Challenging conditions test Sail Sydney sailors

Sail Sydney delivered four days of gruelling competition as fog, storms, rain, and gusty winds created a tough playing field for competitors and the race committee alike. Despite the challenging conditions, champions emerged across multiple classes, with Sydney Harbour providing the iconic backdrop for the testing racing.

Australian Sailing Team’s Annie Wilmot, a NSWIS Scholarship holder (main photograph) and her Victorian crewmate Laura Harding marked their return to their racing in style in the 49erFX fleet, securing a near-perfect string of wins, except for two races from 12.

Harding said of the conditions: “The four days of racing, we had something different every single day and something different pretty much every single race. So it was just see what opportunities present themselves and try and make the most of it.”

Looking ahead, Harding and Wilmot will be busy preparing for the 2025 European Season.

“Up next we have a little bit more training and then Christmas and New Year’s break, go home for a little bit, rest and reset and then another training camp to get back into the routine before we head away to Europe start of March to cold Palma,” said Harding.

In the 49er Australian Sailing Pathway Team members and NSWIS Scholarship holders, Jack Ferguson and Max Paul were pushed by a strong local fleet to come away with the regatta win.

“It was a challenging event but it was good to get back into racing, first regatta we’ve had since Europe last season and really exciting to be racing a bunch of Australian boats and see what’s ahead for the next four years,” said Paul.

“We’ve got a lot more training to do before we head back to Europe, we’ve got a really nice squad developing of young 49er sailors, and everyone had their moment this week.  So it’s going to be a really exciting next few months leading into the next four years and see how we all go.”

Olympic silver medallist and NSWIS athlete Grae Morris topped the iQfoil fleet after 15 fantastic races on Botany Bay.

“Just finishing up the local series for me, a few people get to go to Sail Brisbane, but I’ll been taking some time off, so was important one to end the season,” he said.

“We got a full range of conditions, we got all the racing done and it was good to see a lot of improvements from all the other competitors and to see how all the training is paying off for everyone in the squad.”

Meanwhile, 2024 Olympian and NSWIS athlete Evie Haseldine is enjoying the journey with her new helm Brooke Wilson who has moved from the ILCA6 to the 49erFX.

“Super tricky coming back into the boat with someone who’s come from the ILCA6, definitely testing my knowledge and my skills post -games,” said Haseldine.

“I originally got back into the boat quite soon after the Olympics just because I wanted to enjoy sailing again, get back in without having the pressure of an Olympics, so I’m back in for the joy of it and Brooke’s doing a fantastic job,.”

In the ILCA classes, Australian Sailing Team members largely took a break after Sail Melbourne, gearing up for Sail Brisbane later this month. It was local NSW sailor Sara Bruce who emerged victorious in the ILCA6, the ILCA7 title went to Jake Farren-Price (NSW), and in the Mixed 470, Sophie Jackson (VIC) and Jamie Randall (WA) put it all together to take the win. Anna Crispey (VIC) impressed in the iQFOiL Women’s division, positioning herself as one to watch.

The Formula Kite was dominated by international competition with Italy’s Lorenzo Boschetti, victorious in the Men’s division with New Zealand’s Lucy Bilger racing among the men to represent the women’s division.

Many Australian Sailing Team athletes will continue training at the National Training Centre through before the Christmas break or head to Sail Brisbane which will be held 18–21 December ahead of their respective class national championship.

For the full results visit https://www.sailsydney.org/results

Story courtesy of Sailing Australia

Photo: Finn Sprott