A dynamic group of 33 young sailors from youth pathway classes, traveled to Europe to immerse themselves in a summer of sailing at various regattas. For some, this was their first experience competing in an international regatta, while for others, it marked their second or third time abroad. For the first time sailors, they got to experience large fleets, dense starts and to see the level of their age and stage equivalents from other countries. For the returning sailors, competing at more European regattas enabled them to test their prior international learning in big fleets and get a better idea of the effectiveness of what they had worked on while at home.

Our youth sailors attended the following regattas,

·      Nacra 15 European Championships at Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

·      420 European Youth Championships at Thessaloniki Greece

·      420 Open European Championships at Portoroz, Slovnia

·      iQFOil Junior and Youth European Championships at Embrum, France

·      ILCA 6 Youth European Championships at Bangor, North Ireland

·      Formula Kitefoiling Youth Championships at Gizzeria, Italy

·      29er World Championships at Aarhus, Denmark

·      Nacra 15 World Championships – scheduled for later in October in Barcelona

For Ellen Sampson from South Australia, who was one of our 2024 Youth Squad members, these regattas were a great formative experience that has left her hungry to improve. Ellen worked with her coach on seeking appropriate events for her development and committed to attending two events in Europe, the U21 ILCA 6 Worlds and ILCA 6 Youth European Championships. 

Ellen explained, “I participated in two overseas regattas to advance my learning, skills and techniques in the class. The ILCA 6 requires constant development, and this year presented a great opportunity for an extended trip. Coming into the regattas, I was hopeful for different conditions that would highlight both my strengths and my weakness areas. I was lucky to get a range of conditions to test where I was at. I really wanted to see what great sailors were able to do well at my age, or within a few years of it. What I learned from the events will help me reflect on my weaknesses further, so I can work with my coach on what I need to focus on back home in Australia”.

Young Noah Karantonis, from Western Australia, is the youngest member of the 2024 Youth Squad at just 14 years old and he recently attended his first overseas regatta.

Noah said, “I wasn't sure what to expect, but the Youth Squad program turned out to be excellent for my preparation. Youth Squad coach, Alex Landwehr, a former WAIS and AS Futures athlete, offered clear guidance to help me get ready. The program’s coaching sessions and online webinars gave me plenty of information I needed. As a result, I was able to create a racing playbook that I used all the time. The entire experience was challenging though I gained more knowledge than I thought I would. I’ve now taken that learning and added it into what I need to do at home. I’m keen to practice and master high, VMG and low modes.

Since returning from overseas, I haven’t been able to get back on the water as much, due to the winter weather in Perth. However, I’m eager to return to on water training. In the meantime, I’m focusing on my fitness by hitting the gym and running. I’m also looking forward to racing against my fellow sailors in Perth to gauge how much I’ve improved”.

For youth sailors at this stage in their development, exposure to racing and gaining experience in larger fleets is crucial for class knowledge and skills growth. It’s all about staying curious, learning and recording the lessons from the regattas. These events provide the necessary challenge to both inspire and motivate sailors, while building an understanding of what it takes to become a future high performance athlete.

Congratulations to all sailors and to sailors who achieved outstanding results,

·      Nacra 15 European Championships – 3rd Place Kris Bilston and Addison Lester U19 QLD

·      ILCA 6 Youth European Championships - 2nd Place Healy U19 NSW

·      iQFOiL Junior and Youth European Championships – 5th Place Rory Meehan U19 QLD

·      29er World Championships – 10th Place Lucas Patrick and Luke Rogers QLD

To view regatta results, see below the links

Nacra 15 European Championships

420 European Championships 

420 Open European Championships

iQFOil Junior and Youth European Championships

ILCA 6 Youth European Championships 

Formula Kite Youth Championships

29er World Championships

·      Nacra 15 World Championships – scheduled for later in October

Details of the Youth Squad program for 2025 will be releases in early September for more information once available see here.