News

Another record breaking year for the QLD Youth Champs

Published Tue 05 Oct 2021

Over 200 junior and youth sailors participated in 6 fantastic days of sailing fun at the Keppel Bay Sailing Club. So you didn’t make it this year? Well make sure you save the date for 2022 from 19^th to 24^th September - and book your accommodation early!

19 clubs were represented in 2021, some at the event for the first time. Sailors came from as far north as Tinaroo Sailing Club and as far South as Southport Yacht Club and we had big teams and small teams. RQYS had the most sailors and Mackay Sailing Club sent one sailor. Of the 19 clubs represented, 14 had a podium place which is a fabulous result for sailing in Queensland.

A quality field of eighteen certified sailing coaches that included Queensland Academy of Sport Coaches, Olympian Laser Radial Sailor Mara Stransky, performance pathways and club coaches spent three days increasing the skills of the sailors. For the coaches, Professional Development sessions were introduced this year so the coaching team could increase the depth and experience of all coaches who attended. This quality time also encouraged building relationships throughout the coaching network. A win win for Queensland clubs.

Being an Olympic year, Youth Sail Queensland made the most of the attendance by Gold Medallist 470 Dinghy Skipper Mathew Belcher and Olympian Laser Radial sailor Mara Stransky at the event. The pair provided an insight into their sailing journey and answered questions from the 200 strong crowd and all the participants had the opportunity to get their regatta shirt signed. It was great to see so many questions coming from the youngest members.

“Did you win a lot when you were young” was a great question. Mathew Belcher’s first regatta win was at 18 years of age and Mara Stransky’s first regatta win was the Youth Championships at Keppel Bay Sailing Club when she was 17. Mat also told the crowd “It’s not about what boat you choose, it’s about the people around you” and to “not look too far ahead”. “Do as much sailing as you can and enjoy what you are doing”.

12 lucky participants also received a famed signed photograph of the one of the three Queensland Olympians. Mathew also spent the day with Green Fleet. He attended the briefing and then spent some time with the kids signing shirts, hats, lifejackets and even a couple of boats.

Tricky conditions dogged the three day Youth Championships and congratulations to the Race Management Team for getting as many races in as they did. Day two was glassed out until around 2:30pm when the sailors hit the water. The sailors were so excited to finally hit the water the rigging area emptied in record time.

It was great having the foiling kites as part of the regatta again this year, but the competition was in the Nacra 15’s, Open Skiffs and 29ers. The 29er field was very tight with only 4 points between 1^st and 4^th position. Thomas Whitmore and Joseph Folley were the ultimate winners on countback. Ashleigh Swadling and Luke Milburn from RQYS had a near perfect regatta with wins in 7 out of the 8 races. Breanne Wadley from Tinaroo Sailing Club in the Open Skiffs had a similar regatta with wins in six of the 7 seven races. Laken Eaton from Brisbane Sailing Squadron took out the Sabot Gold and was the youngest skipper to achieve this.

Green Fleet once again surprised us with selling out long before the cut off date. Again, Youth Sail Queensland had the biggest green fleet in Australia! So next year make sure you enter early to avoid disappointment. Our Green Fleeters have the best time at the Causeway Lake in a safe environment with plenty of encouragement from the team of coaches. Tanya Kelly, mum of three of our Green Fleet sailors told Ben Callard Australian Sailing Regional Manager for Qld & NTthat she called day one of the three days of racing “Miracle Day”. She couldn’t believe how on day one of the coaching clinic she had three very green sailors and on day one of the racing all three of them were racking up on the start line.

There are so many parts to what makes this this best event on the Queensland Sailing Calendar for Junior and Youth Sailing, but we all know that once you have been this event you will be planning next year’s adventure as you drive away. Great friendships will have been formed and stories that will last a lifetime will be told over and over.

Thanks Coaches, Families, Volunteers, Keppel Bay Sailing Club Staff and all our sailors for an incredible week at the Queensland Youth Championships! Thank you all for making Keppel Bay Sailing Club, your club!