3:35 AM Mon 29 Mar 2010 GMT
A group of Australia's next Olympic and World Champion sailors are working closely with some of the sports best coaches as a part of the 2010 Australian Sailing Development Squad.
For 2010 the Australian Sailing Development Squad has been refocused to classes where there are current Australian Sailing Team national coaches, being Laser, Laser Radial, 470, 49er, Skud 18, 2.4mR and Sonar, with the RS:X class to be confirmed following the appointment of a coach and national strategy.
As a part of the Australian Sailing Development Squad athletes have access to coaching support and attend a number of camps at the Australian Institute of Sport, learning from some of the best minds in Australian sport.
'In naming the 2010 Australian Sailing Development Squad we are looking towards the future and the next group of world class Australian sailors,' said Yachting Australia High Performance Director Peter Conde.
'We believe that with the right level of support and guidance this group of sailors will develop into athletes who will challenge for, and win, titles at the highest level,' he said.
The Laser class is under the guidance of Michael Blackburn and the 2010 Australian Sailing Development Squad members include Ashley Brunning, James Burman and Tom Burton from New South Wales and Queenslanders Ryan Palk and Jared West.
The Laser Radial class is led by Mike Fletcher and currently includes three sailors from New South Wales, Gabrielle King, Laura Baldwin and Alex South, and Ashley Stoddart from Queensland.
Australian Sailing Team head coach Victor Kovalenko will work closely with the Australian Sailing Development Squad 470 sailors and in 2010 they are Victorians Sam Kivell, Max Taylor and Ben Gunther and New South Welshmen Will Ryan, Alexander and Patrick Conway. Representing the women's 470 class are Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall from Western Australia and Lauren Thredgold and Bethany Fawcett from South Australia.
Emmett Lazich will guide the 49er representatives and in 2010 they are Will and Sam Phillips from Victoria and Steven Thomas and Luke Parkinson from Western Australia.
The Australian Sailing Development Squad Paralympic class athletes will be led by national coaches Greg Omay and Adrian Finglas, with West Australian Rod Angwin sailing in the Sonar class, Ame Barnbrook and Lindsay Mason from New South Wales in the Skud 18 and Tasmanian Matthew Bugg and New South Welshman Greg Hyde in the 2.4mR class.
www.australiansailingteam.com.au
by Craig Heydon / Yachting Australia
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