Australia has won the past four Olympic gold medals in the men’s one-person dinghy event. The Australian Sailing Team’s National Squad will compete on the waters of the Port of Los Angeles, where they aim for a fifth gold medal and to continue their remarkable legacy.
The San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta began today, featuring fourteen Australian competitors among 137 boats across the ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 classes. This marks the first international Olympic Classes Regatta on the LA2028 racecourse in San Pedro, following the squad’s prior experience at last week’s North American ILCA Championships.
Double Olympic Champion Matt Wearn emphasised the importance of familiarising oneself with an Olympic racecourse, stating that they have experienced a range of conditions during their two-week preparation. Wearn noted, “We have had everything from 0 to 20 knots, so we are getting the full experience.”
He further explained, “It’s always really important to spend as much time as possible on the Olympic waters to build confidence in the conditions. By having the time here this year, we can go home, look for similar conditions to train in, and then come back and see the improvement next time.”
The regatta will feature racing both inside and outside the seawall, offering distinct racecourses, each with its unique challenges. Paris 2024 Olympian Zoe Thomson, who is one of seven Australians in the ILCA 6 fleet, remarked on the venue’s character. She shared that the training has been invaluable, noting that the seabreeze tends to favour one side, with downwinds being open but slightly choppy. Thomson believes that familiarity with the sailing conditions and environment will provide a significant advantage as the Games approach.
“I think if we can feel comfortable and become locals both on and off the water, it will be a big advantage in two years’ time,” she stated.
The San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta runs from 19–24 July and marks another important milestone on the path to LA2028.
Full list of entries can be found here
Australian Sailing Team (AST), Australian Sailing Squad (AS Squad), Australian Sailing Futures (ASF),State Sailing Performance Program (SSPP) and other Australian (AUS) entries at the San Pedro Olympic Classes Regatta:
ILCA6 (67 entries)
Elyse Ainsworth (AST)
Mara Stransky (AST)
Zoe Thomson (AST)
Casey Imeneo (ASF)
Evie Saunders (ASF)
Francess Beebe (AUS)
Sylvie Stannage (AUS)
ILCA7 (70 entries)
Matt Wearn (AST)
Ethan McAullay (AST)
Zac Littlewood (AST)
Michael Compton (AS Squad)
Lawson McAullay (AS Squad)
Isaac Shotte (AS Squad)
Alexander Bijkerk (SSPP)
Follow the Australian Sailing Team
Web: www.australiansailingteam.com.au
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Facebook: @aussailingteam
About Australian Sailing
Australian Sailing is the governing body for the sport of Sailing in Australia. We are responsible for the administration, promotion and development of sailing. We are a member-based organisation that represent the interests and provides services and support to over 360 clubs across Australia as well as more than 160 accredited Discover Sailing Centres.
The Australian Sailing Team is the national representative team for Olympic-class sailing, bringing together Australia’s elite athletes and rising stars through a unified high-performance pathway within Australian Sailing.
Lisa Darmanin – Australian Sailing Team Communications & Brand Lead
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