Three generations of Manly Skiff Club royalty were on show as a clutch of emerging young sailors showcased their talent over a hectic weekend of competition.
Manly hosted the state titles across both days of last weekend, with heats four and five of the 13s and 16s club championships packed into an extremely busy programme.
Volunteers and the race committee excelled, managing dozens of boats, sailors, and supporters smoothly throughout the event.
Surnames synonymous with sailing at Manly—Williams, Windust, Cleary, Knapton, Jansen, Cameron, Smith, Harris—littered the results sheet as the best sailors in the Manly Junior class competed over six heats.
After the spray settled, another well-known sailing surname—Thomas—stood atop the podium. Cousins Baden and Hunter Thomas on Slipstream won the first five heats, claiming the NSW Manly Junior title before the sixth and final race even commenced.
These sailors hail from notable bloodlines, with their fathers—Ryan and Chris—being stalwarts of the Manly club and regular competitors in the 16s fleet.
Keeping it in the family, Baden’s sister Adeline teamed up with Hunter’s younger sibling Sophie aboard Red Hand, finishing third overall in the novice division.
To round out the familial connections, Hunter’s mother Bec is the daughter of Manly Skiff Club life member and sailing great John Munson, who proudly watched the events unfold.
Chris Thomas commented, “Many of the fathers have sailed Manly Juniors and it’s nice that we are now supporting the next generation. It’s such a great group involved in the Manly Junior class. Everyone is really friendly and supportive, creating a real family-type atmosphere. From Hunter’s perspective, it’s been an excellent start to sailing. He loves sailing with his cousin and is learning so much from him.”
They have also been successful, having won the state and national double last year, following in Baden’s brother Harrison’s footsteps, who won two years prior. Baden and Hunter aim to replicate that achievement this year.
Club commodore Michael Childs expressed admiration for what he witnessed during the event, stating, “Our junior sailing committee, led by Tim Lees and Teira Jansen, did an amazing job of utilising the club’s resources across all fleets. They are proactive and great to work with, and as a result, one of the busiest weekends on the club’s calendar went off seamlessly. It was truly satisfying to see multiple generations of sailors and families enjoying the club’s facilities while supporting sailing.”
Words Adam Lucius
Images SailMedia | Michael Chittenden
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