The Australian Sailing Team’s (AST) ILCA program is built on a legacy of excellence, underpinned by world-class athletes, a strong squad culture, and elite equipment. As the focus shifts to the LA 2028 Olympic Games, the AST is proud to announce the continuation of its partnership with Element 6 Evolution as the exclusive supplier of ILCA equipment to the national squads.
Australian Sailing Technical Director and three-time Olympic gold medal-winning ILCA coach Michael Blackburn highlighted the value of the partnership, “Element 6 will be providing our squads with reliable access to world-class ILCA equipment. Their commitment to quality and consistency helps remove variables so our athletes can focus purely on performance.”
Blackburn went on to explain why the collaboration continues to be so successful, “Our athletes love sailing Element 6 boats because they can trust them – straight out of the wrapper. The build quality is exceptional, the boats are consistent over time, and they perform again and again. That level of confidence in our gear makes a real difference at the top level.”
For dual Olympic gold medallist and two-time World Champion Matt Wearn, the partnership has played a key role in his rise to the top.
“Element 6 have been a huge part of my journey over the past four years,” said Wearn. “Their boats are fast, consistent, and built to the highest standard. When you’re racing at the top of the fleet, you need to trust your equipment completely and with Element 6, I know I can.”
On the continued partnership, John Higman, Chief Commerical Officer of Element 6 Evolution shared, “At Element 6 we are really excited to be partnering with Australian Sailing again for this Olympic cycle. We are honoured to be a partner to a team with such an incredible record in the ILCA class, and we truly appreciate the professional approach that Australian Sailing and the AST demonstrate.”
Higman added, “It’s inspiring to see these world-class athletes sailing the Element 6 ILCA on the global stage. We look forward to supporting the team and celebrating their continued success.”
Beyond supporting the National Squad, Element 6 Evolution is also helping develop the next generation of champions. Athletes in the Australian Sailing Futures program will benefit from significant equipment discounts, easing the pathway to elite competition and ensuring consistency of equipment as our future champions develop through the pathway.
The AST’s ILCA program is further supported by Ziegelmayer Handelsgesellschaft mbH and Negrinautica, who continue to provide critical logistics and storage services during the team’s European campaigns.
As the road to LA 2028 gathers momentum, this ongoing collaboration ensures that Australia’s top ILCA sailors remain well equipped to chase their Olympic dream.
ENDS
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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.
About Element 6 Evolution
Element 6 Evolution build winning performance boats for world class athletes and high-end composite parts for industry leaders. They offer a complete service from concept to final product. Their highly adaptive expertise covers product design, composite prototyping and production including build concepts, tooling and mould design and manufacture, part production, assembly and fit-out for series production and one-offs.
Media Contact
Lisa Darmanin – Australian Sailing Team Communications & Brand Lead
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