Mackay Junior Sailors Impress at State Titles

Eight sailors from Mackay Yacht Club joined other juniors from Whitsunday and Townsville to make up the North Queensland Team competing at the State Sabot Championship, held in Yeppoon during the long weekend 12-14 June.

A long tradition splits Queensland Sabots on this weekend, between sailors south of Yeppoon and sailors north of Mackay.

The seven race competition was held in two days of light and variable winds which made for very tactical racing and was an advantage for the lighter crews. North Queensland and Mackay sailors performed well in many heats but not consistently enough to outdo South Queensland in overall scoring.

Mackay sailors Lucy Osborne with crew Sophie Osborne sailed their boat ‘Big Jam’ to third place in the Junior Sabot Handicap and Brendan Hoffman and Tyson Reynolds sailed their boat ‘Kiffer’ to second on handicap and fourth overall. Townsville sailor Sam Bartsch was North Queensland’s best Senior Sabot sailor placed at tenth, Whitsunday sailor Daniel Townsend placed eleventh and Mackay sailor Jack Turnbull placed thirteenth in the state. Also performing well with a high placing in heats were Dane Bulder, Tori Stephenson, Cody Steindl, Ben Osborne and Ty Stephenson.

The sailing was competitive and it was generally recognised by the regatta organisers and area committees that North Queensland sailors have the talent and desire to excel at the sport however are held back from lack of facilities. For example Mackay sailors’ traditional training area, the Mackay Sugar Port, has been closed to meet national security requirements. All the talent in the world won’t beat South Queensland if our sportspeople are not supported.

North Queensland Sabot Association and Mackay Yacht Club report an increasing interest in the Olympic sport of sailing, the concern by volunteers and organisers of the sport is that participants will move elsewhere or to other sports if they are not able to develop their full potential. Meanwhile Mackay sailors rated the Regatta very high and will be having another go next year.

North Queensland Sabot Team

Lucy & Sophie Osborne - Junior Sabot Handicap 3rd Place

Ty Stephenson & Dane Bulder return to shore

NQ Champion Sam Bartsch returning to shore

Part of the Fleet heading out to the course