Sailing siblings on the right tack for success

(posted 03.03.10)

Sunshine Coast siblings Mitchell and Madison Kennedy rocked the boat in the 2010 Australian Youth Championship sailing competition in South Australia.

Mitchell place fourth in the youth division and fifth in the open men’s, and Madison took the title in the 4.7 women’s laser class.

Madison’s accomplishment has resulted in her selection for the first Youth Olympic Games.
Madison, 15, began sailing in lasers (one-person boats) so she could compete at the same venues as her seafaring brother and father.

“When I started out, I didn’t really like lasers – I wanted to be with two people because it’s a bit more fun,” she said.

The Matthew Flinders Anglican College Year 10 student did not have high hopes going into the youth championships, which drew competitors from across the Oceania region.

“I had people from the Cook Islands and New Zealand competing too and I’ve only been sailing (lasers) for half a year,” Madison said.

“I went down to Adelaide not expecting much for myself.

“I thought, ‘I’ve been sailing for so long, experience should do something for me’, so I just went out there and did it.

“Everyone thinks it’s pretty cool that’s I’m going overseas and doing a sport that I love. It’s good.”
Mitchell, 17, in Year 12 at Flinders, was fifth in the open men’s division of the championships. He also has high aspirations in the sailing world. He is training for the national championships in a bid to qualify for a place in the upcoming Youth Sailing World Championships.

“It will probably always be something I’ll do – it depends how far it actually takes me or how serious I get into it,” he said.

“At the moment, because I’ve got the chance to go to Youth Worlds, and represent Australia, it’s basically full-on.”

Madison and Mitchell are both in the Queensland Elite Squad, a high-performance group within Yachting Queensland, and are regular fixtures at the Maroochydore Sailing Club.

The Youth Olympic Games will be held in Singapore from August 14-26, and the ISAF Youth Sailing World championship from July 8-17 in Istanbul.

- Anna Jones, Junior Sport, Sunshine Coast Daily

Co-Curricular - Sailing

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