Selected ‘rising stars zodiac’ readings continue here: ► “TEAM LSQUARED”cont’d “On the first day of qualifying, we spent a few hours postponed ashore, then began with a moderate, westerly breeze that was shifty and flat but favoured us on the racecourse. Day 2 was consistent with quite different conditions: an easterly breeze which was more stable and lighter. The last day of qualifying saw challenging conditions and, despite dropping back a few places, we were still in great shape and — most importantly — qualified for Gold Fleet. “In the three days of finals, it was mainly a light choppy swell, which made it difficult to keep maximum speed. We kept pushing and were rewarded with consistent results and an exciting win, which was a real highlight. On the last day, conditions were fresh and we were postponed with 30 knots in the morning. As this eased, only Gold and Silver fleets went out to race. We managed to complete the last three races of the regatta in hectic conditions, including a massive swell coming in from the ocean and rain squalls rolling through all day. “We finished 10th overall. The points were very tight with only five points separating 5th to 10th! Overall, our performance included a qualifying race win, a Gold fleet win and multiple top-five finishes in both series. “The European 29er teams compete in large scale regattas multiple times a year — including six Eurocups, the European and World Championships, and other events like Kiel Week. They also regularly train in large squads. On the other hand, over the last two years, much of our training has been working on the basics. To be competitive in this fleet was very encouraging, and we would love the opportunity to sail regularly with these nations. “Overall, it was another amazing experience to race at this level. We have learnt so much and we encourage any RQYS Youth Squad crew to chase these opportunities if they can. “Thanks to all the support from the Squadron and everyone back home during the event as well as over the last two years!” KRIS BILSTON & ADDISON LESTER “We had the chance to compete in the 2024 Nacra 15 Open European Championships, in the Mediterranean waters off Cagliari in Sardinia. The 68-boat regatta was a chance to test ourselves in a big fleet and the countless on-water hours and hard work over the past year paid off and we’re both super proud! “For us, having never sailed in swell, this provided plenty of challenges and learnings but it was great to have the opportunity to train with sailors from different countries. Of the 18 races scheduled for the five-day regatta, only 13 could be completed due to the winds. The standard of racing was excellent, incredibly close throughout, and the scorecards were always changing. “With a building breeze of 12-18 knots for Day 1, we had a rough first race finding our groove in the waves and finished 13th, but with a 6th and 5th in Races 2 and 3 and nearly six hours on the water, we finished Day 1 in 13th overall. “Day 2’s strong winds saw us continue to improve, finishing with an 8th and 3rd in Races 4 and 5. For the final race of the day, the wave state was bigger, winds had picked up and it was a matter of keeping the boat moving and upright. We finished 2nd, and at the end of Day 2 we were 7th overall. “Day 3 began waiting for wind then, at the start of Race 7, we rounded the top mark in first and held a lead for the majority of the race until we hit a wave on the final top mark rounding during the bear-away and Kris went flying. Luckily, he saved himself (it made for a pretty awesome shot) and we kept racing, losing only one place and finishing 2nd. “It was a mix of highs and lows throughout the final days but we were extremely proud of our performance over the whole regatta. So much was learnt and gained over what was a pretty hectic week: we finished 5th overall and 3rd in the U19 team ... A big thank-you goes out to our sponsors and RQYS and our shore crew and families: none of this would have been made possible without you!” ASHLEE & BRAYDEN DAUNT “After nine weeks away in Europe, Brayden and I returned proud of and excited by the list of learnings we have been fortunate to bring home, including many firsts: • first time competing in Open International 470 events; • purchase of our first European boat; • first Sailing World Cup events; and • first chance to line up against world champions. “Our goal was to gain as much experience and learn as many hard lessons as possible against the best teams in the world. This, we believed, was a realistic goal and one that was achievable despite our lack of previous experience in such a high-quality fleet. “We embarked on our journey to Barcelona to set up our newly acquired 470 ( “Lewis”) before heading to our first event: the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma. We would then go on to compete in the French Olympic Week in Hyeres as part of the Qualified Nations fleet and the Open 470 Europeans in Cannes. “Each regatta had its fair share of variable conditions and challenges. Palma was unlike anything we had sailed previously: it was bay sailing but with swell that would stand right up when conditions permitted. Hyeres was windy with bay chop and an ominous Mistral [wind] lurking, which was both intimidating and thrilling for us first-timers. “Finally, to Cannes for the Open Europeans, where we were served light, shifty gradient breezes, flat water and warmer weather! This was our best event, given conditions were similar to our training back home. We were really able to apply some of our learnings, becoming more aggressive on the start line, focusing on doing the simple things right, and fighting hard for each and every place — even in some races at the top of the fleet! “Safe to say, the trip was a steep learning curve: it has made us respect our competitors – their skill and finesse is admirable. We continued to improve but acknowledge most of our work will need to be undertaken back home over coming months.” Mainsheet 2024 Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Yearbook 58 A zodiac of rising stars
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