The Australian National Youth Championships for the Bic Techno 293 concluded on 11th January. In the BIC Techno’s second appearance as the Windsurfing Class at this Championship the entries have increased from 5 to 9 with the Girls getting an event this year with 3 female entries. [more]The competitors came from 4 different states showing that windsurfing is spreading. In some states such as NSW there has been a massive push to boost the sport with a team of enthusiasts of the highest calibre with three time Olympian and former World Champion, Jessica Crisp, fronting a campaign to share her skills and knowledge with the next generation.
Jessica runs training and racing, along with her Beijing Olympics training partner in the RS:X, Janice Stolstrom from Norway and talented Coach, Jenni Bonnitcha. The team use different clubs around Sydney Harbour with training from MHYC on Tuesday and racing at DSC on Wednesdays, WSC on Thursdays and back to MHYC on Fridays followed by a BBQ. Jessica bought 12 One-Design Windsurfers and charters them out for $10, an unbelievable bargain when considering the level of coaching the sailors get! And it’s not just for the kids, many adults have been inspired to dig their old boards out of the garage and join in the fun.
Yachting Australia has also invested in windsurfing’s development with the purchase of 10 BIC Techno 293 boards that rotate around the states to enable learn to windsurf courses to run.
BIC Techno 293 Boys Winners:
1 Luke Baillie (QLD)
2 Tom England (VIC)
3 Eamon Robertshaw (WA)
BIC Techno 293 Girls Winners:
7 Joanna Sterling (QLD)
8 Rebecca Wyatt (NSW)
9 Emily Pettersson (WA)
