Whitsunday Teenager Russell Harris has been selected to represent Australia in the Formula Kite Class at the 2025 Youth World Sailing Championships in Portugal - 12-20 December.

Despite his nomination to represent Australia, as with most sports, Russell not only has to supply his own equipment, which so far exceeds the price of a brand new mid-sized vehicle, but is also required to pay his entry fee, travel, accommodation, meals and share of Australian Sailing coaching and support staff costs totalling $11,000.

To help Russell cover some costs we are on the lookout for anyone with a keen interest in fostering local talent and keen to support our youth in the lesser known sports. Russell is lucky to have the support of Breiana Whitehead from Townsville who represented Australia at the Paris Olympics taking 7th place.

Formula Kite was one of the new Olympic sports featured at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and set to grow at Los Angeles in 2028 and on our local shores in 2032.