Help Send Six WA Sailors to the Nacra 15 Nationals in NSW

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Three teams of young WA sailors are chasing selection for the Australian Youth Sailing Team at the Nacra 15 National Championship in April.

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Our Story Six young sailors from Western Australia are preparing for one of the biggest moments of their sailing careers: the 2026 Australian Nacra 15 National Championship at Lake Macquarie, NSW, from April 3 to 6.Mia, Henri, Alex, Juliet, Ruby and Liam make up three teams competing on the Nacra 15, a high-performance catamaran and the official World Sailing Youth Multihull class. These six young athletes have dedicated years of hard work, early mornings, and countless hours on the water to get to this point. Now they need your help to get there.Four of our sailors come from regional WA communities: Esperance, Denmark and Busselton, where access to elite sailing pathways is hard-won and every bit of community support makes a real difference. What&#39;s at StakeThis is more than a regatta. The National Championship is the selection event for two of Australia&#39;s most prestigious sailing programmes:&#129351; The top eligible boat will be nominated as Australia&#39;s Nacra 15 entry in the Australian Youth Sailing Team, heading to the 2026 Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal, in December 2026.&#127941; Up to four boats may be selected for the Australian Sailing Youth Development Squad.Our sailors are competing for the opportunity to represent Australia on the world stage. Our JourneyBetween the six of them, our sailors have clocked thousands of hours on the water, racing dinghies, catamarans, and everything in between. They have trained through early mornings, wild weather, and the particular challenges of sailing in regional Western Australia, far from the major sailing centres on the east coast. Some have been racing since they were six years old; others came to high-performance sailing more recently, drawn by the speed and technical challenge of the Nacra 15. All of them have competed, coached, and volunteered at their local clubs, giving back to the communities that helped shape them as sailors and as people.Getting to the National Championship hasn&#39;t been easy. For sailors based in regional WA, the barriers are real: long distances, limited access to coaching, and the sheer cost of competing at a national level. These six have pushed through all of it. What unites them is a shared belief that hard work, good teamwork and a love of sailing can take them all the way to the top. This April, they get their chance to prove it. Why the Nacra 15?The Nacra 15 is no ordinary boat. It is the official World Sailing Youth Multihull class: a high-performance, foiling-capable catamaran sailed by the best young sailors in the world. Fast, technical and demanding, it rewards athleticism, precision and trust between teammates.For Australia&#39;s youth sailors, the Nacra 15 is one of the most direct pathways to international competition. The National Championship in April is the primary selection event for the top eligible boat to attend the 2026 Youth Sailing World Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal. Our sailors aren&#39;t just competing for a trophy. They&#39;re competing for the opportunity to represent Australia on the world stage. Where Your Money GoesGetting six sailors and three Nacra 15 catamarans from Western Australia to New South Wales is a major logistical and financial undertaking. Your donation will go directly towards:✈️ Flights for sailors and support crew&#128667; Boat transport across Australia (nearly 4,000 km each way)&#127968; Accommodation at Lake Macquarie for the duration of the event&#127869;️ Meals throughout the trip⛵ Regatta entry fees&#129520; Coaching, insurance and equipment costs Our combined target is $20,000. Every dollar donated brings these young athletes one step closer to the start line and, potentially, to representing Australia at the World Championship. Why It MattersYouth sailing in Australia depends on communities like ours. For sailors based in regional Western Australia, the cost of travelling to national events is one of the biggest barriers to participation. What these six young people need now is the community behind them.Whether you&#39;re a fellow sailor, a local business, a family friend, or simply someone who believes in young people chasing their dreams: your support makes a real and direct difference. Support Our SailorsPlease donate what you can and share this page with your friends, family and networks.Every contribution, large or small, is tax deductible through the Australian Sports Foundation and goes directly to supporting our sailors&#39; campaign.Together, let&#39;s get these six Western Australians to the start line at Lake Macquarie and, hopefully, onto the podium. &#127754; Go team WA!