Meet your sailors

With the Tokyo 2020 Olympics quite literally around the corner, 13 sailors are on course to secure gold for Australia.

22 July 2021

With the opening ceremony currently scheduled for Friday 23 July, and the first of the fleet races planned for two days later, both the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Olympic sailing are practically tangible.

And like any sport, the visual of the competition’s green light has heralded a fine-tuned array of athletes prepared to secure the top of the podium – sailors being no exception.

The sailing at Tokyo 2020 has been confirmed to be taking place across 11 days from 25 July to 4 August at the Enoshima Yacht Harbour, following which, will see five days of the competitors racing for a medal.

The Australian Sailing Team has selected 13 sailors from across Australia to represent the country in eight divisions – some of which have clenched Olympic gold between their teeth, some making their debut.

Mat Belchar and Will Ryan. (Credit: World Sailing and Sailing Energy.)

Tess Lloyd and Jaime Ryan. (Photo by Beau Outteridge)

Matt Wearn competing at Ready Steady Tokyo in Enoshima. (Credit: Beau Outterdige.)

Lisa Darmanin and Jason Waterhouse. (Credit: Sailing Energy.)

Will and Sam Phillips. (Credit: Beau Outteridge.)

Mara Stransky (Laser Radial). Australian Sailing Team competing at Ready Steady Tokyo (Olympic Test Event) in Enoshima, Japan. 17-22 August 2019. (Credit: Beau Outteridge / Australian Sailing Team.)

One of the sailors making their debut at this Olympic Games is Tess Lloyd, who’ll be representing Australia in the 49erFX category. Lloyd’s history with sailing is marked with success, coming first in her class at the Australian Nationals in 2012 before placing first in both the Youth Girls’ Open and European Worlds that same year.

Lloyd will be competing alongside crewmate Jamie Ryan, who made her debut at Rio 2016 in the 470 Class.

Returning to the Olympics this year will be Jamie’s brother, Will Ryan, who is shooting for a gold medal to match the silver he won in Rio. Joining him in the 470 will be his medal-winning partner, Matt Belcher – the same sailor who won gold at London 2012 in the 470.

Both Will and Belcher placed fourth at this year’s 470 Men’s Open European Championship.

Other sailors include the 2018 Laser European Championship winner Matt Wearn, representing the Laser Men’s one-person dinghy; Olympic silver medalists Lisa Darmanin and Jason Waterhouse in Narca 17 mixed multi-hull; and brothers Sam and Will Phillips, who’ll be making their Olympic debut in the 49er men’s two-person skiff.

To read more about Australia’s Olympic sailing team, click here. To see the competition schedule, which will be kicking off with Mara Stransky in the Women’s One Person Dinghy, click here.

australiansailingteam.com.au

sailing.org.au

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