Following the announcement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week, confirmed the introduction of Foiling Boards in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. This announcement delivered highly anticipated racing for the Foiling class sailing during Sail Sydney.

Sail Sydney was a highlight regatta for the Foiling boards, with strong interest and high participation numbers from both Male and Female competitors. The excitement for the Foiling Board class was illustrated in the shift from Techno registrations to Foiling boards.

Arthur Brett, the National Pathways Foiling Board Coordinator, was on hand to deliver a Foiling clinic to sailors registered for the event. Given Sail Sydney was the first major foiling regatta, the Pre-Foiling Camp gained interest for interstate sailors from Western Australian and Queensland to attend.

The overall winner in the women’s division Samantha Costin- QAS/QLD

“I came to Sail Sydney with no expectations, the goal was to go racing against other fellow Foiling Sailors for me it was worth its weight in gold, being able to race against other sailors helps me benchmark my training both on and off the water.  From this regatta, I can go home and analyse the racing, tactics and work on the next steps for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.” Said Samantha Costin.

In the men’s division, Grae Morris NSWIS/NSW who has come thought the Techno Pathway and selected for the 2020 Youth Worlds to represent Australia in Brazil this year finished 1st Place in the Foiling Boards followed by Caelin Winchcombe (WA) and Will McMillian (NSW).

“Everyone sailed well today. I think being out here with the wind and the waves shows how everyone has improved over the years. We have a great training team going on here in NSW. Many of my training partners have jumped over from the Techno, and other sailors from WA have moved over from Lasers and 420, so I guess they must be loving going faster.

Congratulations to Will McMillian he put a great fight out there. For all of us, it takes time when moving onto something that goes 20 knots in no wind, if you're not falling you're not sending it hard enough as we like to say!” said Grae Morris

In the Techno 293+ Mitch Kruse finished in 1st Place, Samuel Ezra in 2nd and Nicolas Livermore First Female was Georgia O’Shea.

For the Techno 293 the over winners are 1st Place Charlotte Wormald, 2nd Andre Chreiski and 3rd Roan Tucker.

Above image credit: Beau Outteridge

For more information on the 2020 Sail Sydney Regatta including full results, visit: www.sailsydney.org.

All photos credit: Beau Outteridge