Harken Kidz Trials as part of Foiling Week
by Grant Pellew 14 Jan 2018 00:09 GMT
Super happy times on the water for the Harken Kidz Trials as part of Foiling Week © Martina Orsini
The Harken Kidz Trials as part of Foiling Week were a tremendous success for all. Not only did the lucky seven kids get to go foiling on Sydney Harbour, they were instructed ashore by none other than Andrew McDougall (Amac).
The lucky kids were:
Name Age Normal class sailed
Peter McLeod 15 Cherub
Natasha Walsh 14 Sabot / F11
Maxwell Yoshida 13 Sabot
Alannah Simpson 15 Hobie
Emma Rankin 18 NS14 / 49er FX / RPAYC Youth Development Program
Jessica O'Reilly 14 O'pen Bic
Curtis O'Reilly 13 O'pen Bic
The wind on Thursday did not really help out, but Amac gave a really good talk to the kids (plus a few extras and parents) on how foiling boats work and how to sail them. I hear Amac does not believe he is a good teacher, but after being there listening in on it all, I argue that point. He did a great job.
The day started with a walk around the club and boats for a tour of it all than lunch and straight into showing the kids how to rig the Waszp's with Amac. This included how to sail one with a Q&A. One part that amazed me were some of the answers the kids were giving him, we are talking about 13 year olds that are pretty smart and clued up on some of the physic's of sailing and foiling.
Friday arrived, and the wind looked perfect in the afternoon for the trials and as you can see, the kids got up and foiling out on the water. It was all accomplished without interfering with the 'Cock of the Harbour' course (one lap of the Harbour), which was to establish who was the fastest foiler on Sydney Harbour. Also multiple SuperFoilers were out practicing their racing in readiness for the start of their circuit next month.