⛵ Plenty happening in the Olympic sailing world right now, with the ILCA European Championships set to get underway tomorrow in Croatia 🇭🇷🔥
Hear from 🇦🇺 Mara Stransky and Ethan McAullay ahead of the event as Australia’s top ILCA sailors prepare to take on Europe’s best.
Read the full preview on our website 🔗 link in bio
@austsail | @theais_ | @ausolympicteam | @zhikglobal | @ronstansailing | @element6evolution | @bandgsailing
2 from 2 at the @sailinggrandslam for 2026!!
Hyeres delivered like Hyeres always does. We had just about everything this week making for some great racing.
Although I am happy with my performance and how this campaign has started I can't help but feel frustrated after these last 2 events. As an athlete you are expecting there to be certain guidelines and expectations from organisers that you need to follow but these last 2 events have felt like the disconnect between the 2 couldn't be greater.
I will start with the cost. 450€ (740 aussie) to enter each event to me is out of control. We had 200 ILCA 7's alone at both regattas so you can do the math. For that cost we get extremely poor communication both before and during the event. NOR'S and SI's that are being changed multiple times a day in the weeks leading up to the event with quite sizable changes. "Measurement" inspections which start a day before the event officially starts (some people hadn't even arrived yet). The kicker on all these changes is if we miss something or don't turn up on time we as athletes get penalised.
Apart from the usual great work that the external media teams from the likes of Sailing Energy do we have absolutely zero live media coverage. You would imagine for entry cost we would at least have a half working tracking system so people can follow along.
Numerous times over the 2 events I have tried to find the right people to discuss my concerns and get some answers to the questions that all the sailors are asking each other in the boat park but not once have I succeeded in finding these people. Are they at the events at all??
I am legitimately concerned about where our sport is heading in the Olympic world and I would hate to see its demise at this level. We have some great athletes doing what they can to bridge the gap to the organisers but time and time again it doesn't seem to make a difference. Surely the athletes should be the priority here because without them there is no sport.
If you read this far thank you! I apologise for the rant and this isn't usually my thing but enough is enough and we need to see change.
📸 @sailingenergy
DAY 6 REPORT | FRENCH OLYMPIC WEEK 🇫🇷⛵️
That’s a wrap in Hyères, with a strong finish for the Australians in flat water and full send today 🇦🇺
🥇 Matt Wearn claims gold in the ILCA7, backing up his Palma win
🥈 Laura Harding & Annie Wilmot secure silver in the 49erFX — their first medal as a pair
Today across the other fleets
• Harry Price & Max Paul finish 6th in the 49er backing up their 4th place in Palma
• Ethan McAullay 7th in ILCA7 showing depth in the Aussie squad
• Brin Liddell & Rhiannan Brown pushing hard in the Nacra 17 and finishing 7th
And of course yesterday's highlights
🥇 Grae Morris takes gold in the iQFOiL
• Breiana Whitehead 9th in Formula Kite
A full range of conditions tested the fleet all week, but the team delivered when it counted 💪 Read the full wrap 👆 link in our bio
📷 Photos @sailingenergy / FFVoile
@austsail | @theais_ | @ausolympicteam | @zhikglobal | @ronstansailing | @element6evolution | @bandgsailing
DAY 4 REPORT | FRENCH OLYMPIC WEEK ⛵🇫🇷
Chop, breeze and a whole lot of grit in Hyères today 🌊 15–18 knots rolled through, but it was the relentless chop that stole the show, fun for the ILCAs 😄, seriously testing for the skiffs and Nacras 😬⛵️
Aussie highlights 🇦🇺⬇️
Grae Morris leads iQFOiL 🔥
Matt Wearn leads ILCA 7, with Ethan McAullay charging to 6th ⬆️
Laura Harding & Annie Wilmot now lead the 49erFX 🥇
Brin Liddell & Rhiannan Brown up to 4th in the Nacra 17 🙌
Brei Whitehead climbs to 6th in Formula Kite 💥
Zoe Thomson slips to 8th but still right in the fight ⚔️
Harry Price & Max Paul sitting 8th overall in the 49er ⛵️
Matt Wearn summed it, "The last two days have gone well, nice to have a bit more breeze and be hiking. It wasn’t as windy as expected, but the waves really built, which suited us. It was shifty and tricky, so it wasn’t straightforward. You had to keep your head out of the boat and think your way around, you couldn’t just put your head down and send it one way."
What’s next ⏭️
Final Series begins for iQFOiL & Formula Kite, with top 10 heading into Friday’s showdown 🔥 Grae will head straight through to Grand Final, with Brei fighting from the Quarter Final.
The rest of the fleets get one more crack at fleet racing before finals on Saturday
And a change on the cards… 👀 Lighter 10–12 knots SW forecast, building to 16-18 from the west, but with a much calmer sea state 😌
Game on 💪
Full results - Link in our bio 👆
Photos 📸 @sailingenergy / FFVoile
@austsail | @theais_ | @ausolympicteam | @zhikglobal | @ronstansailing | @element6evolution | @bandgsailing
