The Finish Line Day 1 Photograph:Emily Perkes

Victoria's Junior sailors have had a hugely successful Nationals season, with many sailing in two or more championships. Many sailors have qualified for Australian National Teams with some going on to qualify to represent Australia at class World Championships later in 2010. Congratulations to all.

Sabot Nationals

Sabot sailors travelled to Gosford Sailing Club in NSW for the 46th Australian Sabot Championships and Sabot Week. Victorian sailor Oliver Kalpokas sailing Tenacious took second place overall missing out on first by just five points. James McLennan and James Oliver finished seventh and eighth. Eliza Solly sailing Ribbit just missed out on being the first girl finishing 14th overall four points behind Caitlin Tames from SNSW.

With Sarah Blanck on hand as class coach for the Victorians, many sailors benefitted from her expertise.

The Sabots also run a Handicap score, which is to recognise those boats who improve over the regatta. In this division James Oliver came third and Eliza Solly fourth and James McLennan finished in seventh place.

Minnow Nationals

Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club in QLD played host to the 2009 Minnow Championships between the 27th and 30th of December. Jack Graves from SSCBC sailing Ozone took the title dominating the championships finishing first in every race. Sam Hannah in Swift and also from SSCBC came second overall finishing second in all but one race.  Hannah also took the Australian Junior Minnow title. Charlotte Llewelyn was the first girl just ahead of Isabella Dixon. The championship was sailed in good conditions with seabreezes ranging from 6 to 20 knots.

Whilst nearly managing to be in two places at once Sarah Blanck was also class coach for Victorian Minnow sailors. Classes were assisted in providing coaches at their National Championships via the CAS Grants (Coaching Assistance Scheme) available through Yachting Victoria.

Optimist Nationals

Adelaide Sailing Club hosted the Oceania and Australian Optimist Championship with nearly 100 sailors taking part in the main event and nearly 50 boats competing in the Green fleet championship. The Green fleet provides sailors with their first taste of sailing in a National Championship with the emphasis on fun. The fleet competes on a separate course under the ISAF Introductory Rules for Racing.

Many younger siblings of those competing in the main fleet got their first taste of a racing in a big fleet.

Nine races were completed in what were difficult conditions for both sailors and officials, with very hot conditions and little breeze. The event was the largest for many years with competitors from 11 countries covering four continents, with female sailors dominating the the top ten.

Nia Jerwood from WA took the Oceania and National title finishing sixth overall. Victorian sailors showed their skills in the international fleet with three finishing in the top 20. Jack Felsenthal finished 12th overall and third Australian. Felsenthal sailed consistently over the championship with a fouth and two sixth places in his set of results. James McLennan was 16th overall and sixth Australian closely followed by Jack Graves in 17th place and seventh Australian. Graves counted a second in race two in his score line. From these results Victoria can now boast seven members of the Australian Optimist Sailing Team and Jack Felsenthal has qualified to compete in the Optimist world championships in Langkawi, Malaysia in December 2010, a pinnacle in junior racing.

Optimist National Results - full results click here

Jack Felsenthal - 12th overall, 3rd Australian
James McLennan - 16th overall, 6th Australia
Jack Graves - 17th overall, 7th Australian
Thomas Trotman - 33rd overall, 13th Australian
Tyronne Gowans - 38th overall, 15th Australian
Jack Abbott - 41st overall, 17th Australian
Anna Phillip - 43rd overall, 19th Australian
Melissa Hitchen-Haw - 45th overall, 21st Australian
Sam Hannah - 51st overall, 24th Australian
Rhett Gowans - 54th overall, 26th Australian
Zac O'Connell - 55th overall, 27th Australian
Luke Vaughan - 61st overall, 30th Australian
Stacey Robinson - 62nd overall, 31st Australian
Tom Lidgett - 64th overall, 33rd Australian
Sam Danks - 67th overall, 35th Australian
Ben Hartnett - 70th overall, 38th Australian
Sarah Phillip - 77th overall, 42nd Australian
Jessica Case - 82nd overall, 46th Australian
Daniel Quinlan - 83rd overall, 47th Australian
Frederick Brown - 88th overall, 50th Australian

The Optimist Green fleet saw Victorian sailors making up more than three quarters of the fleet, with 13 sailors finishing in the top 20 and five in the top 10. James Grogan was the top Australian finishing third overall and second Australian. Full results click here

International Cadet Nationals

Adelaide Sailing Club were busy as after the Optimist sailors departed more Junior sailors arrived for the Australian Cadet Championships. In a fleet of over 80 boats Victorian sailors placed well with three crews finishing in the top five, and nearly half of the total fleet sailed by Victorans, a testament to the coaching programs run by the the Cadet fleets at Royal Geelong and Sandringham Yacht Clubs and RYCV.
Isabella Say, competing in her third Nationals event was the highest placed Victorian finished second overall and first female. Say competed in her Laser 4.7 in the Laser Nationals followed by the Youth Championships and finally the Cadet Nationals with her crew Benjamin Brill. The Sasson brothers Anton and Julian were third and Ian Lee and Alex Brzoska were fourth. These three Victorian crews have now qualified for the Australian International Cadet Sailing Team to compete at the 2010 World Championship in Poland in July.

Cadet Nationals Results - full results click here

Isabella Say & Benjamin Brill - 2nd
Anton Sasson & Julian Sasson - 3rd
Ian Lee & Alex Brzoska - 4th
Nikola Dixon & Nicola Armstrong - 11th
Marcus Sasson & Angus Rae - 12th
Jessica Hooley-Davis - Jack Furey - 14th
Mathew Fitzpatrick & Steven Case - 15th
James Armstrong & Olivia Neilson - 17th
William Kelly & Joel Lay - 22nd
Jessica Case & Charlie Friend - 23rd
Alice Endersbee & Grace Endersbee - 26th
Brodie Roberts & Callum Prestedge - 27th
Jarad Cavanagh & Dylan Roahn - 30th
Charlie Rae & Harry Jacobs - 36th
Jacob Freeman & Carlo Caiani - 37th
Rebecca Robson & Ashley Cavanagh - 43rd
Darcy Baranowski & Dominic Randall - 44th
Kate Wallace & Pippi Miller - 46th
Callum Butler & Luke De Young - 49th
Alexander De Young & Cameron McKenzie - 50th
Oliver Friend & Wil Townson - 53rd
John Wilbraham & Tessa Bajan - 54th
Bonnie Chipp & Molly Furey - 56th
James Hannah Ben Townson - 57th
Lachlan Stephens & Nathan Field - 58th
Madeline Johnson & Patrick Dekoster - 59th
Lewis Butler & Tristan Witty - 60th
Patrick Chipp & Austin Hollingsworth - 61st
Emma Woods & Claire Townson - 62nd
Sarah Wallace & Aimee Altermatt - 64th
Jack Fowler & Lucy Fowler - 65th
Liam Robinson & Samuel Stephens - 67th
Ruby Altermatt & Jessie Fitzpatrick - 68th
Georgia Randall & Jordan Jones - 71st
Jacqueline Prestedge & Charlie Leitner - 74th
Lucy Stephens & Alanna Feild - 77th
Eva Brenan & Jordan Driscol - 78th
Arcadia De Young & Kate Weppner - 79th
Michael Johnson & David Wilbraham - 81st