Strong lineup for Warren Jones Youth Regatta

11:45 PM Thu 22 Jan 2009 GMT

'Day 2 - Warren Jones Youth Regatta 2007' Western Australian Yachting Foundation Inc

Looking back through the list of past participants in the Warren Jones Youth Regatta (27th to 30th January at Royal Perth Yacht Club), it is amazing to see that in its short history this event has produced nine skippers who are now in the top 100 in the world.

If we narrow that down a bit, there are two, both of them past winners, that are currently ranked in the top ten and four more who have made the top 50 - making this regatta the launching pad for the stars.

This year, ten skippers ranked between 22nd and 1,083rd in the world, will be tacking and gybing, ducking and weaving all over Matilda Bay, while giving their all to get their name on this prestigious trophy. Currently, after six editions of the event the honours are evenly split between Australia and New Zealand, though other nations have participated, and of the Australian victories, two go to WA's Torvar Mirsky, with Sydney claiming the other.

This year sees three Kiwi crews crossing the Tasman, while three Sydney teams are crossing the Nullabor, to take on four boats of WA sailors. The competition will be hot and strong, with South of Perth Yacht Club's Keith Swinton highest ranked at 22nd in the world. Evan Walker from Sydney's Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is down the ladder at 41st place, but won the Alf Barbagallo Australian Match Racing Championships held here in September.

From the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron comes Phil Robertson, on the 51st rung of the world ranking ladder, and winner of last year's Youth International Match Racing Championships in Auckland.

Nicky Souter representing the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club on Pittwater, north of Sydney is 10th on the Women's Ranking ladder, the current Australian Women's Champion and was recently selected as the skipper of the Australian women's match racing team for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Every one of the skippers and crews competing are potential stars of the future, and for four days at the end of this month they will be on the launch pad, right here on the Swan River.

COMPETITORS:
Keith Swinton - AUS (SoPYC) World Rank 22nd
Evan Walker - AUS (CYCA) 41st
Phil Robertson - NZL (RNZYS) 51st
Robert Gibbs - AUS (RPYC) 62nd
Reuben Corbett - NZL (RNZYS) 91st
Peter Nicholas - AUS (RFBYC) 203rd
Stuart Pollard - AUS (RSYS) 283rd
Matthew Steven - NZL (RPNYC) 377th
Nicky Souter - AUS (RPAYC) 10th (women's), 610th (open)
Brett Sharpe - AUS (RFBYC) 1,083rd

www.wayf.org.au/

by John Roberson

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Strong lineup for Warren Jones Youth Regatta

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