Thank you sincerely to the Ron Tough Yachting Foundation for awarding us a Grant for our 29er campaign through 2025. We successfully competed in the 2025 Kiel Week Regatta (placing 41st out of 75 boats) and 29er European Championships 2025 (placing 109th out of 251 boats), training consistently, facing and managing new challenges. We continue to learn valuable lessons in technical skills, resilience, teamwork and are accepting generous support that is shaping our growth in competitive sailing.
Kiel Week 1st – 8th July 2025 performance: Participation in the Kieler Woche international sailing regatta presented new challenges to our race day preparation, having travelled immediately following high school exam weeks with a two-day lead in, without a coach, in unfamiliar conditions and staying with a host family without our parents. We were the single Australian boat at this event. The two days’ qualifying in both 30kn gusts and low wind brought many new experiences in big fleet starting. We managed to catch up from tricky starts by gaining on a few boats in each race, finishing each qualifying race mid-fleet. Racing the final rounds in the silver fleet, we finished each finals race in the top 10 of 37 boats, achieving overall 3rd place in our fleet.
Improvements & Experiences: At this event, we learned to work through tricky days on water, digesting pressures and challenges and coming out motivated to give it another good go the next day. Our confidence grew through having to seek out and accept support from previously unknown coaches who took us under their wing, including a Danish father and peer support from 9 New Zealand boats. We were also excited to share the boat park with world class sailors in the 49er and 49erFX, taking the opportunity to connect with the Australian teams and share stories with some of the upcoming German 29er and 49erFX girls. We were excited to discover that on pre-race speed testing, we matched the pace of the Danish men’s team that would go on to win the regatta.
Supported by Danish father alongside winning men’s team
Kiel Week lining up to launch, inspired amongst 49er international fleet
Kiel Week lining up to launch, inspired amongst 49er international fleet
Warm support from Zoe Thompson at Kiel Week
29er EUROPEAN Championships 1st to 8th July performance: We placed in the top half of the international fleet, finishing 109th out of 251 boats, an improvement on our 2024 World Championships rankings amongst the same number of boats.
Improvements: On the start line were evident as we managed to win one race, leading from start to finish, an exciting accomplishment. We ranked 13th amongst 42 female teams. Amongst 44 competitors in the Bronze Fleet, we placed 3rd Female and 22nd overall.
Experiences: A highlight was arrival at the shores of Lake Garda, a breath-taking moment, understanding why this lake may well be the ‘Sailing Mekka’. Early morning training sessions, racing under the majestic cliffs and connecting with sailors from across the globe have certainly cemented the love for the sport and appreciation of privilege and strength of the international sailing community. We soaked up the memorable hours preparing, racing, repairing and socialising amongst the most driven, strongest and fastest 29er sailors in the world. Sharing resources and on-water support with the New Zealand and South African teams strengthened bonds with trans-Tasman racing on the cards in the coming years. Most treasured is the warm support extended to us by the Rafart family, with Pol’s on-water coaching support, sharing the roller coaster of physical and emotional highs and lows with Ona and Lia.
On-water support with Coach Pol
Preparing to launch for first day European Championships, Riva del Garda, Italy
L to R Klara & Alice Travlos, Lia & Ona Rafart
L to R. Ona Rafart, Klara Travlos, Lia Rafart, Alice Travlos
Light wind launching at Riva seems easy after the strong wind carnage of rudders on the ramp
Boat park excitement
Pushing hard on the upwind under the cliffs
Garda Finals navigating congested top mark roundings
Simply enjoying a final sail back to shore after last race
We are deeply grateful to the RTYF for financial support, all our coaches and the wider 29er and club community for moral support, which has buoyed us through the challenges international and high- performance events have presented in the past months.
We are now focused on preparing for the Youth Worlds selection event on Lake Macquarie in early October 2025. We continue to train with focus and determination to compete on an as equal as possible national and international playing field, representing the WA youth sailing community with pride. Thank you to the RTYF for generous support enabling us to compete beyond our WA waters. We certainly count ourselves very lucky!