Ready for action
Six Aussie sailors are ready to compete in the 2022 ILCA 6 World Championships, with twelve races to prove their calibre.
11 October 2022
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A high calibre competition is set to line-up for the start of the ILCA 6 World Championship in Kemah, Texas.
Six Australian sailors are ready for action as they take on 86 competitors over the next six days of racing.
It’s a loaded fleet, with all three Tokyo medallists back in the game. Anne Marie Rindom (DEN), Josefin Olsson (SWE) and Marit Bouwmeester (NED) are all returning in a campaign towards Paris 2024.
Alongside the Olympic medallist is the 2021 World Championship podium ready to battle it out on Galveston Bay, with Belgian sailor Emma Plasschaert here to defend her title together with 2021 podium finishers Agata Barwińska (POL) and Viktorija Andrulyte (LTU).
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Following on from a preparation camp in Brisbane, the Australian Sailing ILCA6 Squad has been in Texas for just over a week as they prepare for racing in local conditions.
National co-coach, Ben Walkemeyer will be supporting the squad over the regatta and agrees the competition is looking tough but is confident the squad it ready to perform.
“The competition is looking pretty big, this is really the first full Worlds fleet with all the big players back after the Tokyo Olympics since before COVID disruptions,” Walkemeyer explained.
“It’s an exciting one for our squad, the girls are in a really good place going into this regatta where they’ve put in a lot of hard work this year and broken through on a lot of levels, so it’s exciting for them to see what they can deliver in the fleet here.”
The Australian sailors echoed their coaches’ sentiments, with WAIS athlete Zoe Thomson sharing, “I can’t wait to get out and race, it’ll be six days of tough racing but that’s exactly what we’ve prepared for.
“It feels like this is the best our team has worked together, so it is exciting to now go out to individually perform.”
Fellow Western Australian, Elyse Ainsworth added, “This is a very stacked event, I can’t think of any big names that are missing, however, the vibes are good and I’m just eager to get racing and have some fun.”
The fleet will be split into two for the first three days of racing, followed by a gold and silver fleet for the final series. Twelve races are scheduled to take place over the championship.
With racing expected to kick off at 12:00 local time, Australian Sailing Squad athlete, Casey Imeneo put it best, “It’s time to set out and take it on.”
Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (ASS), Australian Sailing Futures and other Australian (AUS) entries:
Laser Radial (86 Boats)
Mara Stransky (AST)
Elyse Ainsworth (ASS)
Casey Imeneo (ASS)
Zoe Thomson (ASS)
Evie Saunders (ASF)
Sylvie Stannage (AUS)
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