The Etchells National and World Championships in January 2025 at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, are attracting a range of international performers across classes including the most recent Star Class World Champions, John Kostecki and Austin Sperry.
“I am still living a dream,” said Sperry. “JK and I jumped back in the star this past May after a 20-year break sailing a star together. Going into the final race of the Worlds there were six boats that had a chance to win the regatta. Fortunately, we sailed a great last race and won the world championship by one point. What a relief!” he exclaimed.
On transitioning from the Star to the Etchells, Austin Sperry said it was an easy choice given the reliability of the class to attract a high quality fleet, with good people, and great sailing.
“I am now 46, the Star is a very physical boat and I am not getting any younger! I’ve sailed Star boats in Miami over the winter for the last three decades. I’ve watched from afar the great turnout the Etchells Class generates for each and every regatta during the winter months and the amount of talent in the class. I know a lot of the people in the class, but I enjoy making new friends and learning as much as possible about the boat and how to make it go fast.”
There is also a new challenge for Sperry with crew numbers and boat configuration.
“With three people aboard it is a new dynamic I am not used to. Plus this spinnaker thing is an entirely new challenge for me personally. I am very fortunate to sail with John Kostecki in the middle and Noel “Nitro” Drennan up front,” he professed.
Kostecki was the skipper for the Star World Championship win, and won a silver medal in the Soling Class in 1988, among other accolades across a substantial career in sailing. Nitro is no stranger to the Etchells class, with the 2022 World Championship to his name, and a successful one-design and ocean racing career alongside a solid career as a sailmaker, now specialising in One-Design for North Sails.
“The experience these two have over the course of their respective careers is obviously very impressive,” Sperry stated. “We sailed most of the events in Miami this past winter together, there were a few (schedule) conflicts at times and Max Salminen was a key member of our team. Overall I was very happy with our first season in the Etchells together.”
With this crew line up, their preparation, and recent form across the board this surely puts this team into a favourable position, but Sperry was quick to chat about the process rather than the outcome.
“On our team we never worry about the outcome, we very much focus on the process – daily. We are there to do well of course, but if we can get better every single time we step aboard the boat we will have a great regatta. There are so many variables in the sport of sailing that are outside of our control, it makes no sense to me to begin thinking about the what-if’s. There are many great competitors in this class, all very accomplished sailors in their own right. I can’t spend time focusing on what they may or may not do. We have to trust the process, lock in and give it our full 100% focus. The outcome will take care of itself.”
On travelling to Melbourne and the logistics, Sperry said that he made it as easy as he possibly could for the team by purchasing a local boat.
“I bought Chris Manton’s boat, 1514 which is already in AUS so I am excited to see how the new boat performs. We’ve got a few training camps that we are preparing to do in AUS leading up to the Worlds.”
So even in a new class, with a stacked crew line up, a boat that is already in Australia, and the promise of summer sailing in Australia, Sperry is keen to get “downunder”.
“The class is super competitive, and I am really enjoying learning a new one-design class. I love being part of a team, with a common goal. It’s been a lot of fun thus far and I am excited to give it a go in Melbourne.”
It’s not too late to join the growing list of entries for what is set to be a competitive but enjoyable regatta at the Etchells World Championship 2025 at the Royal Brighton Yacht Club. There are also a number of lead-in regattas including the Christmas Cup in mid-December, and Pre-Worlds the first week of January 2025. Entries close at the end of November.
Nicole (Nic) Douglass nic@sunsetmedia.co
Content Manager – Etchells World Championship 2024
