SAILING: After a string of events in which harsh winds were a factor, junior sailor Marcella Liddiard claimed the John Parker ANZAC trophy at the Koombana Bay Sailing Club on Saturday.
A stunning day greeted the junior competitors as the event was timed to coincide with the 100 year ANZAC celebrations held at Albany.
The event was raced as a handicap meaning the race was up for grabs and required consistent form in all four races.
Liddiard improved in each race to take out the four race event on corrected time, a fantastic result for the short time she has been racing formally.
She pipped fellow sailor Emma Tinley, who sailed a great series and was only one point behind Liddiard on handicap.
Third on adjusted time was Timothy Pilbeam, with Will Drew taking fourth.
With a mild 10-12 knot sea breeze greeting competitors, local scratch markers had to sail fast to beat their handicap ratings.
Current junior guns Kaiella Taylor and Luke Dobrich jumped out of the gates in each race, but were fighting their tougher handicap rating all day.
14 year old Taylor is a state top 10 ranked Gold Fleet sailor in the class and has stepped into a higher league thanks to the intense training she does with Royal Freshwater Bay Sailing Club.
Also a WA top ten ranked Gold Fleet sailor, 13 year old Dobrich has benefited from his recent attendance at Westsail, an intense four day training camp which showcases the elite performers in each junior class.
He has come back a very polished young sailor, who regularly battles with Taylor at the front of the local fleet.