The Australian Sailing Team hosted a 49erFX Experience Camp at Lake Macquarie last week, giving aspiring Olympians and sailors curious about the Olympic pathway an opportunity to experience high-performance sailing and gain a clearer understanding of what it takes to pursue an Olympic campaign.

The four-day camp forms part of Australian Sailing’s commitment to developing high-performance pathways and supporting the next generation of Olympic sailing talent.

Eleven young female sailors aged 16 to 19 attended, bringing experience from a range of classes, including 29ers, 13ft skiffs, Waszps and wing foiling. For many, it was their first taste of the 49erFX, with participants rotating between different partners and roles on the water to develop their skills and understanding of the Olympic class.

On-water training was complemented by land-based activities introducing the broader demands of high-performance sport. These included land-boat training, physical preparation with Australian Sailing Team Physiologist Lucy Scott, and a session on performing under pressure with NSW Institute of Sport Psychologist Gabi Shore.

The camp was supported by 49erFX National Coach Jim Colley OLY and Youth Pathways Head Coach Brady Lowe, with Australian Sailing Squad athletes Brooke Wilson and Evie Haseldine OLY joining for the first two days. Both spent time sailing with participants and delivered presentations on different aspects of an Olympic campaign.

Colley said early exposure to the Olympic pathway could help young sailors better understand the transition from youth sailing and what a campaign at the highest level involves.

"The jump from youth sailing into an Olympic class is a significant one, and I feel one of the biggest challenges is that young sailors don't necessarily know how to make that step, and then what an Olympic campaign entails once they do,” explained Colley.

“The idea behind the camp was to give them some exposure to the FX program, not just sailing the boat, but how we train, how we learn and the standards we set ourselves. The goal is that they can take some of those lessons back into their own sailing programs now, while getting a clearer picture of what they need to work towards if they want to campaign in the FX in a few years' time. It has also created a connection point between themselves and national coaches like myself and Brady, which allows us to help guide and mentor them on the next steps of their sailing journeys."

Three days of favourable breeze allowed the sailors to maximise their time on the water and put their learning into practice.

“The feedback so far has been positive, and it was fantastic to see them all interacting and learning so well from each other. Absolutely there are some exciting prospects, and it's imperative that we keep investing in this space to ensure our young sailors have the chance to progress through the pathway and achieve their sailing aspirations.”

By combining practical sailing experience with insights into physical preparation, sports psychology and campaign planning, the Experience Camp gave participants a clearer picture of the standards and opportunities within the Olympic pathway, while providing valuable lessons they can take back to their current sailing programs.