Dates for the 2012 Queensland Youth Week have been confirmed as the 5-8 July.

It’s going to be a very busy time for host club Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron as they will also host the Laser Radial Youth World Championship (28 June-4 July) and then the Laser Radial Mens World Championship (11-17 July).

Competitors keen to take part are encouraged to book their accommodation ASAP.

In 2011 QLD Youth Week attracted 238 entries and RQYS is hoping to smash that record in 2012!

More information coming soon.

Thanks again to Andrew Gough for shooting and editing the footage.

To view Media > Videos

The large 29er fleet was hotly contested today as Joel Turner and Tom Siganto were knocked out of prime position by New South Wales sailors Harry Price and Nathan Edwards, who sailed extremely well today with two straight bullets in the light air. Sitting in second is Lochie Robba and Alex Ker who have been consistent throughout the regatta staying within the top three. Sisters Phillipa and Eliza Solly enjoyed their favourable conditions and held their solid position in third overall.

On the Optimist course and Chris Charwood proved why he is the raining Australian Champion with a fourth and a first today, bumping him into pole position coming into the final day. Narrowly behind Charwood is Victorian James Mclennan who leads third placed Jim Colley from New South Wales.

On the Laser course there were major changes to the leader board as the shifty conditions demanded physical and mental strength, from all competitors. Pushed down into second place today was Queenslander Mitchell Kennedy who struggled to find his groove in the trying conditions. In top position is Natasha Van Rennes from Victoria, who respectfully now leads the female and open division’s. Into third place is Queensland Sailing Team member Daniel Smith who had a win in the first race of the day.

Tomorrow is a brand new day, and the prediction is for Brisbane’s strong westerly winds that are renowned for their shifty nature, to test sailors. The final races of this year’s Queensland Youth Week will be ferociously contested, as the top youth sailors from Australia battle it out for a position on the podium at the end of tomorrows racing.

Andrew Gough
Yachting Queensland

Thanks to Andrew Gough from Yachting Queensland for the continuous production!

The challenging conditions had an affect on the Optimist course where Australian Champion Chris Charwood was over hauled by Victorian James Mclennan for the overall lead. However the one and only race of the day was won by Queenslander Thomas Cunich, who couldn’t be matched by the competitive fleet in the light conditions.
In the high performance 29er class Tom Siganto and Joel Turner continue to hold their lead over fellow Queenslanders Lochie Robba and Alex Ker. The stand out in the racing was sister team Phillipa and Eliza Solly from Victoria who won the race of the day with a clean lead from the rest of the fleet. “ It was really challenging as far as staying in the pressure and wind shifts, but what got us the win was our concentration, we had to keep the boat moving…” said Solly.

With light air predicted for the rest of the regatta the girls are eagerly awaiting racing tomorrow. “Well apparently it is suppose to be light tomorrow, so we are going to do the same sort of thing we did today, we like the light winds” the girls concluded.

On the laser course only one race was completed and the top three in both 4.7 and radial classes changed. In the radial rig Mitchell Kennedy from Queensland continues to lead narrowly over sister Maddison Kennedy. In the 4.7’s Milly Bennet was pushed back into second behind Western Australian Ben Walkemeyer who has been racing consistently over the past two days. Walkemeyer won the only race of the day today and has a narrow lead in the top three.

In the 420 class New South Wales sailors James Brewer and Dylan Passmore hold their lead over Queensland brothers Dylan and Reece Baguley. Passmore and Brewer have lead and won every race of the series so far and are hoping to continue their winning ways.

The Bic Techno class is being dominated by experience NSW sailboarder Samuel Treharne who has an impressive lead over Laird and Lara O’Brien in second and

third.

The 25 strong sabot fleet has been enjoying the Queensland winter conditions, and is being led by Mathew Lang from New South Wales. In second is Queenslander Trevor Koremon on seven points, followed closely by Finn Gilbert on a total of nine points.

With light westerly winds predicted for tomorrow, another day of challenging and tactical conditions await for the 235 entrants.

Andrew Gough
Yachting Queensland

Shot by Andrew Gough from Yachting Queensland.

Click here to view

The first official races of the 2011 Queensland Youth Week got underway here at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Moderate winter conditions allowed for the race committee to push through two solid races across the three course areas.

On the northern course the Laser radial and 4.7’s got underway at 12:30. Coming out of the blocks fast and proving his experience over the fleet was Queensland Sailing Team member Mitchell Kennedy. “I was happy with today, I’m leading overall and it was good racing” he said. In second is Daniel Smith followed closely by Madison Kennedy in third, all Queensland Sailing Team members, enjoying Queensland’s winter racing.

In the smaller rigged 4.7 class Western Australian Ben Walkemeyer leads with a consistent score of a 1st and 2nd in today’s races. In second and third are New South Wales training partners Joshua Dawson and Millie Bennet, sailors from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.

Across to the western course and the enormously strong Optimist fleet battled it out in near perfect conditions today. Leading after two races is Western Australian young gun Chris Charwood currant Australian Optimist Champion. On equal points with Charwood is Victorian James Mcleenan, who battled head to head with the Australian Champion, on the water today. In third is best placed Queensland youngster Kye Evans, who had a consistent day and is planning on improving tomorrow in the predicted lighter conditions.

On the Eastern Course the large 29er fleet punched off the start line at mid day in a moderate southerly breeze that had the boats just planning upwind. Tight top mark rounding’s in both races made for some intense racing, however not tough enough for Queenslanders Tom Siganto and Joel Turner who took two wins today.

“The conditions were moderate, but it was abit choppy which made it difficult” Siganto said. “Our boat speed was good today, we were keeping the boat really flat and we were fast, we are hoping to do the same sort of thing tomorrow”. He added. In second is young up and comers Lachie Robba and Alex Ker from Queensland, followed closely by NSW sailors Brooke Smith and Sam Ellis.

The prediction for tomorrow looks grim with a 2-4 knot southerly that could alter attempts at racing. However the regatta has only just began here in Queensland and the racing has never been tighter.

Andrew Gough
Yachting Queensland

Created by Andrew Gough from Yachting Queensland.

More videos to come!

Click here to view

The Youth Sailing Grand Prix heads north for the first time this weekend for the 2011 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Queensland Youth Week with racing taking place at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron between July 2 and 5.

For the first time ever Yachting Australia will be awarding prize money for a youth event, up to $3,000 per winning crew, dependent on the class. This is designed to assist with the costs incurred campaigning with the winners required to use the funds to compete at further events.

The 2011 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Queensland Youth Week is set to be the largest youth regatta ever seen in Australia with 232 crews competing.

The regatta will feature five classes that are a part of the Youth Sailing Grand Prix with sailors competing in the Laser 4.7, Laser Radial, 29er, 420 and Bic Techno all eligible for points in the Grand Prix.

After the opening five rounds of racing Benjamin Walkemeyer leads the way in the Laser 4.7 boys with a 21 point lead over second, third placed Nicholas Connor is a further 25 points back and will be racing in Queensland.

In the Laser 4.7 girls class Victorian sailor Melissa Hitchen-Haw has a two point lead over second with Madison Kennedy eight points further back in third and racing against Hitchen-Haw this week.

With the Laser Radial boys class leader, Matthew Wearn, representing Australia at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship this week, Queenslander Mitchell Kennedy has a great opportunity to take the class lead as he’s only four points behind, while in the girls class Ella Evans can jump up from third with the leading two crews also in Europe.

The 21 boat 29er fleet is set to be highly competitive at Queensland Youth Week and in terms of the Youth Sailing Grand Prix the third place crew of Oliver Kalpokas and Mitchell Citadini are the highest ranked team competing.

The 420 class will provide a number of new crews the opportunity to get on the Youth Sailing Grand Prix scoreboard.

Sydney sailor Sam Treharne will be racing in the Bic Techno boys class in Queensland and heads into the regatta second overall, just three points behind Eamon Robertshaw who is competing in Europe at the moment.

In the Bic Techno girls class Lara O’Brien is the leading Youth Sailing Grand Prix competitor racing, with Queenslander second overall.

The Youth Sailing Grand Prix has been designed to build a strong national competition that encourages youth participation, providing young sailors with the chance to race at a number of regattas around the country against strong opposition.

For more information on the Youth Series Grand Prix visit www.facebook.com/YouthSailingGP or follow the series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/YouthSailingGP. The policy document and updated point score for the series can be found on the Yachting Australia website

Craig Heydon
Communications Coordinator
Yachting Australia

Direct Dial Phone: +61 (0)2 8424 7439
Mobile: +61 (0)402 318 918
Fax: +61 (0)2 9906 2366
Website: www.yachting.org.au
Street Address: Level 1, 22 Atchison St, St Leonards, NSW 2065
Postal Address: Locked Bag 806, Milsons Point, NSW 2061

Yachting Australia is Proudly Supported by: Australian Sports Commission, Australian Institute of Sport, Australian Olympic Committee, Australian Paralympic Committee, OAMPS Insurance Brokers

Photo:
Melissa Hitchen-Haw – Laser 4.7
2010 Sail Down Under Series
Sail Brisbane / RQYS
Manly Queensland / 29Nov – 2Dec
© Sport the library / Jeff Crow

Click here to view and download!