Father-son duo Wayne and Casey Bates battle for glory at the Musto Skiff 2025 Worlds
by International Musto Skiff Class Association 14 Dec 2024 15:51 GMT
Wayne Bates - 2017 Worlds © Bernardi Bibiloni
Father and son duo, Wayne and Casey Bates, will go head-to-head in Sydney for the Musto Skiff World Championships in January as they compete for family bragging rights, as well as overall position.
In the spirit of the Musto Skiff class, this will, of course, be some light-hearted, friendly competition to beat each other on the water, but a competition, nonetheless.
Getting to know the Batsey's....
Australian sailor Wayne ('Batesy') Bates is well known in the fleet both at home and across the water, having competed in several World Championships over the years, and most recently at the UK-hosted 2024 Worlds in Weymouth and Portland back in July.
An active member of Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron (BYS) in Victoria, Wayne has clocked up an impressive 11 seasons in his Musto Skiff, and at 57 years young, he will be competing in the Grand Master category for the 2025 Worlds.
Prior to the Musto Skiff, Wayne sailed in various classes, starting out in a Minnow at age six, before trying his hand at a Sabre, Thunderbird, Laser, 420, SB20, and J70. His son, Casey Bates (age 23), will be aiming for the top spot in the Youth category, which is set to be highly competitive, with some serious talent coming through the ranks in recent years. A chip off the old block, Casey also started sailing at a young age, getting his first sail in a Minnow at age seven. Casey has since sailed a Sabre, 420, 29er, 49er, and now the Musto Skiff.
Whilst we have not seen Casey on the Musto Skiff World stage since 2019 at Medemblik, he's been racing for six seasons in the class, and already has a couple of junior titles under his belt. Most recently, he made it onto the podium in third place at the hotly contested Victoria State Championships in October at Sandringham Yacht Club, standing alongside two former World Champions—Jon Newman and Matthias Houvenagel—so it's fair to say that Casey will be one to watch at the 2025 Worlds.
Ahead of the Musto Skiff 2025 Worlds in Sydney, which starts on the 2nd of January, we caught up with Wayne and Casey to find out what they're looking forward to most about racing on Sydney Harbour and if they have set any personal targets for the upcoming Championship.
The Musto Skiff is fun to sail, but it is also known for being a challenging boat to learn and master. Is there anything that you still find challenging about sailing it?
Casey: The overall boat handling of the Musto Skiff presents a challenge, but currently, my biggest struggle is keeping speed through my tacks and maintaining exit speed coming out the other side. The rest of the fleet, who have been sailing a lot longer than me, seem to have a better grasp on it, and it's something I need to work on.
Wayne: Sailing the Musto Skiff.
What do you enjoy most about sailing the Musto Skiff and being a part of the class?
Casey: The speed of the boat around the course is great fun, and the feeling you get flying downwind in 20 knots is indescribable, but nothing beats the fun nature of the fleet and having a debrief beer with the boys on the deck after a race.
Wayne: For me, I'd have to agree—the boat and the people in the class.
The 2025 Worlds is just weeks away now; how have you been preparing for it?
Casey: I recently got a new boat, which is helping me be more competitive in the fleet. We have also had a few regattas leading up to the Worlds, which has been a great opportunity to work on starts and mark roundings.
Wayne: Work for $ to pay for it.
The 2025 Worlds venue is Woollahra Sailing Club, which is situated overlooking Sydney Harbour. Have either of you sailed there before? What are you looking forward to most?
Casey: I sailed in Sydney Harbour once in the 420 Nationals. It makes for very difficult racing with the cliffs, wave swell, and ferries; however, having a large fleet on the water makes for great sailing, which I am most looking forward to. Numbers on the water is something we don't always get to enjoy, as our fleet has some growing to do in Australia.
Wayne: I actually just sailed around there, and I broke a trap rope. I ended up in casualty, but I didn't break my foot, luckily. I am most looking forward to catching up with mates.
There are a few good youth sailors making their mark in the class right now, including yourself, Casey. Great to see you on the podium at the recent Vic State Titles. How competitive do you think the youth category will be at the 2025 Worlds?
Casey: The youth numbers in the Australian Musto fleet are hard to expand and even harder to hold onto, with sailors finding it hard to make the leap into such a challenging boat. We have seen Hayden Harding and Harry Sly come in and out of the class, and they have made the youth category very competitive as we approach the Worlds. We also have Sam Backwell and Max Mckay, who will be chasing me down.
Finally, what are your predictions for this year's 2025 Worlds, and where are you both hoping to finish?
Casey: For me personally, I find it hard to predict any results as I feel I have only just become competitive in the fleet. I can finally hold my lane with good speed and push the start lines, and more recently, this is reflecting in good results for me. I will be pushing for a youth spot, but above all, I would love to feel like I have won a start or to be rounding the top mark with some small numbers ahead.
Wayne: For me, just getting around the course and not hitting any ferries!