WAIS Sailing Update

WAIS sailing athlete Tessa Parkinson has returned to Perth recently, after competing in the Etchells World Championships in Melbourne.

Etchells is an Internationalkeel boat class that attracts many sailors of all disciplines, ranging from America’s Cup, Olympic Champions as well as many seasoned club racers. Tessa sailed with Skip Lissiman and Andy Fethers who are both America’s Cup sailors (from different era’s!) and Keith Swinton, once a WAIS athlete who is competing in Match Racing and trains with WAIS sailors when he has the chance.

The crew had a tough start to the regatta with a disqualification in the first race, and some high scores in the lighter winds. They finished 24th, but in a fleet of 85 boats, the challenges would have been fun for Tess to experience!

After a three month trip overseas, Tessa is getting back into her studies at Notre Dame University, studying physiotherapy.

TheWAIS sailing sponsor,Pro Choice Safety helped to run another WAIS Racing Series again on the weekend, with the WAIS sailors competing against each other in Pacer boats. It is a great way to increase the depth of the fleet, and have the top young sailors in Perth trying to beat each other!

Luke Parkinson, sailing with Jenny Middleton won the series with David Gilmour second. The series will be run again each Saturday and we plan to have a monthly winner for the series. They are being run at Fremantle Sailing Club again this weekend from 9.30 am.

The ASDS athletes, Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall in the 470 and Ryan Hannan in the Laser are all in Sydney this week at a National Training Camp, so will not be racing on the weekend.

Belinda Stowell