It was when Angus Galloway and Alex Gough were sailing in after the last race, on the last day of the 2010 ISAF Youth World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey that the enormity of what had just happened struck. ‘I was near to tears, so sad that the Australian Flag would not fly high and that we would not take a spot on the podium’ reflected Gough.
Skipper Angus Galloway commented on the impact of the broken vang in the second start of the last race. ‘We learnt so much especially about boat setup and what we need to do to be a medal contender next time which is July 2011 cause we are going to compete again’.
They had been so close in their first major international 420 competition but as many would say ‘that’s sailing’. In a way it was harder because over the nine days of the competition they had been in the top group and went into the last race in an unbelievable second position.
Throughout this competition it had been extremely hot and the winds had been fickle but they woke to the final day’s competition with a steady offshore breeze. They phoned home and said that the last day’s racing was on (after the threat of being cancelled) and that they were looking forward to their last race and some intense racing against the best 420 youth sailors in the world. There were 43 teams in the male division. Gough and Galloway, both 17 years old had a disappointing last race but won fifth position overall. Angus said: ’It was amazing to see what the standard Youth Worlds meant instead of just hearing about it. We were racing against other national champions ‘cause only one team from each country could enter’.
After this event they went onto Haifa, Israel for the World 420 Titles (22nd to 31st July). Alex said: ‘The World 420 titles had even more boats competing in the Male division. We were happy with our placing and realized the value of doing more than one competition even though it is hard on us and on our resources’. Angus commented on the overseas sailing conditions which he described as ‘dirty at times’ and suggested that we should never take for granted how great Australian sailing waters are.
If they are not interstate competing or undertaking land training, Angus and Alex sail out of Yachting Queensland and RQYS into the clear and clean waters of Moreton Bay. This 420 team compete most weekends and train up to five times a week. They are again preparing for the Down Under Series and for reselection into the Australian Youth Sailing Team to have a second chance to compete in the 2011 Youth Worlds in Croatia. If they gain selection they are planning to ‘do the euro circuit’ in as many international competitions as possible. They believe that they need as much high level competition in all sorts of waters as possible before aiming for success in the 2011 Youth Worlds.
As Year 12 students at Brisbane Boys’ College they have their final weeks of study and assessment before having seven days off and then entering the State 420 Titles followed by Sail Brisbane at RQYS – the first of the 2010 Down Under Series. They will then spend the following four to six weeks travelling and competing in Sydney and Melbourne before the final and most important competition – the selections for a spot in the Australian Youth Sailing Team. This
requires success in the 420 division in the Youth Titles at Georges River, Sydney in early January and also in the 2011 National 420 titles at Middle Harbour, Sydney.
The impact of their first international competition although even better than predicted and beyond personal expectations was ‘awe-inspiring’. Alex reflected ‘As we sailed in after that last fatal race I thought of all the what ifs and maybes and what to dos’. They could have been totally negative but turned this utterly overwhelming moment into a list of ’so next time we need to’:
have really high level competitions against the very best
race in unknown waters to gain strategic experience
be physically ready for intense conditions & long regattas
be mentally prepared for challenging situations & tough competitors
be boat ready with the correct equipment and right setup
and finally convince sponsors and supporters of what it takes to be the very best
so that they can find the funding and resources that elite athletes need.
Angus and Alex would like to thank all their supporters, fellow sailors and sponsors especially their families, coaches, Royal Queensland Yacht
Squadron, Qld Academy of Sport, Yachting Queensland and Yachting Australia. These two young 420 Australian sailors are planning an even bigger and more successful 2011 and 2012.
So until next time…………………..
A Gough 24.9.10