Teenage twin brothers Henri and Miles Levenspiel of Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club are making some serious headway in the youth sailing scene. The 15-year-olds recently won the Victorian Youth Championship in April and have now been named finalists as the Young Team of the Year in the Victorian Sports Awards.
“We both were honestly pretty surprised – it’s not something we expected,” they said of the finalist nomination. “Just being nominated was already a huge honour, so to find out we were finalists was something special. We’re proud of what we’ve achieved this year in sailing, and to have that recognised in this way means a lot. “Even if we don’t win, we’re just really happy to be acknowledged alongside so many amazing young athletes.”
The boys’ journey into the sport began when their dad Bret took them out sailing as youngsters and showing them the ropes. “From the beginning, being on the water just felt natural – like it was where we were meant to be. Once we got into our own boat, we were hooked. We enjoy sailing the 29er because the boat is fast and challenging – it demands athleticism, coordination, and teamwork from both crew and skipper,” Henri and Miles said.
The pair said winning the junior division at the 2025 Australian 29er Championships and placing sixth overall in the open fleet at their home club had been their best achievement, especially racing against older and more experienced teams. Miles said every competition provided the opportunity to learn, as well as travel interstate many times to train and complete. But they said no matter the results the best highlights were making friendships and having fun along the way.
This month they also took part in a youth squad training camp in Sorrento, run by Sailing Australia, which brought together top sailors from across the country. “Our coach for the camp was 49er Olympian Jim Colley. We were very lucky to have the opportunity to work with Jim who will also be our coach at the 29er World Championships in August that will be in Portugal,” the brothers said.
The boys are also proud to have both been junior club captains and now teach younger kids to sail at the club. “Our achievements wouldn’t have happened without the support of SSCBC. From coaching to encouragement, they’ve always been there for us. The club has such a strong community, and we’re really proud to represent them when we sail,” they said. “There are many special people at SSCBC that have helped us grow from junior sailors to a youth/performance pathway including Olympian Tess Lloyd. Tess has been a very important part of our development and with her and the coaches at SSCBC we have learnt so much about sailing, friendship and having fun.”
Bret said he was “super proud” of his sons’ achievements. “Watching them grow through this sport has been incredible. The boys have had some wonderful role models along the way and it is great that they feel a sense of helping younger sailors,” he said. “Their journey has not come without setbacks, and we are proud of the way they represent themselves. The VicSport nomination is a special recognition, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes them next.”
The Vic Sports Awards, which has 18 categories, celebrates the achievements of home-grown sporting heroes at both a grassroots and high-performance level. The Victorian Sports Awards ceremony will be held on 14 May at the Melbourne Cricket Club.
First published in the Mornington News – 22 April 2025
