OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship 2009 Day 2

11:37 PM Sat 10 Jan 2009 GMT

'Close racing in the Laser Radial Class on day two of the Championship - 2009 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship' Vanessa Cornwall

The boat park comes alive first thing in the morning with enthusiastic sailors readying themselves and their equipment for the days racing. With three races scheduled each day, long days on the water are to be expected so plenty of food, water and sunscreen is required. It is good to look around the rigging area and see how professional all the teams are with their preparation.

The state team leaders and coaches that are supporting the kids here are of the highest calibre, sharing their wealth of knowledge and expertise. New South Wales has Sydney 2000 470 Olympic Gold Medallist helm, Jenny Armstrong. Queensland has Beijing 2008 Yngling Olympic Coach, Adrian Finglas. Western Australia has Sydney 2000 470 Olympic Gold Medallist crew, Belinda Stowell. Victoria has Coach to the USA and CZE Olympic 470 Teams in Beijing 2008, Bunny Warren. South Australia has Atlanta 1996 Olympic Windsurfer, Brendan Todd. The above lists just a handful of the sailing stars precent in Mandurah this week.

The 'Medal Maker', Victor Kovalenko who has coached eight 470 teams to win Olympic Medals, five of them gold, spent two days here. It is wonderful to see the effect he has in inspiring the young sailors. Their body language radiates their excitement at being in the presence of such a legend and they hang, wide eyed on every word he says.

The sun shone bright all day in the clear blue sky with temperatures reaching highs of 36 degrees. The sea breeze clocked in after race one. 'The sea breeze was stronger today than yesterday, or maybe I am just more tiered today? It was one or the other, or both!' Elizabeth Yin from Singapore.

Windsurfing Event, BIC Techno 293Class:

There is a new leader in the BIC Techno 293 after day two of racing with Luke Baillie (QLD) over taking last years Champion, Tom England (VIC) after winning the first and last race. The middle race today was won by the third placed Eamon Robertshaw (WA).

Eamon was buzzing after winning his first ever heat, 'It felt so good to win! I was sailing really well but I didn't finish with much style as I got some weed stuck on my fin and slipped slowly sideways across the finish'. Fifteen year old Eamon was inspired to take up windsurfing when he saw the event at last years Championship where he was racing in the Optimist. An avid skateboarder, he felt windsurfing was 'way more fun than sailing' and has his heart set on moving onto an RS:X and is dreaming of racing at Olympic level.

Sixteen year old, Joanna Sterling from Queensland is the leading lady and credits her four years windsurfing experience for her success at this regatta but says, 'I have never sailed a boat or raced until I started in the BIC Techno 293 in November 2008 so this is all pretty new to me but I am really enjoying it'.

Fellow Queenslander and training partner to Joanna, Luke Baillie is surprised to find himself in the lead after day two. Luke has been windsurfing seven years ago aged 10 and has mixed up slalom, speed & wave sailing but only took to the BIC Techno 293 two months ago. 'My goal here is to have fun and my dream goal is to live in Hawii or here and windsurf everyday'.

Results:

BIC Techno 293 Race 4:
1 Eamon Robertshaw (WA)
2 Tom England (VIC)
3 Scott Sharpe (WA)

BIC Techno 293 Race 5:
1 Luke Baillie (QLD)
2 Tom England (VIC)
3 Eamon Robertshaw (WA)

BIC Techno 293 Race 6:
1 Luke Baillie (QLD)
2 Tom England (VIC)
3 Eamon Robertshaw (WA)

BIC Techno 293 Overall:
1 Luke Baillie (QLD)
2 Tom England (VIC)
3 Eamon Robertshaw (WA)
4 Scott Sharpe (WA)
5 Matthew Wilmot (NSW)
6 Reece Baillie (QLD)
7 Joanna Sterling (QLD) - 1st Girl
8 Rebecca Wyatt (NSW)- 2nd Girl
9 Emily Pettersson (WA) - 3rd Girl

* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth BIC Techno Boys Champion: Tom England (VIC)
* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth BIC Techno Girls Champion: NA

One-Person Dinghy Event, Laser Radial Class:

Queensland's, Curtis Skinner takes the lead after winning the final two races today, taking his heat win score to three. The defending Champion, Singaporean, Scott Sydney won the first heat and explained, 'My goal is to be top 2 boys at this regatta so I am in a good place right now but we are only really half way through the event'. Scott Sydney actually lives in Sydney and trains out of Woollahra Sailing Club with Australian Sailing Development Squad member, Alex South and a few others. He rates Australia as the best place to train because, 'There is such a large variety of conditions here compared with Singapore where it is the same light winds everyday. I really feel that training here the last two years has improved my level a lot. I love the conditions here in Mandurah, it is a really great venue'.

Another Singaporean is leading the Laser Radial Girls. Seventeen year old, Elizabeth Yin who qualified her Country for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the 2008 Laser Radial World Championship by finishing 19th. Her team mate won the selection to go to the Games but this has only helped to motivate Elizabeth even more to want to achieve her Olympic dream in London 2012. Winning the opening race of the regatta felt 'Really good and to to beat the boys too is a great feeling'. Winning is not something new to her though as she already holds two World titles, in the Byte in 2006 and the Laser 4.7 in 2008.

Results:

Laser Radial Race 4:
1 Scott Sydney (SIN)
2 Rohan Langford (TAS)
3 Mitchell Kennedy (QLD)

Laser Radial Race 5:
1 Curtis Skinner (QLD)
2 Christopher Jones (TAS)
3 Ashley Stoddart (QLD)

Laser Radial Race 6:
1 Curtis Skinner (QLD)
2 Christopher Jones (TAS)
3 Benjamin Franklin (QLD)

Laser Radial Top 10 Overall:
1 Curtis Skinner (QLD)
2 Scott Sydney (SIN)
3 Elizabeth Yin (SIN) - 1st Girl
4 Mark Whittington (WA)
5 Christopher Jones (TAS)
6 Elliott Noye (TAS)
7 Mitchell Kennedy (QLD)
8 Benjamin Franklin (QLD)
9 Ashley Stoddart (QLD) - 2nd Girl
10 Martin Wright (WA)

Laser Radial Girls Leader Board After Day Two:
1 Elizabeth Yin (SIN)
2 Ashley Stoddart (QLD)
3 Alex South (NSW)

* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Girls Laser Radial Champion: Gabrielle King (NSW)
* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Boys Laser Radial Champion: Elliott Noye (TAS)

Two-Person Dinghy Event, 420 Class:

Tucking into large tubs of pasta, refuelling after a long and enduring day on the water, Lauren Thredgold and Megan Soulsby (SA) told, 'We are really happy with our day, we sailed really well and it feels so good to beat boys in races especially in the big wind!'.

Beating all the boys to take the first heat of the day was Griselda Khng and Cecilia Low (SIN). Once the sea breeze kicked in the boys took back the lead with David Gilmour and James Omay winning the last two races and hold onto the overall lead. Angus Galloway and Alexander Gough (QLD) are second with Justin Liu and Sherman Cheng (SIN) in third.

Results:

420 Race 4:
1 Griselda khng/Cecilia Low (SIN)
2 Christopher Smith/Jack Walker (WA)
3 Angus Galloway/Alexander Gough (QLD)

420 Race 5:
1 David Gilmour/James Omay (WA)
2 Justin Liu/Sherman Cheng (SIN)
3 Matthew Jerwood/Patrick Vos (WA)

420 Race 6:
1 David Gilmour/James Omay (WA)
2 Karl Bromfield/Marcus CONWAY (NSW)
3 Byron White/Jay Griffin (NSW)

420 Top 10 Overall:
1 David Gilmour/James Omay (WA)
2 Angus Galloway/Alexander Gough (QLD)
3 Justin Liu/Sherman Cheng (SIN)
4 Byron White/Jay Griffin (NSW)
5 Karl Bromfield/Marcus CONWAY (NSW)
6 Sean Ott/Adam Lahey (QLD)
7 Henry Say/James Owen-Smith (VIC)
8 Matthew Jerwood/Patrick Vos (WA)
9 Aimee Negri/Breanna Vos (WA) - 1st Girl
10 Vincent Langen/Benjamin Taylor (NSW)

420 Girl's Leader Board After Day Two:
1 Aimee Negri & Breanna Vos (WA)
2 Griselda Khng & Cecilia Low (SIN)
3 Lauren Thredgold & Megan Soulsby (SA)

* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Boys Champion: David Gilmour and Andres Noe (WA)
* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Girls Champion: Sanne Koelemij and Breanna Vos (WA)

The Queensland 420 Team well prepared to stay hydrated. 2009 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship - Laura Baldwin

One-Person Dinghy Event, the Laser 4.7 Class:

Coming all the way from Norway, Harald Faste has made the trip to Australia to escape the bitter cold winter winds and enjoy summer sailing down under, for the third year running. 'Winning the opening race felt really good. It's only the second time I have won a race and I really like the feeling. One day I want to feel what it is like to win the Olympic Games'.

Matt Wearn (WA) won the opening race today with the overall leader, Nicolas Poree (FRA) winning the final two races giving him a massive 14 point lead over second placed, Andrew Torpellund (QLD) who is 5 points ahead of Nicholas Howe (NSW).

The leading lady is Alison Dale (VIC) who has a 6 point lead over last year's Champion, Ashlie Lane (NT) with Martina Ciotti (WA) in third.

Results:

Laser 4.7 Race 4:
1 Matt Wearn (WA)
2 Stephen Collings (VIC)
3 Zac Pullen (TAS)

Laser 4.7 Race 5:
1 Nicolas Poree (FRA)
2 Andrew Torpelund (QLD)
3 Zac Pullen (TAS)

Laser 4.7 Race 6:
1 Nicolas Poree (FRA)
2 Alexander Knight (AUS)
3 Andrew Torpelund (QLD)

Laser 4.7 Top 10 Overall:
1 Nicolas Poree (FRA)
2 Andrew Torpelund (QLD)
3 Nicholas Howe (NSW)
4 Zac Pullen (TAS)
5 Stephen Collings (VIC)
6 Matt Wearn (WA)
7 Harald Faste (NOR)
8 Alison Dale (VIC) - 1st Girl
9 Alexander Knight (AUS)
10 Ashlie Lane (NT) - 2nd Girl

Laser 4.7 Girls Leader Board After Day Two:
1 Alison Dale (VIC)
2 Ashlie Lane (NT)
3 Martina Ciotti (WA)

* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Boys Champion: Stephen Collings (VIC)
* 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Girls Champion: Ashlie Lane (NT)

Coach, James Burman (Australian Sailing Development Squad sailor in the Laser Class) giving a debrief to his sailors after racing. 2009 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship - Laura Baldwin

Two-Person Skiff Event, 29er Class:

2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Team Coach, Larry Cargill told of boats 'jumping off wave tops' and sailors 'catching great rides'. The conditions are challenging for skiffs as seen in the Medal Race in Beijing, skiffs are really designed for flat water but these sailors are holding their own and all coming off the water with big smiles on their faces.

Results:

29er Race 4:
1 James Sly/Andrew Gillies (VIC)
2 Bec Tuma/Emma Louise Daly (VIC)
3 Sean Carr/Jesse Craig (WA)

29er Race 5:
1 James Sly/Andrew Gillies (VIC)
2 Adam Glaskin/James Loughridge (WA)
3 Angus Rankin/James Dahl (QLD)

29er Race 6:
1 James Sly/Andrew Gillies (VIC)
2 Adam Glaskin/James Loughridge (WA)
3 Angus Rankin/James Dahl

29er Overall:
1 James Sly/Andrew Gillies (VIC)
2 Adam Glaskin/James Loughridge (WA)
3 Angus Rankin/James Dahl (QLD)
4 Jack Lloyd/James Lainson (VIC)
5 Sean Carr/Jesse Craig (WA)
6 Daniel Roberts/Leo Showell (WA)
7 Bec Tuma/Emma Louise Daly (VIC) - 1st Girls
8 Thomas Stuchbery/Alexander McGuigan (VIC)
9 Jason White/Reagan Watson (WA)

Full results www.yachting.org.au/site/yachting/event/17413/default.htmlor click here