ILCA Championship & Australian Open & Youth Championship – BOOK YOUR TRANSPORT NOW !! to Tasmania – protected space on Spirit of Tasmania for the 2026 ILCA Australian Open & Youth Championship is due to be released on 14/10/2025 – this date coincides with the event early bird entry.
Bookings can still be made for this event subject to passenger and vehicle availability.
ILCA Australia’s Solidarity Program has won the Australian Sailing Queensland 2025 SHE SAILS award.
The ILCA Australia Solidarity Program, initiated in 2022 by AusILCA Vice President John d’Helin, encourages young female sailors under 16 to transition to youth classes via the ILCA 4 pathway.
With fantastic help from PSA and Australian Sailing the program offers one female sailor from each Australian state, plus representatives from New Zealand and Pacific Island nations, free entry to the Australian Championship, a race-ready ILCA 4, a dedicated coach, and team gear. Costs are shared by ILCA districts, hosts, and sponsors.
Since 2023, 21 girls have participated, fostering growth, friendships, and success, including international competition and positive community impact.
The penny has dropped with Dan Slater three times New Zealand Olympic representative and Olympic coach. Dan in his open letter here reflects on the rapid growth and huge international and Olympic success being achieved particularly in Europe which he attributes to near universal adoption of ILCA 4 as the transition class from junior sailing.
In New Zealand while acknowledging the legacy of the NZ native Starling youth boat Dan calls for a change placing the ILCA 4 at the heart of New Zealand’s youth sailing future. He is taking action to bring this much needed change about in NZ.
In Australia we are taking strides to emulate the success of the European nations in the class in terms of participation and performance. Unlike in NZ Australian Sailing is ramping up support for the ILCA 4 as the transition class from Opti to senior sailing but we can, and should, all do more.
ILCA production underway at PSA’s new production facility at Morisset, NSW
On 27 August 2025 ILCA announced that it has withdrawn Australian ILCA builder PSA’s builder approval following what they say are contractual breaches by PSA.
To date under a transition agreement with ILCA PSA has been building using Kirby Laser moulds. The interim arrangement was to allow the new owners of PSA to continue production while establishing their new factory facilities and allow time to receive and commission the new ILCA supplied moulds and jigs. The time for this transition it seems has elapsed.
ILCA say that they will not be issuing any new World Sailing (WS) plaques to PSA but that all PSA boats already built carrying an official WS plaque are fully class legal. There is no suggestion that the PSA built boats are in any way defective.
Though ILCA does not elaborate in their post the contract breach is understood to relate to PSA’s reluctance to move to building ILCA boats using new ILCA supplied moulds and joining jigs. This equipment is made from a common source on the Isle or Wight UK and is the same as supplied to, and used by, all the other nine ILCA builders around the World.
PSA have posted here pointing to differences between the new ILCA supplied moulds as used by the other nine builders and their own moulds based on Kirby Laser tooling used by PSA since 1998. PSA present their view that the new ILCA tooling is “inconsistent with the one-design principle and the contractual technical documentation” of the ILCA class.
PSA further say that they “will continue as planned with its sponsorship of ILCA Oceania, including the 2026 solidarity program in Tasmania, and the ILCA Under 21 Worlds in Melbourne in 2027”. ILCA Australia is very appreciative of this ongoing support from PSA for our class and events.
We hope that a way can be found for PSA to resume building class legal boats in their now established fabulous factory at Morisset.
Isaac Schotte in action on Day 2 of U21 Worlds – Photo by David Branigan/Oceansport
The ILCA Under 21 Worlds on Dublin Bay have concluded. The vent was joint hosted by National Yacht Club and Royal St. George YC in Dun Laoghaire. There were 73 women and 139 men competing.
The Men’s was won by German sailor Ole Schweckendiek from Queensland sailor Isaac Schotte. Isaac was in with a chance counted five race wins but a swim in race 7 and the mainsheet knot coming undone in race 9 put him just out of range. He finished with a flurry with 1,1,8 in the last three races. Early leader Tasmanian Eddie Reid had his lead cut with a bad race and a BFD but finished with a bullet in the final race to take fourth.
In the Women’s event Netherlands sailor Roos Wind had a comfortable win counting four wins and two second places and only one bad race to be dropped. Team Italy were very strong lead by Emma Mattivi who finished second. Queensland sailor Frances Beebe had a very strong finish posting 2,2,1,1 in the last four races to finish 3rd. Evie Saunders from Manly Sydney had a very consistent series to finish close to the podium in 5th. WA’s Lili Mcaullay was 22nd.
The women’s results are Here
The men’s results are Here
Photos of all the action by David Branigan/Oceansport are Here
Australian Sailing (AS) have decided to resume selecting and part supporting an Australian team for the World Sailing Youth World Championships (YSWC) starting with the 2025 event in Vilamoura, Portugal 12-20 December 2025.
The YSWC is a major international event for sailors aged 12-18. One female and one male sailor will represent their country in ILCA 6 with other classes 420, 29er, Kitefoil, and Nacra.
Under the new AS arrangements participation is self funded with AS estimating a cost of $10,000. Sailors interesting in winning selection for this event should place an expression of interest on the AS web site at https://www.sailing.org.au/events/299011# before 21 September 2025. AS have published their Selection Guidelines Here.
Due to the timing of the events AS will base their selection for 2025 YSWC on performance achieved at the NSW Youth Sail Sailing Championships 4-6 October 2025 at Toronto ASC. In future years AS will base their selection on the performance at the preceding Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships i.e. for 2026 on 2026 Championships 1-8 January in Hobart. The Hobart event is also the Ranking event for all 2026 ILCA World Championships except Masters which is based the separate 2026 Australian National Masters.
As ILCA members we are well off with seven World Championships throughout our three rigs for sailors from 13 to 85 years of age. That and two Olympic events, no other class offers this.
Hi female youth sailors. Applications close on September 1st for the 2026 ILCA 4 Solidarity Program, Hobart Tasmania
If you are aged between 13 & 16 years on Jan 1st, 2026, then you may be eligible for your Australian State Solidarity spot. This is what’s on offer:
You will join a squad comprising one girl from each Australian State plus one from NZ & a Pacific Island. The total package is worth more than $3000.00.
Successful applicants will fund their own travel & accommodation.
Details of the program, eligibility and selection are in the document Here.
Applicants must submit the ILCA Oceania Youth Solidarity Program Application Form on or before 1 September 2025.
Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to sail in Hobart & make loads of new friends.
Down Under Team ILCA 4 Youth Worlds – SailCoach Photo
The ILCA 4 Youth Worlds were run 19-16 July at Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club, Los Angeles USA.
The Australian team consisted of 7 girls and 7 boys.
Olivia Aitken, Zoe Allen, Sophie Borner Harrison, Ruby Carter, Sophia Homes, Zoe Jackson, Charlotte Jenkins
Wilbur Bright, Thomas Cooper, James Dale, Murray Duthie, Tucker Mckeon, Raphael Mclachlan, Callum Simmons
There were 140 boys and 100 girls competing in the 12 race qualifying and final series.
The first two days were light-moderate and included one race with a marathon 90 minute first work. The others days saw very good sailing conditions and all races completed to schedule.
There is an excellent competitors eye view of the event by DBSC sailor Charlotte Jenkins Here.
The Event Web Site is Here. Full results of the event are Boys Girls
Raphael Mclachlan In Action ICA 4 Youth Worlds
Ethan McAullay tacking away from the strong GBR contingent – Photo by Simone Staff
Australian Sailing Team & Squad took the opportunity to gain valuable experience and information on the 2028 Olympic track at the LA Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 12-20 July in California. The event saw variable conditions with some tricky light winds challenging the sailor’s.
In the 44 boat ILCA 6 fleet Ireland’s Eve McMahon managed the conditions best. The four Australians were headed by Zoe Thomson 7th with Mara Stransky 11th,
In the ILCA 7s GBR sailors Elliot Hanson and Michael Beckett showed a clean pair of heels to the 52 boat fleet. There were five Australians with Ethan McAullay best finishing 6th. Full results are at https://www.longbeachocr.org/en/default/races/race-resultsall
Michael Heath passed away on 3rd July after a long battle with cancer. Survived by wife Pamela and children Dougal, Sophie and Olivia Michael loved sailing Lasers and did so for over 40+ years starting late in his 30’s. He was a great character in the class.
Michael purchased one of the original Lasers (sail number 1032) to arrive in Australia in the early seventies. He sailed as an Apprentice (one of two Australians entrants) in the first International Laser Masters Championship on Ile de Bendor (Bandol, France) in 1980 and in many subsequent National and International events.
Michael loved passing on his knowledge of all things Laser to younger sailors. In recognition of Michaels contribution to Laser sailing in Victoria and as a Master sailor representing the state and nation interstate and overseas the Michael Max Heath Perpetual Trophy for Standard Grand Master Australian Champion was commissioned and first awarded in 2016.
Michael Heath left along with Graham Oborn, Barry Waller, Rob Lowndes, Andrew White, Max Ryan, Lew Carter, Paul Millsom, Stumpy Keir and Colin Lovelady 30 years ago at 1995 Laser World Masters at Santa Cruz de Tenerife
The South Pacific Laser Masters is on again at Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, Manly between 25th and 28th July.
The event will be preceded by the traditional ILCA Forum on the evening of Thursday 24th July.
RQYS, QILCA and Kerry Waraker always put on a great event and the weather is pretty well guaranteed to be better than anywhere further south.
NoR for the event is Here. You can enter online Here. The event web site is RQYS web site.
Casey Imeneo in Action at Kiel Week – Photo by Saskia Johannsen
Six women and eight men competed in the just completed high profile Kiel Week Regatta in Germany.
In the 88 boat ILCA 6 event Casey Imeneo came back from a terrible day one to finish 6th ahead of Elyse Ainsworth 9th and Mara Stransky 10th and Zoe Thomson 11th. Sylvie Stannage was 15th so a great result for the Australian team. Anna Munch DEN had the event won before the medal race from Maria Erdi HUN and Emma Plasschaert BEL.
In the 148 boat ILCA 7 event Michael Compton and Ethan McAullay both made the medal race and finished 9th and 10th. Zac Littlewood recovered from a BFD early in the event to finish 16th one place ahead of early series leader Lawson McAullay. Italy dominated at the top of the table with Lorenzo Chiavarni and Dimitri Peroni finishing way ahead in that order.
Over 90 current and past Laser sailors enjoyed a long lunch reunion at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club Newport NSW on Sunday 8 June.
The lunch was organised and MCed by Andrew York and concluded with a Q & A with hugely successful Olympic sailor, coach and six times Laser Australian Champion Michael Blackburn.
The guests at the lunch included many World and National Laser Champions in Open, Women’s and Master’s events dating back to the 1970′s. Most are still actively sailing all sorts of racing and recreational boats with many still seeking to add to (or start) their cube collections.
The day saw many a recollection of events around the country and the world competing and enjoying company and memorable experiences. Rob Lowndes’ compiled candid event photos screened on the day.
Photos from last century
Photos from this century
For folks who want to recall and those merely interested in the detail the NSW & ACT Archive page here has links to World Championship results and 1974 to 2007 Lasernews newsletters.
Australian Championships results are on our ILCA Australian Championships web site Results page here.
The 2027 ILCA Under 21 World Championships will be held 10-17 January 2027 at Sandringham Yacht Club, Victoria.
The event is for ILCA 6 women and ILCA 7 men at least 17 but not yet 21 years old in calendar 2027.
For all World Championships there are limited places available for Australian sailors and applications are ranked based on the results of the previous Australian Championships. For the 2027 ILCA Under 21 Worlds at Sandringham the ranking event is the 2026 Oceania & Australian Championships 1-8 January in Hobart.
How Worlds ranking works for Australian sailors is covered on our Worlds Ranking page https://ilca.au/worlds-qualification/.
If sailors don’t compete in the ranking event they can still apply for Worlds entry but will be ranked after all the sailors who do compete in the ranking event.
Applications are now open for the 2026 ILCA Oceania Youth Solidarity Program for ILCA 4 girl sailors from Australia, New Zealand and some Pacific Island countries. The objective of the program is to actively promote the ILCA 4 class to clubs as the logical transition class for junior and youth sailors.
Each ILCA Oceania and Australian District will select one youth female sailor, who will receive free entry, a fully equipped charter boat and coaching at the 2026 Oceania & Australian Open and Youth ILCA Championships to be held from 1-8 January 2026 at Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Hobart, Tasmania.
Details of the program, eligibility and selection are in the document Here.
Applicants must submit the ILCA Oceania Youth Solidarity Program Application Form on or before 1 September 2025.
Each ILCA District will arrange the signing of a Parent/Guardian Consent Form Here for their selected sailor.
You can read Amelia Thorne NSW & ACT Solidarity sailor’s review of the the 2025 program Here.
Production underway in new Morisset factory & new ILCAs ready to ship to a NZ customer
Performance Sailcraft Australia (PSA now a division of global Performance Marine Group) is back in production in their new purpose built factory at Morisset. They have ramped production including for a single order of 10 new boats for a New Zealand customer.
Under new ownership PSA has already provided charter boats for Oceania sailors selected for our Solidarity Program at 2025 Championships in Brisbane. New PSA owner Nick Ogden has agreed to ongoing support for this initiative.
Nick proudly showed his new facility to ICLA Australia & Oceania Chair and ILCA World Council member Ken Hurling at a visit in May.
On the visit Ken said he “We are very pleased to have PSA back in production in this world class facility. This is due to Nick and Jo Ogden’s vision, resources and persistence to overcome a number of hurdles in the transfer of ownership and continuation as an ILCA builder.”
Ken added “ILCA Australia & ILCA Oceania look forward to continued co-operation with PSA to advance the sailing of ILCAs in our region with a world class local builder.”
Shopfront at new PSA facility with some sample products on display
