Over 155 junior and youth sailors participated in 6 fantastic days of sailing fun at the Keppel Bay Sailing Club for the absolutely best regatta on the circuit!  So you didn’t make it this year?  Well make sure you save the date for 2021 from 20th to 25th September - and book your accommodation early!

13 clubs were represented in 2020 from as far north as Tinaroo Sailing Club and as far South as Southport Yacht Club.  We had entries from clubs big and small some only sending one sailor and some having sailors in most of the classes not to mention a very excited Cruising Yacht Club of Hamilton Island with 4 of their juniors joining the Green Fleet for the first time.  It was wonderful to see the Commodore at the event supporting his sailors!

We were fortunate this year to have Olympic Laser Radial Sailor Mara Stransky and Johnny Rodgers coaching the Radial Fleet. Having Mara walking around the boat park was a highlight for all the sailors with lucky Open Skiff sailor Addison Newlan from Southport Yacht Club having a long chat with Mara who exclaimed that she definitely wants more girls sailing the laser radial!  Something for Addison to aspire to.

The racing for the juniors and youth was competitive and produced some close results in a mixed bag of conditions.  The breeze went from super light to perfect 10-12 knots, to mast breaking 25 knots!  Travis Wadley from Tinaroo Sailing Club had a clear lead throughout the competition in the Laser 4.7’s and the Laser Radials girls were fighting it out with Talia Bulstrode from Townsville Sailing Club beating Frances Beebe from RQYS on countback for the first girl medal. Ashlee and Brayden Daunt dominated the racing in the 29ers with an easy win. 

Monte Morse from RQYS came through in the last race to beat Kaelen Linton from Port Dennison giving him the Optimist Intermediate win by 1 point. The Sabot’s also had tight racing between brothers Kelson and Laken Eaton from Brisbane Sailing Squadron with the Championship win on countback going to Kelson.

It was great having the foiling kites as part of the competition this year and we’re sure the other classes will have lost a few sailors to this exhilarating side of our sport!  Oscar Timm took out the four race series with his brother Jake in 3rd place.  

The largest Green Fleet in Australia had the best time with lots of racing, lots of support and loads of fun! The fleet was split into the Cool Cats and the Racers. First timer Alex Glen from Cruising Yacht Club of Hamilton Island won the event convincingly and you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face! The Cool Cats managed 13 races over the three days and Robin Locke from RQYS won the day on countback from Finley Betts from Keppel Bay Sailing Club.

Not only do the sailors have an incredible opportunity with this event, but with four senior coaches attending the 3 day training camp there was loads of learning opportunities for our supporting coaches. Shane Smith, Ryan Palk, Ash Brunning and Johnny Rodgers headed the team and provided great insights into coaching at daily coach debriefs. Not only are these development camps great for the participants but great for the development of Queensland up and coming Coaches. 

There are so many parts to what makes this this best event on the Queensland Sailing Calendar for Junior and Youth Sailing, but we all know that once you have been this event you will be planning next year’s adventure as you drive away.  Great friendships will have been formed and stories that will last a lifetime will be told over and over.

Thanks Coaches, Families, Volunteers, Keppel Bay Sailing Club Staff and all our sailors for an incredible week at the Queensland Youth Championships! Thank you all for making Keppel Bay Sailing Club, your club! 

Congratulations to our winners and to all our competitors.

The winners:

Green Fleet Cool Cats
Robin Locke – Humpybong Yacht Club
Finley Betts – Keppel Bay Sailing Club
Hugo Johnstone – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Green Fleet Racers
Alex Glen – Cruising Yacht Club Hamilton Island
Max Lewis – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Cooper Kennedy – Cruising Yacht Club Hamilton Island
1st Girl – Jade Perry – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Open Skiff
Jonah Parry – Southport Yacht Club
Joshua King – Whitsunday Sailing Club
Byron Mahieu-Benne – Lake Samsonvale Watersport Sailing Association

Optimist Intermediate
Monte Morse – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Kalen Linton – Port Dennison Sailing Club
Archie Willey – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Optimist Open
Yael O’Hagan – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Ethan O’Hagan – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Lucas Patrick – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Sabot
Kelson Eaton – Brisbane Sailing Squdron
Laken Eaton – Brisbane Sailing Squadron
Teshi Collins Good – Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club
1st Girl – Breanne Wadley – Tinaroo Sailing Club

29ers
Ashlee and Brayden Daunt – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Luke Rogers & Joe Foley – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Seisia Mair & Jess Muir – Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club

4.7 Lasers
Travis Wadley – Tinaroo Sailing Club & Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Myles Wilson – Southport Yacht Club & Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Hugo Ralph – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
1st Girl – Kate Baisden – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Laser Radial
Isaac Schotte – Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron
Ben Coleborn – Royal Queensland Yacht Sqadron
Sam Martland – Southport Yacht Club
1st Girl – Talia Bulstrode – Townsville Sailing Club