Seven students from Kingscote Campus travelled to Sydney in the school holidays to compete in 2008 National Schools Team Sailing Championships. They were accompanied by coach Tim Frears and a contingent of six parents.
The championships were hosted by the Woolarah Sailing Club in Rose Bay which was a stunning venue with The Harbour Bridge and hundreds of sailing boats and ferries as a back drop. Even more impressive were the sea planes that took off close by almost every 20 minutes.
The Kangaroo Island sailors were accompanied by school students from St Peters Adelaide and St Josephs from Port Lincoln. The South Australians competed against teams from Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
The Kingscote sailors had trained hard for two school terms in preparation for the Nationals. Training included two on-water sessions and one lunchtime theory session every week. Unfortunately, during the competition several races slipped from our grasp and we finished further down the rankings then we would have preferred. However, the lasting memories of a fantastic trip away, new friends made along with the chance to sail on Sydney harbour made the trip well worthwhile.
Sydney offered the team some great experiences including Luna Park, a visit to Bondi Beach, as well as witnessing some fantastic acting as Dragons Rugby League team members posed for the cameras with suits, sports cars, dark glasses and fake guns at the Rose Bay Ferry wharf. Tate Lovering got into the busking spirit, joining buskers at Circular Quay posing with a statue man and holding the support pole for the chainsaw juggling fire twirling circus act.
Congratulations Josh Harris, Damon Tyley, Rhys Lovering, Taylor Neighbour, Jae Tyley, Louis Lark and Taylor Lovering for their great sportsmanship displayed throughout the regatta and their commitment to training over the past five months. Tim Frears