Future Shines Bright as Young Aussies Medal at ILCA U21 Worlds

by Lisa Darmanin / Australian Sailing Team 1 Sep 06:24 BST 22-29 August 2025

Australia's next generation of sailing talent has made its mark on the world stage, with Isaac Schotte claiming silver and Frances Beebee finishing with a bronze medal at the ILCA Under 21 World Championships. Their strong performances were backed up by teammates Eddie Reid, who finished fourth in the ILCA7, and Evie Saunders, who placed fifth in the ILCA6.

On the ground in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, Australian Sailing High Performance Pathways Manager Haylee Outteridge was there to support and observe the young squad throughout six days of challenging racing.

"There were mostly moderate winds throughout the regatta," Outteridge explained. "The first two days saw onshore breezes with short chop, before switching to offshore winds for the rest of the week. Strong currents in Dublin Bay also played a big role in the racing, particularly on the start line. The conditions demanded both physical endurance and disciplined race-day processes."

The Australian Sailing Futures program was bolstered by the expertise of double Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn who coached the ILCA7 men, with ILCA6 National Squad Coach Mikael Lundh coaching the women.

"It was fantastic having Matt and Mikael here working with the Performance Pathways athletes," said Outteridge. "Matt is not only an elite athlete, but also an amazing role model for the next generation of Australian sailors. His presence and professionalism at the U21 Worlds reinforced the Australian Sailing Team values and commitment to perform when it counts.

"It was a special opportunity for the Pathways athletes to work with Matt and Mikael, a fantastic display of teamwork and integration within the Australian Sailing High Performance program."

On what these results mean for these young sailors Outteridge noted, "The performances we've seen this week are the product of years of work in their daily training environments with coaches and performance teams."

"There are some mixed emotions from the athletes, as there were plenty of points left on the racecourse. However, they've displayed a good foundation of skills and speed and are driven to continue to close the gaps to the senior fleet."

The Australians leave Ireland with confidence and a clear sense of the next steps in their journey. Returning to their daily training, the lessons learned at the U21 Worlds will fuel their development and keep them firmly on track towards a home Olympic Games in Brisbane 2032.

Australian Sailing Pathway Team (ASPT), Australian Sailing Futures (ASF) and other Australian (AUS) results in the 2025 ILCA European Championships:

ILCA 6 - 73 Entries
3rd - Frances Beebe (ASF)
5th - Evie Saunders (ASPT)
22nd - Lili McAullay (AUS)

ILCA 7 - 139 Entries
2nd - Isaac Schotte (ASF)
4th - Edward Reid (ASF)
59th - Hamish Gilsenan (AUS)
78th - Max Sturman (AUS)
79th - Patrick Cummin (AUS)
86th - Xavier Bates (AUS)
106th - Charles Allen Toyn (AUS)

Find the full results here.