On the weekend of the 26-28 June the Bundaberg Sail Training Camp was again held at the Bundaberg Sailing Club. The camp which has now been going for 13 or 14 years is now included in the newly developed “Queensland Identification & Development Pathway” program which delivers development camps to junior and youth sailors across the whole state.
The camp this year again, proved how important these type of camps are with 15 junior and youth sailors travelling from as far away as Mackay to attend the training camp for some much sought after coaching from Ben Callard and Martin Watson.
The camp was blessed by good weather allowing the groups to spend maximum time on the water, some days leaving the bank at 8:30am and staying out till sun set with breaks in between for lunch and theory sessions. The camp was a “live in” set up allowing all the sailors to get to know each other make friends that will last a life time. Read more…
By Ian Grant.
Ryan Palk has left the warm and friendly environment of his Noosa Waters home to pursue his ambition to gain selection in the Australian Olympic Yachting Team.
He packed his sail bag with all of the warm clothes he could find in preparation to represent Australia in three major Olympic Laser class regattas to be decided on the cold European courses from May 26 to June 27.
As expected Ryan Palk has left nothing to chance in terms of his personal fitness including endless hours of sail training on the Noosa River and rounded off with a physically demanding four hour ocean sail from Mooloolaba to Noosa.
By Ian Grant.
Sunshine Coast dinghy sailing clubs have a proud history of producing Australian champions in the important junior classes.
The learn to sail program successfully introduced by the Mooloolaba Dinghy Club on the Mooloolah River has played an important role in several individual careers.
Naturally there is an element of fear when a young sailor steps into a Sabot for the first time but that is soon cast aside when they gain confidence and coordinate the required skills to sail free with the wind. Read more…
SPINNAKER TALES.
By Ian Grant.
Noosa Olympic Laser dinghy sailor Ryan Palk remains of track to fulfil his career ambition to represent Australia at a future Olympic regatta.
The 21 year old aquatic athlete is one of five talented Laser class skippers selected for specialist coaching in the Australian Sailing Development Squad which has access to the best coaches in the country including Olympic Gold Medal winning mentor Victor Kovalenco and Beijing Olympic team coach Adrian Finglas.
This is a special reward for Ryan Palk who just a few years ago was sailing his snub-nose Sabot in club events with the Noosa Yacht and Rowing Club fleet on the peaceful but tricky Noosa River.
by Ian Grant
Ryan & Klade
Noosa River sailors Ryan Palk and Klade Hauschildt remain on course to achieve their personal career ambitions to represent Australia at the Olympics.
The Sabot class graduates have already won individual Laser class National championships and represented Australia at World championships but remain totally focused on wearing the Green and Gold sailing rig at a future Olympic regatta.
Both are great mates and are fiercely competitive testing both mind and muscle with intensive personal training sessions under Craig Keene at Jetts Noosa Gymnasium and equally demanding training sessions on the Noosa River.
“Fitness is a key factor and Craig has provided Klade and myself with the program to suit our sport, we are both physically stronger which has helped to improve our boat handling”. Ryan Palk said.
Finns at YQ
Queensland Finn fleet is on the Move, Bucky Smith and Brendan Casey are training together to reach the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
The Team is Planning on doing all the Sail Down under series over the summer period then the team is off to Miami to take on the world’s best Finn teams.
This will be Brendan’s second Olympic campaign in the Finn and is very excited about having such a good training partner in Bucky Smith (2009 Etchell world Champion).
Both teams have invested a lot of time and money in recent months to make sure they have the world’s best Equipment and training partners.
It is Planned in November that some of the world’s best Finn sailors will come to Australia to train with the Queensland sailors.
Peter Teakle handing over yacht to Southport Yacht Club's Commodore Neale Hollier
The highly successful program, which was developed by Queensland-based philanthropist and businessman, Peter Teakle, in South Australia three years ago, is designed to attract young men and women aged between 14 and 18 to a sport which might otherwise be inaccessible to them. These youngsters will be mentored by successful young Southport Yacht Club offshore sailors and taught all aspects of ocean racing, including boat handling, navigation and tactics.
In presenting the yacht to the club Mr Teakle said he had decided to establish the Ocean Mentor programme through the SYC because of the club’s energetic activities across all aspects of sailing, including junior dinghy sailing. He saw a need for this programme within the Gold Coast community as it would introduce young people to a clean and healthy environment, and a sport they could enjoy for the rest of their lives.
Participants in the pilot course during the practical session onboard a yacht
The CYCA MMM course has been developed in conjunction with St Vincent’s Hospital, and is a major initiative funded by the CYCA SOLAS Trusts in line with one of its objectives of funding research and training to improve safety and rescue procedures and equipment used in ocean races.
This specialist course has been designed for sailors to manage medical emergencies when paramedic and medical assistance is not at hand. It aims to provide sailors and others with additional skills and knowledge to assist them in assessing and providing immediate and longer term management for casualties and illness in the marine environment.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly lecture series
On Wednesday 21st October, 2009 at 6:30pm the Queensland Olympic Council and A.C.E. Program, QAS will present the second workshop in The Public Athlete: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly lecture series.
