Australian Sailing has announced HERE that it has ceased running Australian Youth Championships. It will continue to run State Youth Championships once COVID-19 orders allow.
In their announcement AS say that clubs are at the centre of a sustainable future for youth sailing and that the development of a club based coaching program is a priority for them. They also say that resourcing will be dual focused;
- Helping to develop sailors so that they stay engaged at their club and remain lifelong members of our sailing community
- Provide opportunities for aspiring athletes to progress from club to national level
Following AS’s change ALCA will be placing additional emphasis on Youth at our Australian Championship events. The Laser Australian Championships already include Youth categories as cube events. These championships will become the selection event for the Laser sailors in the World Sailing run Youth Sailing World Championships and are and will remain the ranking events for applicants for all ILCA World Championships.
ALCA will rename the Australian Championships as Australian Laser Open and Youth Championships. Going forward these championships will always be run as separate events from the Masters while the Australian Laser Masters will be run as a separate annual event.
The Australian Open and Youth Championship 6 year rotation around the states will be unchanged though as previously advised the WA event at Fremantle SC due to COVID-19 will be postponed for one year.
The separate Australian Masters event will be held on a three year rotation around the east coast mainland states.
It is expected that with the greater focus on youth in the National Open and Youth Championships and with the increase in emphasis and numbers in the 4.7 at these events the Laser Nationals will continue to grow and prosper.
The separate National Masters events have always been popular and very well attended. ALCA considers that running more of these will increase Master’s participation and interest.
Following AS’s change ALCA will be placing additional emphasis on Youth at our Australian Championship events. The Laser Australian Championships already include Youth categories as cube events. These championships will become the selection event for the Laser sailors in the World Sailing run Youth Sailing World Championships and are and will remain the ranking events for applicants for all ILCA World Championships.
ALCA will rename the Australian Championships as Australian Laser Open and Youth Championships. Going forward these championships will always be run as separate events from the Masters while the Australian Laser Masters will be run as a separate annual event.
The Australian Open and Youth Championship 6 year rotation around the states will be unchanged though as previously advised the WA event at Fremantle SC due to COVID-19 will be postponed for one year.
The separate Australian Masters event will be held on a three year rotation around the east coast mainland states.
It is expected that with the greater focus on youth in the National Open and Youth Championships and with the increase in emphasis and numbers in the 4.7 at these events the Laser Nationals will continue to grow and prosper.
The separate National Masters events have always been popular and very well attended. ALCA considers that running more of these will increase Master’s participation and interest.
The rotation sequence for these events will be as follows:
Open & Youth | Masters | |
| Year | 1-8 January | February |
| 2021 | No Event | No Event |
| 2022 | WALA (Fremantle) | VLA (Venue TBA) |
| 2023 | NSW & ACT (Georges River) | NSW & ACT (Port Stephens) |
| 2024 | SALA | VLA |
| 2025 | QLA | QLA |
| 2026 | TDLA | NSW & ACT |
| 2027 | VLA | QLA |