Over the next couple weeks we will be featuring the International Cadet class and the Australian team that is currently in Argentina for the world championships.
Below is the first edition of Australian team coach Tony Bull’s blog, which he will continue throughout the series.
The class is also rapidly approaching its next national championship, which will be held at the Largs Bay Sailing Club in Adelaide, South Australia in late January.
Stay tuned also for some updates on the respective state teams heading to that regatta.
Bully’s Blog #1
Well the time has come again, another Australian team heading off to the International Cadet worlds — this time in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Nine boats (18 sailors) will be representing us in this regatta, as always a fine group of young sailors who will do us proud on and off the water.
With a Southern Hemisphere regatta, it is quite a departure from our usual winter to summer adventure. On the up side, all the sailors have been racing at their respective clubs, a change from our usual pre-worlds “frostbite” training.
It seems a long time ago the team was selected in January, but the 11-month journey has been an opportunity to get to know another great group of kids and to reintroduce a few from last year. They have all trained hard over that period with their local coaches and we have had a few Hobart training weekends in pretty “invigorating” conditions.
The team warming up on the Derwent River, Hobart, earlier this year.
The team is heading over in drips and drabs, a few already there availing themselves of the terrific Argentinian hospitality.
Looking ahead, the plan is to arrive at Club Nautico Albatros around the 19th-20th of December — taking delivery of our charter boats and going for a quick sail to sort out any issues. After that the lead up time to the post-Christmas regatta will be spent training and familiarising ourselves with the local waters.
We are exceptionally fortunate to have Francisco Consentino, a local coach and ex-cadet world champ to assist us. Francisco has already proven to be a real boon with his help and assistance long before the team arrives.
Not much more to add at this early stage but we are all very excited by the challenges that await.
Meet the team
- AUS 9523 BROTHERS IN ARMS – Dominic Randall & Elliot Hughes: Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Victoria
- AUS 9778 IMPULSE – Will Cooper & Hugo Allison: Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Tasmania
- AUS 9520 DROP BEARS – Charlie & William Zeeman: Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Tasmania
- AUS 9430 STOLEN PIG – Fynn Sprott & Lawrence Jeffs: Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Tasmania
- AUS 9428 TACKTICAL – Alyssa & Mitchell Kelsey: Port Lincoln Yacht Club, South Australia
- AUS 9562 MELTEMI – Charlie Goodfellow & Toby Legg: Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Tasmania
- AUS 9628 IT’S PINK – Isabella Declerk & Adelaide O’Donoghue: Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Tasmania
- AUS 9918 GODSCEND – Lily Zeeman & Anabelle Zeeman: Sandy Bay Sailing Club, Tasmania
- AUS 9745 FULL SPEED AHEAD – Sam Paynter & Gil Casanova: Port Lincoln Yacht Club, South Australia
- AUS 9616 CHECKMATE – Sophie Alexander & crew TBC: Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Victoria
- AUSTRALIAN COACH: Tony Bull, Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Victoria
