ILCA NSW & ACT

Brooke Wilson giving her all in the close final race – Photo Jack Fletcher Down Under Sail

The Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships which started with light and difficult conditions finished with a bang at Adelaide Sailing Club. A cracking 18-22 knot southerly with a big steep swell meant it was a physical day on the water.

In the ILCA 6 class Brooke Wilson (NSW) led the regatta for the first few days before Frances Beebe (QLD) really threw down the challenge, leading going into the final race.

Brooke was able to take the final race win, with Frances right on her heals. This gave Brooke the championship win by a single point. Frances was first Under 21. Victorian under 19 sailor Patrick Cummin was third. Healy Ryan (NSW) was first under 17 in 4th place.

Tom Saunders NZL close second in ILCA 7 – Photo Jack Fletcher

It also went down to the wire in the ILCA 7 with Tom Saunders (NZ) leading by two points from Matt Wearn with the second drop and the final race to go.

In the final race Matt finished with 8th to Tom’s 18th resulting in Matt’s two point win. Germany’s Philipp Buhl scored three bullets but having to count an 11 and 13 saw him six points off in third. Michael Beckett (GBR) and Swifto Elliott (WA) completed the cube podium.

Aiden Simmons all the way winner in the ILCA 4 – Photo Jack Fletcher

Aidan Simmons (VIC) lead throughout the ILCA 4 series with consistent places in all conditions. Aiden scored five wins and no place worse than 3rd.  Jasper Stay (VIC) scored three wins but was a little less consistent finishing four points behind Aiden.

Chase Taylor (QLD) was third. He was one of the very successful Queensland ILCA 4 squad which posted five of the top ten ILCA 4 places.

The event was voted a great success despite some ordinary conditions causing lost races and no sailing on Day 5. Like the sailors the Adelaide Sailing Club volunteers, PRO Col Dods, the race committee and jury did a terrific job in the sometimes testing conditions.

Full results are linked below.

ILCA 7

ILCA 6

ILCA 4

The event web site in Here and there are interviews and more information on Facebook page Here.

The next Oceania & Australian Championships will be held at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Manly QLD 1-8 January 2025.

Beginning with our Oceania & Australian Open and Youth Championships 1-8 January Adelaide Sailing Club ASC will be hosting three major championships across January and February 2024. The Oceania event will be followed by the ILCA 7 Men’s and ILCA 7 and ILCA 6 Masters World Championships. These will be the culmination of three years of work and planning by ASC working with ILCA International, Oceania, Australia and ILCA South Australia to deliver three international-level regattas.

All up there will be more than 600 boats competing which will be the largest sailing event in South Australia’s history.

The ILCA 7 Men’s World Championship will be an Olympic Qualifying event results which will offer seven Olympic places for Paris 2024 (sailed in Marseilles).

ASC Commodore Peter Royle said “We are estimating in the region of 18,000 people to pass through the club during the six-week period of the three events. Our visitor numbers to SA and expected times indicate a $16M boost to the local economy.” He explained “Each event will have opening and closing ceremonies which will be open to the public and ticketed. We also expect to have some spectator craft available for closer on-water viewing too.”

Web sites to watch to follow the events are.

Oceania & Australian Open & Youth 
ILCA 7 Men’s Worlds 
ILCA 7 & ILCA 6 World Masters

Winners of States Alexander Bijkerk ILCA 7, Healy Ryan ILCA 6 and Miles Greenwood ILCA 4

ILCA NSW & ACT Championships were run from Canberra Yacht Club 18-19 November. There was a good roll up of 86 sailors with a 20 strong representation of sailors young and old from Canberra, from NSW ILCA clubs and 5 visitors from Victoria. There were three fleets with 23 ILCA 7, 46 ILCA 6 and 17 ILCA 4s.

Conditions were light to moderate from north west but highly variable as is it often is on Lake Burley Griffin. The full three races were completed on each day after some waiting on the water and on Sunday ashore.

On Saturday the wind was lighter and varied from drift to 12 knots but was massively variable in direction making RO Andrew McLachlan’s day a stressful one. On Sunday racing was delayed an hour and the breeze was 5-13 knots and somewhat less variable in direction.

There was very strong competition for podium places in the ILCA 4 fleet. In the end Miles Greenwood GSC finished just one point ahead of Ben Costandi DBSC/GRSC with Harriet McLachlan DBSC just two points behind. Miles was first U19 and Alex Parker HHSC was first U16. More than half the ILCA 4 fleet were female and Harriet was the first female.

The ladies did well in the ILCA 6s with Brooke Wilson RSYS/DBSC finishing second, Sylvie Stannage HHSC third and GGM Lyndall Patterson RPAYC 5th. The ILCA 6 winner however was Healy Ryan HHSC/DBSC. Healy was very consistent and after winning race one was never worse than third in the tricky conditions. Healy was also first U17. Canberra’s Hungry Hippo Edward Alexander had a good series winning Race 3 and finished 4th.

Alexander Bijkerk RPAYC who carded 5,2,3,1,2,1 has was first in the ILCA 7s from last years State Champion Campbell Patton DBSC and GM Brett Beyer WSC. Brett had three heat wins including one by a long way in Race 5 but scored an OCS (U flagged) in the final race. Canberra GGM sailor Bruce Payne graduated to ILCA 7 for this event and finished 5th.

Thanks to RO Andrew McLachlan, Sailing Manager Steve Hart and the fabulous Canberra Yacht Club volunteers for staging this event for us. CYC is a great club with top facilities on and off the water.

The prize winners are listed Here.

The full event results are Here.

There are lots of photos of the event on the Canberra Yacht Club Facebook page

2023 States Prize List

Conditions kept competitors and race officials alike busy on both race days

The NSW & ACT States Youth, Open and Masters are on the weekend 18 and 19th November at Canberra Yacht Club.
 

This is our first fresh water regatta for a while on iconic Lake Burley Griffin this is a cube regatta for all age divisions.
 

Event entry is Here. You can enter right up until 11.30am on Saturday at the club.
 

The NoR is Here. The Sailing Instructions are Here. See who has entered so far Here.

 
A welcome message and Canberra YC parking and other arrangements are Here.

The ILCA NSW & ACT AGM is on at CYC on Sunday 1t 9.00am. The Agenda is Here.

Manly Yacht Club have extended their very successful Manly Cup Youth event this year to include ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 Youth (age 17 and under). The event will be held 2-3 December.
 

Over the past four years MYC have run this event they have had 60 boats competing.
 
The Notice of Race is Here. Entries can be placed online Here. MYC web site for more information is https://www.myc.org.au/

Sylvie Stannage & Miles Greenwood in Action at Coasts – Photo by Jon West

The Coasts at Gosford Sailing Club saw 64 ILCAs enjoying beautiful sunshine and some challenging breezes. On Saturday there was a westerly at 12 gusting to 18 knots varying from SW to NW so plenty to keep the sailors and RO Andrew McLachlan on their toes. On Sunday the scheduled 1100 start was delayed to 1300 waiting for the easterly sea breeze to push through. In the end it did come in at 9 knots gusting occasionally to 12 knots varying towards the top of the course by 45 degrees giving the sailors plenty to think about. All six scheduled races were completed with the third race on the last day started with 15 minutes to spare to the 1530 cut-off time.
 
The top sailors seemed as always to emerge in front despite the variable wind further proof if needed that skill trumps luck.
 
In the 31 boat ILCA 6 fleet Sunday’s  21st birthday girl Sylvie Stannage HHSC had three bullets for a comfortable win. Fellow HHSC (and DBSC) sailor Healy Ryan was a close third behind Sara Bruce DBSC. The training regimes at both HHSC and DBSC are certainly paying dividends.
 
Colin Beashel was the first Master and fourth overall. He is a Grand Master in ILCA parlance but also in sailing having been on Australia II winning the Americas cup in 1983 and competing in six Olympics for Australia between 1984 and 2004. Great to see him back in the class.
 
In the ILCA 7 Will Sargent who hails from Derwent Sailing Squadron in Tasmania and now sails from CYC and MHASC was the run away winner with six bullets and a second. Will Sargent was a nominee for Australian Sailing’s 2023 Australian Male Sailor of the Year award. Mike Leigh twice Canadian Olympic representative from Royal Victoria Yacht Club in British Colombia was second from Alexander Bijkerk from RPAYC.
 
It was a photo finish in the ILCA 4s with Ben Costandi DBSC/GRSC and Miles Greenwood  GSC/DBSC finishing on 9 points with Ben taking the win on a count back three wins to two. Harriet McLachlan DBSC/RSYS was close behind on third.
 
Final results for the event are Here.
 
Sunday photos from Jon West which you can purchase are Here.
 
Thanks to GSC and the many volunteers who ran this event for us. The facilities of the club, the great grass rigging area and uncrowded waters were much appreciated.
 

ILCA 7 Action and Winner Will Sargent – Photo by Jon West

 
The Coasts are on the weekend 14 and 15th October at Gosford Sailing Club. Tom Slingsby started his sailing here and he turned out pretty well.
 

Take the short trip up the M1 and enjoy the racing on the Brisbane Waters. The club has all facilities bistro, bar, great grassy rigging area and uncrowded (except for ILCAs) sailing waters.
 

Event entry Here is only $60 ($30 for U21s) so if you can only do one day that won’t dent the pocket too much. You can enter right up until 11.30am on Saturday at the club.
 

The NoR is Here and Sailing Instructions are Here.
 

The ILCA Fleet Comprised 42 Boats With Clase Starts and Close Racing
 

The Zhik Lake Mac Youth Sail NSW event 27 – 2 October this year comprised a three day coaching clinic and a three day regatta. Zhik and Lake Macquarie City Council were the major sponsors for this the largest junior and youth regatta in NSW.
 

The host club was Teralba Amateur Sailing Club who partenered with nearby lake clubs Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club, Toronto Amateur Sailing Club & Wangi Amateur Sailing Club to run the event for 11 classes and 156 boats.
 

Everyone was a winner however results for the racing side are Here.
 

The Lake Macquarie clubs are to be congratulated for running 2023 Youth Sail NSW and also Australian Sailing who stage these events in every state each year.

Evie Saunders CREDIT Beau Outteridge
 
NSW & ACT sailors Evie Saunders and Tom Farley have been selected by Australian Sailing as part of the eight sailor team to represent Australia in the Pacific Games to be held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from 19 November 2023.
 

These games held every four years include Men’s and Women’s ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 and Sailboard competition among 24 sports.
 

Evie from Manly Yacht Club won Silver at the 2022 World Youth Championships and was awarded Australian Youth Sailor of the Year last year. Tom sails from Belmont 16s and is a strong supporter of our NSW & ACT events. He is always near the top of the ILCA 7 fleet.
 

We wish them all the best for the Pacific Games event.

Bendigo Yacht Club and ILCA Victoria are running this event on Lake Eppalock 4-5 November. Entries are now open Here.
 

All ILCA 7 and ILCA 6 entries received prior to 30th September 2023 are eligible for a discounted entry fee of $90.
 

The NoR is Here.

 
Congratulations to Brooke Wilson for being named a finalist in Australian Sailing’s NSW Female Sailor of the Year award.

 
Brooke has had an amazing year with fantastic results in the ILCA 6 both domestically and internationally, as well as a string of successes in the Elliot 7s Match Racing here in Australia, America and Europe.
 
Best of luck to Brooke at the awards night on September 16th

Following lobbying by Ken Hurling ILCA have increased to entry limit for the 2024 ILCA World Masters 2-10 February in Adelaide from 250 to 400. Given that for the 2020 World Masters in Geelong there were 297 entries the 400 limit should ensure that all sailors who want to sail in the event will get a start.
 
The 2024 Masters at Adelaide Sailing Club will be a great event. Entries will be open on 2 August until 26 September Here.
 
Sailors who did not compete in the ranking event (2023 Australian Masters – Port Stephens) will be ranked in the order in which they apply for entry after all those who sailed at Port Stephens. The ranking will determine the order that places are offered by ILCA.

Applications are now open for the 2024 Solidarity Program for ILCA 4 female sailors for the 2024 Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships.
 

Following the successful running of the Solidarity Program in 2023 for girls from Australian Districts ILCA Australia have launched the expanded 2024 program which will support ten ILCA 4 sailors.
 

• One from each Australian district excluding NT
• One from New Zealand
• Three from Oceania small islands
 

The program will provide free entry for the event and functions, a supplied boat, merchandise and coach but more importantly entry to a team of like keen sailors for the duration of the championships.
You can see examples of the experience of sailors in the 2023 Solidarity Program in our post Here.
 

There is further information on the eligibility and selection for this program in the document Here.
 

Online applications Here will close on 1 October 2023. Each Oceania District will select their sailor by 31 October and applicants will be advised of the selections on 1 November.

The ILCA 6 Women’s Open World Championships 3-10 January and ILCA 6 Men’s Worlds 12-19 January in Mar del Plata, Argentina entry applications are now open. The ranking event for these championships is the 2023 Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships Georges River.
 

Entries for the ILCA 7 Men’s Worlds 24-31 January in Adelaide will open on 2 August. Their ranking event will also be 2023 O&A Open & Youth Championship.
 

Applications for entry for the 2024 World Masters (ILCA 6 and 7) 2-10 February in Adelaide will also open on 2 August. Its ranking event is the 2023 Australian Masters Championships Port Stephens.
 

Sailors who wish to apply for entry and who did not compete in the ranking event for these (and any) ILCA World Championship will be ranked after all the sailors who did sail in the ranking event and in the order in which they apply for entry.
 

Entry offers will be made by ILCA in the order of ranking however we are hopeful of gaining sufficient places for all Masters who want to compete in Adelaide.
 

The ILCA World Championships web site pages with all the information and application links are Here.