Photo © Port Kembla Sailing Club

The Manly Junior (MJ) will be a class familiar to most in the Australian sailing community, but perhaps less so with the younger generation outside Sydney...

As a boat for learning how to sail and race competitively it is without peer. Young sailors get the opportunity to learn spinnaker craft, have great rides and make lifelong friendships.

This year the 50th National Titles for the class will be held next door to the where it all started in Manly and sailed on Sydney Harbour. The current generation of sailors and parents will celebrate and reflect back on what the class has given them, but also on the outstanding range of champions that laid foundations for exceptional sailing careers by sailing MJs. The list is long, but includes Malcolm Page (2x Olympic Gold Medalist), Nathan Wilmot (Olympic Gold Medalist), Lisa Darmanin (Olympic Silver Medalist), Michael Coxon (Skiff Legend), three generations of Barnabas skiff legends and James Spithill (America's Cup Winner).

2017 National Champions - Riley & Deakin Curry (2737 "Vincent Van Go" - photo © Port Kembla Sailing Club

The onslaught of commercial single handed classes has seen numbers dwindle in recent years, but the trend is returning to growth as kids and parents appreciate the broader range of skills needed to sail a double handed boat with a spinnaker. Young sailors get a pathway to sailing success that includes the opportunity to learn the basics as a crew before taking on the more complicated skippering role, passing their knowledge on to their own crews, working out how to work with each other to achieve their goal and learning the nuances of a boat with a jib and a spinnaker. Often this will require a level of people skills, patience and resilience that does not come with a single-handed boat.

Part of the class's resurgence has included running an annual teams racing regatta with competition between clubs. Clubs like Balmoral, BYRA and Queens Lake are using the class for introducing their young sailors to racing with progression to State and National Championships and more senior classes. Regatta's are focused on learning more than results with Rookie, Novice and Open Fleets.

The MJ association has an active set of parents who are keen to see a wider range of kids get the same opportunities as their own. Clubs and individuals interested in knowing more can email manly.junior@gmail.com or go to manlyjunior.com.au

MJ alumni are welcome to pop in and reminisce from 27 to 31 December.

Visit the event homepage here for NOR, SIs, Venue Information & Entry