SIX Mornington Yacht Club sailors are among 18 recipients of Victorian Institute of Sport’s Victorian youth scholarships for 2022/23.
The scholarships are awarded to athletes based on national and international performances.
The club’s marketing chair Peter Davey said the club’s strong representation was testament to its successful training and development program.
He said three of the six will now become a part of the Australian Sailing Futures Program, which recognises their potential to become Olympic sailors in the next four to eight years.
Recipients have access to coaching support and the training program includes regular gym work, medical and physiotherapy services.
The scholarship winners are:
Jack Eickmeyer, 17, who will represent Australia in the World Youth Championships in the Netherlands over winter.
Lachie Weber, 17, who ran a close second to Eickmeyer in the Laser class sail-off to select the club’s representative for the youth worlds.
Sophie Jackson, 22, a leader in the club’s sail training program and is a former Aero class world champion who is sailing in several World Cup events in Europe over winter as a member of the Australian Futures Program with the aim being selected for the Olympics mixed 470 dinghy class.
James Jackson, 17, Australian Sailing’s Australian Youth Sailor of the Year in 2021 and a former national titleholder in the 420 Class.
Lily and Matilda Richardson, 19, former Australian representatives in the world youth championships., they are now sailing in the 49er FX Olympic class as members of the Australian Futures Program and will compete in World Cup events in Europe in the next few months.
Mornington Yacht Club recently won the final of the Sailing Champions League Asia Pacific team competition and will compete in the world title in Germany later this year.
Davey said although the young sailors were reaching for the pinnacle of the sport, the club had programs to let people of all ages experience sailing, from TrySail, a free introduction for eight to 10 year olds, through to those wishing to get out on a Thursday evening for a fun race around the “sticks” on a keelboat.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 31 May 2022
