us to get up there, relax for a bit, see what it’s all about and soak up the atmosphere. It was nice to get involved in it and then get back down here and down to business.”
With just a day and a half until they begin racing the four-time World Champion and Beijing 2008 representative said that himself, Jensen, and coach Emmett Lazich won’t be doing anything differently.
“We’ve done so many events here over the last four years, and we’ve done so many events as a team, that we’ve always said not to do anything differently heading into the Games,” said Outteridge. “Tomorrow night we’ll just have dinner, hang out, keep it pretty low stress and I’ll probably look back at some footage of us racing here over the last few years.
“We haven’t done much racing over the last few days because it’s been so light so the best way to get back into it is to watch some good footage, keep the mind on it and not get too stressed,” he said.
Racing for the 49er fleet begins on Monday 30 July with the medal race to be held on Monday 8 August.
For more information on Australia’s sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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Slingsby takes Olympic favouritism in his stride Tom Slingsby is used to heading into a regatta as favourite and the London 2012 Olympic Games is no different. The 27 year old was in a similar position in 2008 but will be looking for a much different result when the first Laser race gets underway in Weymouth on Monday. Slingsby finished in an uncharacteristic 22nd place in Beijing having never fully got to grips with the conditions on and off the water in China.
Fast forward four years and Slingsby again heads into an Olympic Games at the front of the Laser fleet, he’s the world number one and has won the last three World Championships.
But there’s one clear difference this time around, his performance at the Olympic venue. Slingsby has been dominant in Weymouth, winning all five regattas he has contested there.
Slingsby’s first victory after the Beijing Games was in Weymouth in 2009, a regatta he won with a race to spare, and he hasn’t looked back since.
In recent weeks Slingsby has been training both in Weymouth and Italy as he builds towards his first race on Monday.
“Tom's preparation has been ideal,” said Australian sailing High Performance Director and Sailing Section Manager Peter Conde. “His final training in Lake Garda and Weymouth has been with an excellent group of training partners including Aussie sailors Tom Burton and Ryan Palk and sometimes with eight times Laser World Champion Robert Scheidt.
“Tom feels very comfortable in the Weymouth conditions and in the Village with his usual competition housemates. Plenty of gym work and cycling sees him at peak fitness,” said Conde. “The breeze has been very light this week but Thursday provided a great opportunity to test the Olympic equipment in hiking conditions.”
The first two Laser races will be held on Monday 30 July with the medal race to be contested on Monday 6 August.
For more on Australia’s sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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Young Aussie crew ready for shot at one and only Match Racing gold medal Women’s Match Racing will make its debut at the London 2012 Olympic Games and along with it the Australian team’s three youngest sailors. Olivia Price, Nina Curtis and Lucinda Whitty will all be getting their first taste of the Olympic Games when the Women’s Match Racing competition kicks off in front of a packed crowd on the Nothe spectator course in Weymouth on Sunday. Price, Curtis and Whitty, aged 19, 24 and 22 respectively, know what it takes to be successful at the Olympic venue, having won gold at last month’s Sail for Gold regatta, the final event held at the venue before the Games.
With supplied equipment, allocated training blocks and limited time in the boats before racing begins on Sunday the buildup for the 12 countries taking part in the Women’s Match Racing competition is quite different to the other nine Olympic classes but the Australian trio have taken it in their stride.
“After several intensive training blocks in Weymouth the team had an opportunity to relax in London last week before having their first opportunity to practice with the Olympic equipment on Thursday,” said Australian sailing High Performance Director and Sailing Section Manager Peter Conde. “The girls will have a second opportunity to get out on the water with the official practice races on Saturday before competition begins on Sunday.”
The Women’s Match Racing competition is unique at London 2012 with the 12 crews taking part in a round robin of short, intense, races with the top eight progressing to a multi-race knockout round.
“The team faces a long program that starts on the first day of sailing competition and is the last sailing event to finish on August 11,” said Conde. “With all three girls making their Olympic debut, the experience within the Aussie team, especially Beijing first time Gold medallist Elise Rechichi, has been invaluable.
“The team is quietly confident based on their preparation and recent regatta form including their Sail for Gold win in June on the Olympic course,” he said.
The competition for medals is set to be fierce and with London 2012 the one and only Olympic appearance for Women’s Match Racing the 12 crews will be doing all they can to stand on the top step of the podium on August 11.
For more information on the sailors visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam and Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianSailingTeam.
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Brendan Casey ready to hit the water in Olympic debut The road to the London 2012 Olympic Games has been a long one for Australian Finn sailor Brendan Casey. While the 35 year old will be making his Olympic debut when racing in the Finn class begins on Sunday it’s an appearance which is more than 12 years in the making. Casey, from the Gold Coast, first campaigned for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, missing out on selection, a fate he would suffer again in 2004 and 2008.
After some time away from the sport Casey returned in 2010 with one thing on his mind, competing at London 2012.
“I’ve always wanted to compete at the Olympics,” said Casey. “It’s a childhood, lifelong, dream and ambition, firstly to get over that hurdle to qualify and now my opportunity to compete at the pinnacle.”
Casey has spent a lot of time in Weymouth preparing for the event and is looking forward to race one on Sunday.
“I feel pretty comfortable with where I’m at right now with my preparation,” he said. “You’re in a situation where it is what it is, you’ve done all you can physically do, now it’s just a matter of going out there and performing to the best of your ability, dealing with the pressure of being at the pinnacle event of the sport.
“I’ve got one shot at finishing on the podium so the event means a lot, I’ve just got to deal with my expectations. I’m probably a bit of a dark horse so there are no real expectations or pressures on me.
“It may be my Olympic debut but I’m by no means a rookie to sailing,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of experience in racing, winning and losing races in that sort of situation. The Olympics are going to be a real battle on the water, it’s not like a sprint, with 10 races plus the medal race to see who is the victor.”
Casey is looking forward to the opportunity to be the first Australian sailor in action at London 2012.
“The Finn class will be opening up the sailing at the Games and that’ll be cool. There will be a lot of tension and it will be interesting to see the atmosphere that will be created on the Nothe course and how close we actually get to the rocks.
“This is going to be exciting, 24 of the best Finn sailors in the world going to go head-to-head,” he said.
Racing for the Finn class begins on Sunday 29 July with the medal race to be held on Sunday 5 August.
For more information on the Australian Sailing Team visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam.
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Three medals for Australian sailors on exciting Youth World Championship final day Australian sailors have won three medals on the final day of the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland. The final day haul included a stunning come from behind victory for Laser Radial sailor Mark Spearman, silver for the 420 girls crew of Carrie Smith and Ella Clark and silver for the multihull crew of Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland. Spearman went into the final race 13 points behind American sailor Mitchell Kiss, but with the Australian’s worst result a 17th and the American’s a black flag Spearman’s plan was simple, make sure the American finished as deep as possible.
Spearman was in command in the light conditions, controlling his opponent and matching his every move, ensuring that they both finished at the back of the fleet but the Australian with the gold medal.
“My worse race was 17th so I was always going out to do what I did,” said Spearman. “We stayed on a knock for ages and when we tacked back we were last and second last.
“It was an unbelievable finish to the regatta that is yet to sink in,” he said. “Amongst such a high scoring regatta I have held consistent results that allowed me to use extreme tactics to take the title, I think I’m the happiest person ever to finish 51st in a race.”
Spearman showed that consistency pays on his way to gold at his first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship appearance with the West Australian’s best finishing during the week a sixth, while managing to avoid the high scores picked up by those around him.
Australia’s 420 girls crew of Carrie Smith and Ella Clark started the final race one point behind the leading Italian pair.
The Italians had the better race, crossing the line fourth with the Australians 10th, with the two securing gold and silver respectively.
"Again we had really tricky conditions today,” said Clark. “We came back from a bad first beat to secure our second in the regatta overall making us really grateful for how hard we have worked.
"We stayed consistent the whole regatta to end up with a podium finish,” she said. “We hope to come back next year in our last year of youths and do Australia proud again!"
The silver medal was a great reward for the pair after a year of hard work following their fourth place finish at the 2011 ISAF Youth World Championship in Croatia.
Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland headed into Friday third overall in the multihull class with the pair set to push hard to secure their podium finish.
With the gold medal already wrapped up by the British crew Darmanin and Copeland started the final race two points behind second and just one ahead of fourth.
The Australian pair finished the race third, allowing them to jump their Brazilian competitors and take the silver medal.
“Lucy and I are ecstatic after claiming silver today in an unpredictable and nerve-racking final race,” said Darmanin. “We got an average start but picked the shifts well to round first way ahead of our closest rivals.
“It’s been a great regatta and to sail as part of an awesome team has made it very special, we’ll train hard to qualify next year and go for gold,” he said.
The silver was Darmanin’s second trip to the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship podium, having won gold in 2010, with the 2012 medal his first with Copeland.
Australia’s 29er crew, Tom Siganto and Joel Turner, finished the event sixth overall following a third in the final race.
In the 420 boys class Tom Klemens and James Oliver finished 12th overall, continuing their strong run over the final three days with a fourth place finish in the last race.
Louise Evans finished the week 16th in the Laser Radial girls fleet with the Queenslander 29th in Friday’s race.
In the RS:X girls fleet Annalise Gilbert was 17th overall at her second ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship appearance.
Sam Treharne finished 20th in the RS:X boys after a 20th in the final race of the event.
The team was supported by coaches Brendan Todd, Tessa Parkinson and Ben Callard.
“We’re very happy with the team’s overall performance in the light winds today,” said Todd. “Many of our sailors finished in the top 10 in their respective fleets or gained ground on the leaders during the regatta.
“Our medal winners got there by consistent performances and allowing the others to fall away behind them,” he said. “The event was run extremely well and the winds were kind to the race management committee. The volunteer base here in Ireland was large and there was no end to their helpfulness and enthusiasm.”
Australia finished the week fifth in the Nations Trophy.
Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Australians to race for medals on final day of ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Australian sailors will compete for medals in three classes on the final day of the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland. After 11 races three Australian Youth Sailing Team crews are in medal contention with Carrie Smith and Ella Clark currently second in the 420 girls, Mark Spearman second in the Laser Radial boys and Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland third in the multihull. While just one race remains at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship there is plenty still to play out on the water with the final position of all three crews still to be determined.
Smith and Clark head into the final race one point behind the leading Italian crew and 10 clear of the third placed British pair.
The Australian duo took a three point lead into Thursday’s two races but their Italian competition had a more consistent day, moving into first overall.
Smith and Clark were sixth in race one and third in race two and with just one point separating themselves and the leaders there is set to be plenty of action in Friday’s race.
In the Laser Radial boys class Mark Spearman continued his march up the leader board with the West Australian finishing the penultimate day second overall.
Spearman had his best day of the regatta with a seventh and a ninth moving him up from his overnight third to head into the final race 13 points behind the leading American sailor.
Spearman is competing at his first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship and his 17 point buffer over third position and 18 over fourth means he’ll finish it on the podium.
Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland head into the final SL16 race third overall and with the gold medal already wrapped up by the British crew the race is on for silver and bronze.
Darmanin and Copeland are just two points behind the second placed Brazilian crew but with the fourth placed Belgians only one point behind there is plenty still to happen on Friday.
The Australians had their first finishes outside the top six on Thursday, with a pair of 11ths, but will be keen to get back on the water again on Friday for the final hit out.
Queensland pair Tom Siganto and Joel Turner are sixth in the 29er fleet following a third and a 13th from the day’s two races.
Louise Evans is 13th in the Laser Radial girls class, dropping slightly from her overnight 11th following a mixed day with an 18th in race one and a 34th in race two.
Australia’s 420 boys crew of Tom Klemens and James Olivier continued to work their way up the ladder with the Victorian pair now 14th overall.
The pair has hit form over the last two days with a sixth and a race win on Thursday making it their best day of the event.
In the RS:X girls class Annalise Gilbert is in 17th position, crossing the line 21st in race one on Thursday and 17th in race two.
Fellow windsurfer Sam Treharne is 20th overall in the RS:X boys fleet after 23rd and 22nd place finishes.
In the Nations Trophy Australia is currently sixth.
Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com and follow the team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianYouthSailingTeam.
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Australian crews in podium positions in three classes at ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Australian sailors are currently in podium positions in three classes with just two days of racing remaining at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland. Carrie Smith and Ella Clark continue to lead the way in the 420 girls class with the pair now three points ahead of the second placed Italian crew following 10th and second place finishes on Wednesday. “Today was a very tricky day, the conditions really tested us but we are happy with where we are positioned,” said Smith. “With three more races we are determined to keep going and holding our own. We can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!”
Smith and Clark are competing at their second ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship after finishing just off the podium in fourth last year in Croatia.
In the multihull class Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland remain second overall, having closed the gap to the leading British crew to just four points.
“It was another shifty day on the water as expected,” said Darmanin. “We managed to pick the wind pretty well and get two good results of a fourth and a first.
“With such fluky conditions in the second race we used dinghy tactics, tacking 10 times on a work which is ridiculous for a catamaran to jump up through to the lead,” he said. “The first and third placed crews both had a bad race today so to keep it consistent is really nice to head in to the final three races.”
Mark Spearman has moved back into the medals in the Laser Radial boys class, ending the day third overall following a 17th and a 16th.
Spearman is now just two points behind second and a further 11 off the lead in what is turning out to be a high scoring regatta.
Queensland sailor Louise Evans has moved up from her overnight 13th in the Laser Radial girls to be 11th overall, following a fourth and a ninth from the day’s two races.
“I had my best day of the regatta today,” said Evans. “The conditions were tough, I had luck go my way and managed to finish with a fourth and a ninth, bringing me up to 11th. I’m looking forward to the last few races so I can work my way into the top 10.”
Tom Siganto and Joel Turner were another Australian crew on the move on Wednesday with the pair now fifth in the 29er fleet, up from seventh.
“Today was quite a good day for us with an eighth and a fourth,” said Turner. “One race was abandoned after a very large squall came through our course which made the day interesting.
“We’ve now moved our way into the top five which was our goal for the day,” he said. “With this we will now continue to push up as close as we can to a podium finish.”
Australia’s 420 boys crew of Tom Klemens and James Oliver had their best day of the regatta so far, with an eighth and a 10th moving them up to 20th.
“After a disappointing start to the regatta we finally started to find some form today,” said Klemens. “We were leading the first race for a couple of legs but unfortunately got caught out on a shift and finished eighth. The second race was light and tricky again however we were happy to finish in the top ten, we’re satisfied with our day and hopefully can continue it tomorrow.”
Annalise Gilbert is currently 17th overall in the RS:X girls fleet with the Sydneysider finishing Wednesday’s two races in 16th and 21st.
In the RS:X boys fleet fellow Australian Sam Treharne is 19th overall at his first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. Treharne crossed the line 21st in race one and 18th in race two.
Racing continues in Dublin on Thursday before the final day of competition on Friday.
Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com. Follow the Australian Youth Sailing Team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AustralianYouthSailingTeam.
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Two wins give Aussie girls the lead at Youth Sailing World Championship Australia’s 420 girls crew of Carrie Smith and Ella Clark have hit the lead on day three of the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Ireland following a perfect two wins from two starts. The West Australian teenagers started the day second overall, 11 points adrift of their British competitors, and went on to win both races on Monday to take the lead on a count back. “Today was a great day, the conditions were tricky but suited our style of sailing,” said Smith. “We won both races confidently, but there is still a long way to go. We’re happy with our position but looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!”
Smith and Clark have now won three of the seven races contested so far, with top seven finishes in a further three.
In the multihull class Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland continue to hold down second position, with the Sydney pair finishing second and third in the day’s two races to be seven points behind the leading British sailors and two ahead of the third placed Belgian crew.
“It was another shifty day on the water with large changes in wind strength and direction,” said Darmanin. “We got two good starts today and battled in the top three in both races to get a second and a third.
“The top three crews are starting to separate from the rest of the fleet making it really close and tough racing,” he said.
In the Laser Radial boys class Mark Spearman has dropped one place to be fourth overall and is in the hunt for a podium position after the opening seven races.
Spearman, competing at his first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, was 12th in race one on Monday and 10th in race two.
“I had another consistent day on the water with a 12th and a 10th,” said Spearman. “This moved me back to fourth overall but I’ve got the most consistent score line of all the top ten so I’m happy with this position and am keen to get some top eight results after the lay day.”
Fellow Laser Radial sailor Louise Evans is 13th overall in the girls fleet following a fifth and a 27th in the challenging conditions with torrential rain and reduced visibility throughout the day.
“The first race was a beautiful 10 to 15 knots and I managed to work my way up the fleet to fifth,” said Evans. “Unfortunately the second race did not go the same way with a bad start and a few bad decisions putting me at the back of the fleet. However, as the wind increased I managed to gain positions and finish 27th.”
Tom Siganto and Joel Turner sit seventh in the 29er fleet with the Queensland pair crossing the line ninth and 10th in the day’s two races.
“The rain clouds came in over the course today which kept the breeze constantly shifting and varying in strength,” said Siganto. “Unfortunately we had another breakage on the boat with our spinnaker pole splitting along with a twisted halyard inside the mast which made for some more boat work once we got on shore.
“We finished the day with a ninth and a 10th which are not terrible results as they keep us inside the top 10 in the overall standings,” he said.
In the 420 boys fleet Tom Klemens and James Oliver are 24th overall, with the pair finishing 25th in race one and 11th in race two.
Annalise Gilbert has moved up from her overnight 17th in the RS:X girls class to end day three 14th overall following her best day of the regatta so far with an eighth and a 10th.
“We had another late start to the day, racing in afternoon after the 29ers,” said Gilbert. “This allowed for us to race in some strong breeze which was lots of fun, for the first time here I was planning all around the course.
“The downwinds were crazy, scary at times but still lots of fun,” she said. “I nailed both of my starts and scored my best two results, finishing both races in the top 10 with an eighth and a 10th leaving me 14th overall.”
Sam Treharne is 16th in the RS:X boys fleet after a 23rd and a 22nd.
In the Nations Trophy Australia has moved up from sixth to be fourth overall.
Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com.
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Scotch College win 2012 Australian Schools Team Racing Championship The 2012 Australian Schools Team Racing Championship has been won by West Australian school Scotch College following four days of racing on Albert Park Lake in Melbourne, defeating St Joesphs College from South Australia in the final. A jubilant Scotch College team was presented the perpetual trophy by Australian sailing legend John Bertrand. Third place was taken out by Christ Church Grammar from Western Australia in a close fought petit final with South Australia’s St Michaels College. All teams where extremely closely matched during the series. |
Youth sailors tested by tricky conditions at World Championship Tricky conditions have challenged crews on day two of the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Ireland with a number of Australians standing out. The big movers on Sunday were Australia’s 420 girl’s crew of Carrie Smith and Ella Clark who started the day 13th overall. The West Australians sailed well in all three races, finishing with a seventh, a race win and a sixth to jump up to second overall.
Smith and Clark are 11 points behind the leading British crew after the opening five races.
Australia’s multihull crew of Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland remain second overall in the SL16 class, four points behind their British competitors and tied on points with the third placed crew from Belgium.
Darmanin and Copeland finished fourth in the opening race of the day, before a second and a sixth in the tricky conditions.
“Today was a long day on the water with three tough races in very shifty conditions,” said Darmanin. “The wind ranged from five to 20 knots throughout the day with large shifts so it really tested us.
“We came away with a fourth, a second and a sixth which we are pretty happy with considering the conditions,” he said. “We’re now sitting second overall after five races and are happy with how we are going and want to keep the good results flowing.”
In the Laser Radial boy’s fleet Mark Spearman continues to hold down third overall following a 15th, a 13th and an eighth from the day’s three races.
Spearman is just five points adrift of the leading American and Italian crews in what is already proving to be a high scoring regatta.
“I sailed a consistent day in shifty conditions and was surprised to keep my third spot after a 15th, 13th, and an eighth,” said Spearman. “The racing was influenced a lot by the clouds today with windy squalls coming through which benefited the right hand side in a massive way.”
Queenslanders Tom Siganto and Joel Turner have moved up from their overnight eighth to be sixth overall in the 29er fleet.
Siganto and Turner crossed the line third in the opening race of the day, before finishing eighth and sixth to be 10 points off the podium after two days of racing.
Louise Evans is now 12th in the Laser Radial girl’s fleet, slipping slightly from her sixth on day one. Evans finished the day with a 16th, 10th and a 29th which she has now dropped.
Sydney windsurfer Sam Treharne is now 15th in the RS:X boy’s fleet following a 12th and two 15ths.
In the girl’s fleet Annalise Gilbert is currently 17th at her second visit to the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, with a 21st, 13th and 15th from the three races on Sunday.
Tom Klemens and James Oliver had a mixed day in the 420 boy’s fleet with the pair dropping from their overnight 18th to be 25th overall.
The Victorians started their day with a 17th, before finishing 25th in race two and 30th in race three.
In the Nations Trophy Australia has moved up one position to be sixth overall.
The 2012 Australian Youth Sailing Team is being supported in Ireland by coaches Brendan Todd, Tessa Parkinson and Ben Callard.
Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com.
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Strong start for Aussies at 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Racing is underway at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland, with Australian crews ending day one inside the top 10 in four classes. A mix of light to moderate conditions between four and 15 knots greeted the 350 crews from 61 countries with racing tight throughout the fleets. The multihull crew of Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland are the best placed Australians at the end of day one with the pair tied for the lead, but second on a count back.
Darmanin and Copeland, racing on the Sirena SL16 catamaran, won the opening race of the day before finishing third in race two to be tied on points with their competition from Belgium and three points clear of the third placed Brazilian crew.
After winning today's first race when they led up the opening beat, Darmanin said in the second "we didn't want to get too excited about it, so we just went through our processes at the start and got away well and came third."
The 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship is Darmanin’s third, having won gold in 2010, with Copeland making her debut at the event.
West Australian Laser Radial sailor Mark Spearman ended day one third overall in the boy’s fleet following a sixth and a 12th from the first two races.
Spearman is four points off the second placed Russian sailor with the regatta leader, from Denmark, a further four in front.
It took eight attempts to get a clear start for the Laser Radial boy’s first race with 14 boats eventually disqualified for jumping the start.
The Laser Radial girl’s fleet was much better behaved for the race committee with Australian sailor Louise Evans currently sixth overall.
Evans, from Noosa in Queensland, was 14th in the opening race and then seventh in race two to end the day just six points off the podium.
29er sailors Tom Siganto and Joel Turner are the fourth Australian crew to finish day one inside their class’ top 10 with the pair currently eight overall.
Siganto and Turner, competing at the first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, crossed the line seventh in race one and 12th in race two.
Sam Treharne ended the day just outside the top 10 in the RS:X boy’s fleet, with the Sydney based windsurfer 11th overall, tied on points with the 10th placed Spanish sailor.
Treharne is in a tight bunch of sailors on the scoreboard, currently just five points behind sixth place.
Fellow windsurfer Annalise Gilbert is 13th in the RS:X girl’s fleet after a 13th and a 14th from Saturday’s two races.
420 sailors Carrie Smith and Ella Clark are competing at the second ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship and are currently 13th in the girl’s fleet.
The pair kicked off their regatta with a fourth before finishing 22nd in race two.
In the 420 boy’s fleet Australians Thomas Klemens and James Oliver were 22nd and 11th in the two races on Saturday to be 18th overall.
In the Nations Trophy Australia is currently seventh overall, tied on points with sixth placed Germany.
Racing continues in Ireland on Sunday with the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship continuing until Friday 20 July.
Full results can be found at www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Notice of Races available for upcoming Australian Match Racing Championships Yachting Australia has released the Notice of Races for the 2012 Australian Match Racing Championship and the 2012 Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship, with both events to be held in Melbourne in September. The two Australian Match Racing Championships will be held at Sandringham Yacht Club in Victoria from Thursday 27 September until Sunday 30 September 2012. Both championships are ISAF Grade 3 events with a maximum of 12 entries available for the Australian Match Racing Championship and 12 for the Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship.
Racing will take place in Beneteau 7.5m yachts with the open championship to be sailed with four or five crew and the women’s championship to feature five or six crew per boat.
The Notice of Race for the 2012 Australian Match Racing Championship can be found here: /site/yachting/ayf/downloads/Events/AMR/2012/AMRC%20NOR%20Final.pdf
The Notice of Race for the 2012 Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship can be found here: /site/yachting/ayf/downloads/Events/AWMR/2012/AWMRC%20NOR%20Final.pdf
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Sydney windsurfers ready to take on world’s best youth sailors Sydney windsurfers Sam Treharne and Annalise Gilbert are ready to take on the world’s best at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship with racing set to begin on Saturday. 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.”
For more information on the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship visit http://www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Noosa sailor to get first taste of ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Noosa sailor Louise Evans will compete at her first ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship next week when she hits the water in Dublin, Ireland. Evans will represent Australia in the Laser Radial class at the event, the first time she has been selected for the Australian Youth Sailing Team. “I’m very excited to go over to Ireland and extremely grateful to have such an amazing opportunity to represent Australia,” said Evans.
The Queensland teenager secured her spot on the team following her results at the Australian Laser Championship and Australian Youth Championship at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at the beginning of the year.
Last week Evans again made the trip down from Noosa to compete at the 2012 Laser Radial Youth World Championship at the same venue, finishing 11th overall, just 10 points off sixth position.
Evans and her teammates have now arrived in Dublin and are busy preparing for the biggest youth sailing event in the world.
“Representing Australia is a great privilege and a big responsibility,” said Evans. “When I’m in Ireland I want people to see Australia’s sailors as being friendly and helpful, but also as fierce competitors.
“I’m looking forward to experiencing a different culture, meeting people from all over the world, competing against tough competition and making new friends,” she said.
Racing begins in Dublin on Saturday 14 July and continues until Friday 20 July.
For more information on the event visit www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Spearman ready to pull on the green and gold again Laser Radial sailor Mark Spearman will make his ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship debut this month in Ireland but it won’t be the first time that the West Australian teenager has pulled on the green and gold. Spearman got his first taste of representing Australia back in 2010 when he took part in the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. “The Youth Olympic Games was a great preparation for the ISAF Youth Worlds as it gave me some idea of what it will be like,” he said. “Just like in Singapore the Youth Worlds will feature a small close fleet of one boat per country and all the athletes and coaches staying in the same place together for the whole event, which is a unique experience.”
Since competing at the Youth Olympic Games Spearman has been campaigning in the Laser Radial class, booking his place on the Australian Youth Sailing Team following his strong showing at the 2012 Australian Youth Championship in Brisbane.
Last week Spearman returned to the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron to compete in the 2012 Laser Radial Youth World Championship.
The West Australian finished the week ninth overall, with a number of strong races, including a first and a third on the last day of competition.
“My preparations for the Youth Worlds are going well with racing in Brisbane just before heading off to Ireland,” said Spearman. “There’s no training as good as the close racing of a World Championships which we got in Brisbane.”
Spearman is not only looking forward to the chance to race in Ireland but also to catch up with old rivals and family members.
“I'm looking forward to everything about the ISAF Youth Worlds, from the strong competition to catching up with people I used to sail against back in Optimists,” said Spearman. “Also it’s a good chance to see Irish relatives while I'm over there.”
Racing begins in Dublin on Saturday 14 July and continues until Friday 20 July.
For more information on the event visit www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Tradition continues for Sydney sailor at Youth World Championship Sydney sailor Paul Darmanin will be continuing a family tradition when he competes at this month’s 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. Darmanin, who will be racing in the multihull class alongside Lucy Copeland in 2012, will be competing at his third straight Youth World Championship and making it a seventh straight year when a member of his family will race at the event. Darmanin won gold at his first Youth World Championship appearance in 2010 alongside Chase Lurati, with his sister Lisa, and cousin Jason Waterhouse, victorious in 2009, having also competed at the event in 2008, while Waterhouse represented Australia in 2007 and 2006 as well.
Darmanin and Copeland, both from Sydney’s Northern Beaches, qualified for the team following their performance at the 2012 Australian Youth Championship, where they won five of the 10 races and finished third in a further four.
“Our preparation has been great,” said Darmanin. “Lucy and I have been out on the harbour blasting around with a spinnaker training really hard. It was good to see how our progress was going when we went to a regatta on the Gold Coast recently and got a good result of fourth in a tough fleet.”
Darmanin is looking forward to the challenge of competing at a third straight Youth World Championship, with a third different crew.
“This Youth Worlds is very different for me as I feel a lot more experienced and mature about how I operate when I sail,” he said. “Also I think we have put a lot of quality time on the water so this time we can really take it to the other countries. Having lots of history sailing with Lucy also makes me feel confident about us as a team for Youth Worlds.
“The thing I enjoy most about the Youth Worlds is the experience of racing against the top boats of every country at the pinnacle of youth sailing,” said Darmanin. “I also love being part of the Australian Youth Sailing Team and taking our unique Australian character overseas.”
Copeland will be making her ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship debut this month in Ireland and is keen to experience racing on the SL16 catamaran compared to the Hobie 16 they train on in Sydney.
“I‘m very excited for the Youth Worlds and I’m most looking forward to meeting and sailing against people from all over the world that I’ve never sailed against before,” said Copeland. “Since Paul has been twice before it’s very useful especially being in the cat because we will be sailing a different boat at Youth Worlds that I’ve never sailed before.
“Paul knows what is different about the SL 16 compared to the Hobie so we have been able to focus on these things in training,” she said.
With the mixed multihull to be introduced for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games an Olympic appearance is an incentive for Darmanin or Copeland though they’re well aware the competition for the Australian position will be tough.
“The mixed multihull for the Games is on our radar but I just want to focus on the Youth Worlds at the moment,” said Darmanin. “Also my cousin Jason and sister Lisa are training very hard, working towards the 2016 Games so for me to try to get to the Olympic would mean that I’d have to battle it out against them.”
Racing begins at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship on Saturday 14 July and continues until Friday 20 July.
For more information on the event visit www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Melbourne to host 2012 Australian Schools Teams Racing Championships this week More than 150 secondary school students from 22 Schools will compete in the 2012 Australian Schools Teams Racing Championships in Melbourne from July 12 to 15. The championships are being sailed on Albert Park Lake with the event being hosted by Albert Sailing Club, who are organising it in partnership with Yachting Australia and Yachting Victoria. Albert Sailing Club is in Aquatic Drive next to the State Athletics Centre in Albert Park Reserve. Entry is via the Gates into the Reserve from Albert Road, with parking fees applying in the Reserve and surrounding areas.
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Top 10 finish for Aussie sailor Ashley Brunning at Laser European Championship Australian Sailing Team member Ashley Brunning has finished seventh at the 2012 Laser European Championship in Hourtin, France. Brunning was at the front of the fleet all week, challenging eventual winner Philipp Buhl of Germany for the overall lead for a number of days before some misfortune on the final two days saw the Australian slip down the leader board. The Sydney based Laser sailor has been recovering from a back injury with his seventh place in France a strong result after spending some time out of the boat.
“I didn’t race in Weymouth or Kiel last month due to my recurring back injury which kept me off my feet,” said Brunning. “I started training a week before Europeans in Sweden and I found that my motivation was so high that it offset my lack of preparation. Good mental preparation was important and I would need it in a high scoring regatta.
“The Europeans were sailed on a lake with the top mark often only a couple of hundred metres from the shore which made for tricky sailing and consistency paid off,” he said. “I went tit-for-tat with Germany’s Philipp Buhl all week but unfortunately in the finals I had a black flag and a second yellow flag. Despite such a consistent series I wasn't able to finish strongly.
Brunning is now looking forward to heading home to continue to work on his back before getting back into racing in Australia later in the year.
“It’s been a tough year and I’m looking forward to a long break, some rehabilitation and finding ways to make my back more dependable for the season down under and of course in 2013,” said Brunning.
Fellow Australian Ryan Palk finished the week 12th overall to finish off his 2012 European season.
The Queenslander had a steady week in France with a number of top 10 finishes in a range of conditions.
In the Laser Radial fleet Ashley Stoddart finished the week 47th overall.
Full results can be found at http://laserinternational.org/info/laserstandardradialmenwomeneuropeanchampionship2012hourtinfrafinalresultstheswiss.
For more information on the Australian Sailing Team visit www.australiansailingteam.com.au and follow the team on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AusSailingTeam.
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Victorian teenagers ready to take on world’s best at Youth Sailing World Championship Australian sailors Tom Klemens and James Oliver will be closing the books and putting the pressures of completing year 12 aside later this month as they represent Australia at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. Klemens and Oliver, from Victoria, will make their ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship debut this month when they represent Australia in the 420 boy’s class. Australia has had success in the 420 boy’s class at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship with Angus Galloway and Alex Gough winning bronze in 2011 while Australia also had podium finishes six times between 1999 and 2006.
“With only a couple of weeks to go we feel that everything is starting to come together,” said Klemens. “It’s challenging that we often have to train on our own however we spent some time in Perth training with Tessa Parkinson and the 420 girls and a small fleet of 420's. This helped us to fine tune our skills and put us under a bit more pressure in training in preparation for the demands of a World Championship.
Oliver is happy with how the pair is coming along in what is turning out to be a hectic year.
“Our preparations are coming along very nicely, juggling year 12 and our Youth Worlds campaign has made it a busy year so far, however we’re happy with the progress we’ve made,” said Oliver.
The 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship will be held in Dublin, Ireland, and is the closest thing that you sailors can experience to an Olympic Games, with only one entry per country, per class and a real emphasis on team work.
“Representing your country is something that everyone wants to do,” said Klemens. “I'm so proud to be Australian and it’s amazing to be given the responsibility to represent the country at a World Championship. Australia has a proud history in the sport which means there's added pressure to perform however it all adds to the excitement of the event.”
Crew member Oliver is also looking forward to the challenge of competing against the best in the world and representing Australia.
“Everyone dreams of representing their country at an international level,” said Klemens. “It's an honour to wear the Australian colours as well as a big responsibility due to the Australian reputation both on and off the water, therefore making it an honour to be a part of the team.”
For more information on the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship visit www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Smith and Clark ready for second shot at Youth Sailing World Championship West Australian duo Carrie Smith and Ella Clark are preparing for their second shot at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship podium after coming so close in 2011. Smith and Clark will represent Australia in the 420 girls class later this month in Dublin, Ireland, having finished fourth at the 2011 event. Since then the teenagers have had experience at the highest level, competing in the 470 class at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships last December.
“Our preparation is going really well, we’re balancing year 12 studies and a heavy load of training which is hard work but hopefully will bring many big rewards,” said Smith. “We’re on the water a lot, still laughing and having fun!”
Clark said that the pair has been spending as much time on the water as possible so they can be at their peak when they hit the water in Dublin.
“So far Carrie and I have been training at our home club in Fremantle, competing in the club racing and against some good competition,” said Clark. “The conditions at home are great out on the ocean, allowing us to get a feel for potentially some similar weather in Ireland.”
Smith and Clark are looking forward to the challenge of taking on the best 420 youth sailors in the world.
“The best thing about the Youth Worlds is the feeling of not knowing what to expect,” said Smith. “It's like you’re blindfolded and all you have is your raw physical and mental talent. Everyone is equal and it just comes down to how you perform on the day. Meeting all the other athletes is also a great experience and you really make lifelong friends.”
Clark said that the competition at the Youth Worlds is what sets it apart from other regattas.
“I love the competitive feel at the Youth Worlds,” said Clark. “It’s great to be able to compare ourselves to the best in the world, to see if our training has paid off. It’s great competing against people from all over the world rather than just within the state and also seeing how we can step up our game when under pressure.”
Though the 2012 event will be the pair’s second ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Smith believes that due to it being held in a different location and with different competitors each year it levels out the playing field a bit.
“This year isn’t too different as we don't really know who is competing and what the conditions will be like,” said Smith. “But it’s really great to have already been through the process of the regatta and I'm excited to see what this time around will bring. Hopefully the luck of the Irish will come to us!”
Clark feels that the experience of competing in Croatia in 2011 will be an added boost for the pair as they compete for that medal.
“We were just the new kids last year and the youngest in the top 10 so to finish just off the podium was great for us and better than we'd expected,” said Clark. “Now we know where we stand and know what to expect and how hard we have to work to get there. I think that’s a real advantage for us this time, knowing where we have to be and how we can achieve this.
“I went into the Youth Worlds in Croatia last year knowing so little about what the event was really like,” she said. “Despite having competed internationally previously, I still couldn't understand the concept of a Youth Worlds and how different it is from any other regatta. From that I definitely learnt the pressures that come with it and how you have to apply yourself when you get there.
“Being a part of a team was also such a big thing, you had to rely on them a lot, knowing that we're there as a team to represent our country and at the end of the day that we're all there to support each other,” said Clark.
Racing begins in Dublin on Saturday 14 July and continues until Friday 20 July.
For more information on the event visit www.isafyouthworlds.com/.
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Queensland 29er sailors ready for Youth World Championship assault Queensland teenagers Tom Siganto and Joel Turner will represent Australia for the first time when they compete at this month’s 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland. The pair, who train at Southport Yacht Club on the Gold Coast, will represent Australia in the 29er class as a part of the Australian Youth Sailing Team. Siganto and Turner were selected for the Australian Youth Sailing Team after dominant performances at the Australian Youth Championship and Australian 29er Championship back in January and have been training hard in the months since.
“Our preparations for the Youth Worlds are going very well, we’re keeping up to date with our program and our coach is guiding us on the right path,” said skipper Siganto. “We’ve got a positive attitude and loads of commitment has been placed into our training for Youth Worlds and then the 29er open World Championship after that in Germany.”
Turner said that the pair has been putting a lot of work into getting themselves ready for the biggest regatta they’ve ever competed in together.
“We’ve definitely been very busy with training and making sure we’re best prepared as sailors to go to such a high profile event,” said Turner. “The approach we’re taking to this regatta is far more professional than we have applied before, it’s a big learning curve and there is so much more to organise and prepare than I first expected.
The ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship is the largest youth sailing event in the world with current Australian Olympian Nathan Outteridge winning gold in the class Siganto and Turner will contest, the 29er, back in 2002.
“I think it's going to be a really special regatta for me as it’s my first time to represent Australia,” said Turner. “But the experience we gain from the sailing competition side of things I think is going to be very fulfilling and exciting.”
The pair is looking forward to donning the green and gold for the first time and competing alongside their team mates on the world stage.
“The honor of representing my nation at a World Championship is a great achievement that I have worked so hard for over the last year,” said Siganto. “I’m looking forward to representing my country in hopefully what will be successful racing and to end up following the successful campaign of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page.”
Turner is equally as enthusiastic about taking to the water in Ireland.
“This is very special to me as there are not many people that get the opportunity to represent Australia in their favourite sport,” said Turner. “It’s such an honour and I’m thrilled to be representing this country which is so highly respected as a nation for sailing.
“To represent the Australian 29er class at the Youth Worlds has been a goal of mine for two years and to achieve that was very important for my motivation and love of the sport,” he said. “It makes all of the training and hard work totally worthwhile!”
For more information on the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship visit www.isafyouthworlds.com.
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Queensland sailor Madison Kennedy second at Laser Radial Youth Worlds on home waters Queensland teenager Madison Kennedy has finished second in the girls fleet at the 2012 Laser Radial Youth World Championship in Queensland. The regatta, held at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Kennedy’s home club, brought together the best Laser Radial youth sailors in the world, with more than 100 competing across the girls and boys fleets. Kennedy finished second overall, five points behind Dutch sailor Maxime Jonker and six clear of third placed Georgina Povall of Great Britain.
The Queenslander started the day tied on points with Jonker with a 10th and a ninth in the final two races in light conditions securing her second place.
“I’m absolutely stoked with second,” said Kennedy. “Going into today I was equal first with the Dutch sailor but she’s really good and came away with it in the end.
“Today wasn’t my best day of the regatta, that’s pressure for you, but I’m really happy with second,” she said. “I haven’t had the best preparation due to doing year 12 at school but considering that and how much Maxime has been training I’m stoked with the result.”
The sailors were faced with typical Queensland winter conditions all week, with mild temperate and light winds testing all of the crews.
“The conditions we tricky as today,” said Kennedy. “The breeze dropped right out and was the trickiest day we’ve had all week.”
Kennedy finished in the top 10 in six of the seven races on her way to second overall, including two wins and a second.
Milly Bennett was the next best placed Australian girl in fifth overall, one place ahead of fellow Aussie Anna Philip. Philip was also first in the under 17 category.
Louise Evans, who will represent Australia at the 2012 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship later this month in Ireland, was just outside the top 10 in 11th overall, and second under 17 girl, ahead of Natasha van Rennes in 12th.
In the boys fleet West Australian sailors Ben Walkemeyer and Mark Spearman were the leading Australians in seventh and ninth respectively.
Walkemeyer finished with a second and three fourths from the seven races while Spearman’s best results were a win and a third.
Spearman will also now head to Ireland alongside Louise Evans as a part of the Australian Youth Sailing Team.
Fellow Australian Daniel Smith was one place behind Spearman in 10th. Nicholas Connor was sixth in the under 17 boys category.
Full results can be found at www.rqys.com.au/index.php/2012-world-laser-radial-youth-championship/.
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Get behind the Australian Sailing Team through new supporter merchandise range Fans of the Australian Sailing Team can now show their support of the team wherever they go with a new range of supporter merchandise. The Australian Sailing Team has worked closely with SLAM to create an Australian Sailing Team inspired supporter merchandise range. The range includes a polo shirt, t-shirt, backpack, belt and cap all branded with the Australian Sailing Team logo and is available through the SLAM Australia website, www.slam-shop.com.au.
To celebrate the launch of the new Support Merchandise Range, SLAM Australia are giving away a Force 1 Jacket and Pants via the Australian Sailing Team Facebook Page.
It’s easy to enter the draw, just visit www.facebook.com/AusSailingTeam, become a fan of the team and share the SLAM Australian Sailing Team Merchandise post.
The competition will run from Wednesday 9 July until Monday 16 July with one entrant to win a Force 1 Jacket and Pants from SLAM Australia.
Everybody who shares the post during the competition goes into the draw to win the SLAM jacket and pants.
SLAM is a Major Co-Sponsor of the Australian Sailing Team with crews making use of the brand’s top technology and quality products as they compete at home and around the world.
Terms and Conditions are available here.
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Nominations for 2012 Australian Yachting Awards now open Nominations are now open for the 2012 Australian Yachting Awards, recognising outstanding achievements in the sport of sailing during the last year. The winners will be announced at the 2012 Australian Yachting Awards dinner to be held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney on Friday 26 October, further details will be released in due course. The 2012 Australian Yachting Awards categories are as follows:
Nominations for the awards can be made by anyone in the sailing community with nomination forms and criteria available at www.yachting.org.au/awards As an added feature for this year's Awards nominations may be made using State Association nomination forms provided the performance(s) being nominated for satisfies the criteria of the Australian Yachting Awards
Nominations for the awards may be made in respect of achievements during the period 1 September 2011 and 10 September 2012 with clubs, class associations and the general sailing community asked to look closely at who they would like to see nominated for an award. Nominations close on 12 September 2012.
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