Victorian gold rush

Britain’s Olympic champion Giles Scott as well as world #2 from the Netherlands Nicholas Heiner are spearheading the event and will be up against stiff competition, including amongst others current world number three Anders Pedersen from Norway, the winner of the “Ready Steady Tokyo” test event and 2018 World Champion Zsombor Berecz from Hungary as well as New Zealand’s world-class Finn duo of Andy Maloney and Josh Junior, who will all be vying for the world title.

For Australia’s best Finn sailors, including Rio Olympian Jake Lilley (QLD) as well as Melbourne local Oliver Tweddell (VIC) even more will be at stake with the event doubling up as the Tokyo 2020 Oceania qualifier and the final chance for Australia’s Finn sailors to secure Australia a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

International stars have also started to arrive for Sail Melbourne International and the Laser and Laser Radial World Championships in Sandringham in January with sailors to make the most of the Southern Hemisphere summer and take advantage of the competition and training opportunities in Australia between now and March 2020 and in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Among the Olympic Laser class competitors for the Australian Championships and Sail Melbourne, which both take place in January, are 2016 Olympic Champion and 2017 World Sailor of the Year, Marit Bouwmeester from the Netherlands as well as 2016 World Champion Alison Young (GBR).

The men’s events have also attracted some big names, with the three top-ranked Laser sailors in the World, Tokyo 2020 Australian Olympic Team sailor Matt Wearn (AUS), Rio 2016 Olympic champion Tom Burton (AUS) and Sam Meech (NZL) all signed up, along with 2015 and 2016 World Champion Nick Thompson (GBR).

The Sail Melbourne Summer of Sailing is expected to be the largest of gatherings of Olympic and international sailors ever in Melbourne with over 2,000 participants plus more than 2,500 affiliates expected to visit Victoria.

Held at Royal Brighton Yacht Club, the Summer of Sailing opening world championship will be followed by the 2020 Sail Melbourne International Regatta in January (17-21 January 2020), Australia’s annual premier event for Olympic and youth sailing.

Sail Melbourne International (SMI) is open to all Olympic sailing classes and sailors from around the world contesting the 2020 Summer of Sailing are expected to attend to make the most of Australia’s summer in preparation for the 2020 Olympic sailing season.

For 2020, Sail Melbourne International will also be acting as the Oceania Championships and Oceania Region Olympic qualifier for the Lasers with Australia already having secured both quota spots and with Matt Wearn (WA) selected as the Laser sailor to represent Australia in Tokyo next year, while the women’s Laser Radial is yet to be decided.

The 2020 Sail Melbourne International regatta will also include the Australian Kite-Foiling Championships, the class that will premiere on the Olympic program in Paris 2024.

In addition, the regatta will see Australia’s best para-sailors battling it out for national championships glory with Australia’s top sailors having confirmed their entries.

Sail Melbourne’ s Youth Classes will be incorporate into the Australian Youth Championships from the 10 -14 January, 2020 at Sorrento.

Sail Melbourne International will be followed by the Laser and Laser Radial World Championships in February, with sailors heading to Sandringham Yacht Club, while the 49er/FX- and Nacra 17 World Championships will be hosted by Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

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