Largs Bay Yacht Club have successfully hosted the 60th International Cadet Australian Championships against the odds, in a time when they would have been forgiven for not going ahead.
The hosts managed to complete the full race program, reaching the lay day with 7 races and the customary 1st drop already in the bank. This was no easy feat given the tricky and generally light conditions of the first few days.
The new year brought plenty of wind, allowing for five more exciting races to be completed over the final two days.
It was clear that some of the SA fleet had been practicing, with local crew Zane Chaplin and Will Clough on Endgame enjoying the light to medium conditions on the first few days. Fellow locals Darcy Conry and Eamon Chaplin on Stoked fought their way in to contention on day three, with back to back wins. Last years runners up Max and John Sturman from Port Lincoln remained in close contention heading in to the rest day.
The wind strengthened for the final two days of racing and some teams performances improved dramatically in the fresher breeze, most notably Emma Suda and Harrison Jones on Tsunami who strung together some great races, including two race wins to surge in to the top ten. Evie McDonald and Matilda Groves on Tempest also found their groove and the podium in three of the last five races, including victory in the final race.
Overall, it was the experienced sailors filling the top 8 spots at the end, with the title going to last years runners up, the Sturman brothers from Port Lincoln.
Congratulations to the Victorian sailors who made the top ten, Spitfire 3rd, Aquilo 5th , Resistance 7th, Tsunami 9th and Little Devil 10th .