In mid-January, six Darwin sailors headed off to the Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club in Victoria to participate in the 40th Australian Minnow Championships. Taking holidays around summer sailing competitions is a great part of the sailing scene and has been a ritual for DSC juniors for decades. It is a great excuse to go to new places, make firm friends from all over the country, and gain heaps of experience and sailing skill. It requires enormous energy from all involved and could never happen without the generous support of many people.

The competition results are here. Congratulations go to Aden McGrath for his 2nd in the Open division and for being presented with a Sportsmanship Award. James McGrath came 5th and somehow arranged for another “Hand of God” lift to score his first race win at a nationals! William McGrath did well to come fifth in the Junior division and beat both his big brothers in the last race!

Phoebe Wiltshire fought off jetlag for 17th overall in the Open division (4th female), and Tiffany Chamberlain came 22nd overall (6th female) in what was her first away competition.

Despite swearing that she would never sail like her three big brothers, 8-year-old Sookie McGrath’s mum and dad suspected that the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) would be too great and packed a spare boat “just in case”. The plan worked and Sookie agreed to sign up for the Novice fleet. It didn’t end there, and two-time national Minnow champ Huw Wiltshire found himself sailing around in the boat with her every day to keep her on the water. No-one has quite worked out how to reward him for his efforts yet, because it meant that on the last day Sookie booted him out and finally sailed a race all by herself!! She was very happy.

Special thanks need to go to Patrick Wiltshire for his coaching and enthusiastic support of the whole contingent throughout the week.

Thanks also go to Australian Sailing (NT) and NT Sailing Team coaches Tom Winter and Nick Fewster.

Most importantly, the NT Minnow Sailing Association would like to acknowledge the generosity and community minded spirit of NORTHLINE for their continued sponsorship of these amazing opportunities.

Open fleet place getters (L-R): James McGrath (NT) 5th, Aden McGrath (NT) 2nd, Sam Backwell (Vic) 1st, Lucas James (Vic) 4th, Thomas Warner (Vic) 3rd

The NT contingent: Aden McGrath, William McGrath, James McGrath, Phoebe Wiltshire, Sookie McGrath, Tiffany Chamberlain