As a 17-year-old ILCA sailor from Australia, I’m gearing up for my first ILCA 6 Australian Nationals after months of intense preparation. The journey began after wrapping up my Year 11 exams in late November, the day after the state championships. Since then, my focus has shifted entirely to training and refining my skills for the upcoming nationals.
A great experience in my preparation was a pre-Nationals training camp hosted by the Mandurah Offshore Fishing and Sailing Club. A special thanks to them, as well as the support of ILCA Western Australia and the Ron Tough Yachting Association, for making this opportunity possible. Mandurah’s conditions closely resemble Adelaide, providing a practical and beneficial training ground for our weekend camp.
Following that, I embarked on a five-day training camp at Fremantle, honing my racing skills in preparation for the nationals. The intensity of the Kit Kat Cup added excitement to the process, with the thrill of winning three Kit Kats over the last two days – a truly prestigious achievement!!
I recently compared my first nationals last year, to the anticipation of this my second nationals. This time, I find myself in the ILCA 6, a larger sail class that suits my increased age, height (now 6 foot 2), and weight. This regatta provides me with the opportunity to compete with competitors beyond Western Australia, marking my first formal competition at this level against sailors from other regions in this rig.
It was exciting arriving at Adelaide Sailing Club as they are not only hosting these national events but also an ILCA World event later in January. So, there are a lot of boats here and soon many sailors to arrive to sail these boats!
With 88 boats in the fleet, the nationals will be split into two fleets of 44 boats each. After three days of mixed racing, the top half will advance to the gold fleet, while the bottom half moves to the silver fleet. This format adds pressure like the world championships (as I experienced in Greece earlier this year), emphasising the importance of consistent performance throughout the competition.
Reflecting on my previous experiences at nationals and worlds, I am excited for this event. Having settled into the venue through pre-event training, I feel more relaxed and confident to make better decisions on the water. Despite facing health challenges at the world’s competition, I’ve learned valuable lessons and am ready to tackle this year’s nationals with this new knowledge with me.
As I look forward to the nationals, I have so far enjoyed training with experienced ILCA sailors, ensuring that I am well-prepared for the challenges that lie ahead and very much looking forward to competing. Let’s Go!
I extend my gratitude to those who have supported me, this has assisted with the additional costs to arrive early to train and eased logistical costs. Thank you to the financial support of private donors, City of Cockburn, Royal Freshwater Sailing Club and the Ron Tough Yachting Foundation.
Charles Allen Toyn 