Indented Head brothers sail to success

A PAIR of brothers from the Indented Head Yacht Club have had the wind at their backs this season.

After winning three state championships between December last year and March this year, 13-year-old Aidan Simmons has followed up by winning the 2021 Australian Optimist Sailing Championship, held at Adelaide Sailing Club from April 14-17.

With 117 sailors entered, including 68 in the top open fleet division on the starting line, Aidan and his brother Callum each sailed in challenging conditions with winds up to 20 knots and waves as high as two-and-a-half metres on day one.

Callum, 11, also won trophies for best 12 year old at two recent state championships and won best 12-year-old at the Australian Championship.

Aidan and Callum each sail the world’s most popular junior class sailboat, the Optimist dinghy, which is sailed by children up to the age of 15 years in most countries around the world.

The class has many national and international championships including a world championship event for the top five sailors from every country each year.

“It was a great reward for the boys who have spent many, many hours training, often in the depths of wet and cold winters for the last four years to improve their sailing skills,” dad Paul said.

Both boys have now qualified for the Australian Optimist Sailing Team, which in non-COVID times would mean that they would qualify to represent Australia in an international regatta.

Aidan has qualified for the second year in a row to attend the world championship event at Lake Garda in Italy, but will again be unable to attend given the existing COVID-19 restrictions.

“However both boys remain positive for the future and enjoy the competition, the fun and friends they make from around the state, nationally and internationally,” Paul said.

The Indented Head Yacht Club offers learn to sail opportunities for children and adults during the months of October to April each year.