Victorian Laser youth sailors in major overseas events
Seven Laser class youth sailors from Victorian clubs are sailing in World Championship level events overseas for youth, under 19 years of age, across July and August.
Jack Eickmeyer from Mornington Yacht Club was Australia's representative in the Men's Dinghy division of World Sailing's World Youth Championships sailed in ILCA6's (Laser Radials) in the Netherlands in early July. Jack finished strongly with a sixth and a tenth in the races on the last day to finish 27th overall in a fleet of 61 boats from 61 countries. The Men's Dinghy was one of eleven class based fleets which ths year included a kites class.
Hamish Gilsenan from Albert Sailing Club and Patrick Cummin from Davey's Bay Yacht Club have sailed in the Youth Worlds for the ILCA 6 (Laser Radial ) in Houston Texas across the last week of July. They are two of five from Australia sailing in a fleet of 212 from 35 countries. Brody Riley, a current Victorian Laser Association coach and Australian 2020 Men's Laser Radial champion, is travelling coach with the Australian group. Brody was one of the VLA coaches who worked with Hamish and Patrick and other Victorian junior Laser sailors in training programs prior to them leaving Australia.
There are a further four youth from Victorian clubs sailing the ILCA4 (smaller Laser 4.7 rig ) World Youth Championships - Riley Cantwell, Hamish Cowell, Angus McIntyre & Ollie Zielezna. These championships are being sailed in Portugal in mid August, with fifteen Australians entered (8 males, 7 females) in the huge fleet of 437 entries from 44 countries.
The reports back from the two events in July is that the racing has been very close with every sailor in the event at or near the top of their respective national youth Laser fleet. Most of the sailors from other countries had benefited from more large fleet experience, particularly during the last two pandemic disrupted years.
The Victorian Laser Association Facebook provides updates for these events and other Laser/ILCA events and activities in Victoria, Australia and Internationally.
