Four young sailors have been announced as National finalists for Youth Sailor of the Year, with the winner to be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards on November 4 in Sydney.
Skipper Ben Hinks and crewman Carter Baker (Largs Bay Sailing Club, Brighton & Seacliff Sailing Club, SA 420 Association) are the first finalists in the category, having strategically teamed up in June 2021 with the goal of winning the 2022 Open Australian 420 National Championships, qualifying for Australian Youth Team and tasting success in all interstate and local 420 events.
After six months of intense sail training, they succeeded in their goal of winning 420 Open Australian Championships and becoming Australian National Champions in open age and youth.
Ben and Carter were awarded a place in the Australian Youth Team along with 16 other athletes from various classes heading to The Hague, Netherlands to compete in the 2022 Youth Sailing World championships – this included 450 sailors from 69 countries.
Ben and Carter in June 2022 were awarded South Australian Institute of Sports Scholarships as emerging athletes in sailing.
They are two of only seven sailors in the state performing at a level to meet the criteria to qualify for SASI.
Carter Baker was also awarded 2022 Sailor of the Year awarded at Largs Bay Sailing Club for his achievements in national and international sailing competitions for Largs Bay Sailing Club.
The next of the sailors named as a finalist in the Youth category, Evie Saunders commenced sailing the Manly Yacht Club at the age of eight.
By 12 Evie was able to handle a Laser 4.7 (ILCA4), remarkably young for this class of boat. She finished second in the U16s at the ILCA4 Youth World Championships in 2019, at just 13.
At 14 Evie competed at the 2020 ILCA6 Open Women’s World Championships, alongside World Champions and Olympic medallists.
COVID hit in 2019, but Evie didn’t waste any time, using the break to build her sailing skills and strength, spending many days training on her own on Sydney Harbour.
When the borders opened briefly in April 2021, she travelled to WA to do the Open ILCA State championships, finishing 5th overall (1st U17).
In late 2021 Evie travelled to OMAN to compete in the Open Women’s World Championships where she placed 44th overall including a 7th in one race.
Her latest result is a silver medal at the 2022 ISAF Youth World Championships at The Hague – the only Australian medallist at these championships.
This is the first time in 14 years an Australian girl has medalled at the Youth World Championships in ILCA6 and puts Evie’s potential in perspective and she is young enough to go one better next year in the same event.
The last finalist in this category is Harry Joyner from Fremantle Sailing Club (WA).
Harry Joyner burst into the global spotlight in May this year, becoming the first ever athlete to perform an upwind foiling tack on the new Olympic iQFOiL Class equipment.
Having trained for months ahead of the European iQ Games at Italy’s famous Lake Garda, Harry unleashed his spectacular move in front of a World class fleet of Olympic candidates, and in doing so, rewrote the upwind sailing strategy for top level sailors in this exciting new class.
Harry has also delivered sensational performances at SailMelb, Australian Youth Championships and the subsequent Youth Worlds.
His exciting and competitive on-water performances blend exceptionally with a personable and modest, fun-loving character.
Harry embodies the future of young Australian sailors, and has outstanding opportunities for success on a National and Global scale going forward.
He was awarded the Bronze Medal for Junior Sailor of the Year 2021 from the Ron Tough Foundation and prior to moving into the Australian Sailing foiling program – Harry received an Outstanding Competitive Performance award.
While 2019 was a year for many achievements for Harry Joyner, with fantastic results at State & National regattas he also only celebrated his 13th Birthday.
Harry is out training week-in-week-out against sailors competing for youth selection many years his senior.
The winner of the Youth Sailor of the Year category will be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards in Sydney on November 4. For more information on the National Awards as well as ticket availability, click here.
