When it comes to one design keelboat racing, the Etchells class is well established, the boats are close in speed, and a significant presence of professional crew are in the fleet. That landscape can make it hard to attract participants that aren’t loading live ammo, so it is the focus for the 2025 Etchells World Championship to drive amateur and youth participation in the class.

With racing on January 10-15 in Australia, Club Corinthian has been introduced by the local fleet specifically out of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron to celebrate amateur and youth sailors who take great interest and pleasure in competitive fleet racing.

Club Corinthian founder Martin Hill’s overall goal is to promote youth sailing, as well as providing a pathway to encourage more Corinthians back into club racing. He is supporting a youth team with the aim of increasing participation at the upcoming World Championship and within the class.

“Nostalgically, I also look back to the glory days of the Admiral’s Cup, Kenwood Cup, and Southern Cross (1960s to mid-1990s) with all those talented Corinthian sailors,” said Hill. “Those same sailors, many as youth, took on winning world championships in Etchells, Solings, J/24s, and more. That style of Corinthian sailor, both at an international and club levels, has taken a back step in the last few decades.”

Hill noted how Corinthian sailors, which includes youth, are very much enthusiasts, and their attendance at all regattas, big and small, is driven by the love of the sport.

“During Cowes Week in 2018, I saw the UK Etchells fleet promoting a youth squad including a pathway for disadvantaged youth to compete,” Hill observed. “Later, at the 2019 Etchells Worlds Championship in Corpus Christie, those UK youth teams competed against the USA youth teams. It was a race within a race. They had a ball, and I was proud of their friendly spirit curbed with competitiveness. They did it for the love of sailing.”

Hill took note and it gave him the inspiration to do something similar for those in Australian sailing, starting with the HillPDA Sailing Team and the Club Corinthian – For the Love of Sailing program.
Club Corinthian is an initiative to specifically highlight and support the efforts of amateur and youth sailors on the world stage. Throughout the 2024-25 season, this initiative offers coaching opportunities both on and off the water, will provide team resources, and award additional prizes.

“I gave the challenge to Jack Abbott to form a competitive youth team for the Melbourne Worlds in 2025 and he took it up with zeal,” commented Hill.

Jack Abbott is a youth sailor who has been working towards the 2025 Etchells World Championships thanks to the support of Hill, who was impressed with Abbott’s competitiveness and character.

“We have four sailors in the team on the day but there are many who contribute to the HillPDA Sailing Team,” said Abbott. “Martin Hill is heavily supporting our campaign and has given us the opportunity to further our Etchells journey. We are being guided by legends in the class and thank them very much for their support.

“We’re doing every event this season to support local fleets and further our own experience. Our crew has only been sailing Etchells for just under two years, there’s much to learn and we are putting ourselves out there in the hope to inspire similar crews to participate in the Etchells class.”

Featuring the outcomes of the Club Corinthian program on a global stage at the 2025 Etchells World Championships will showcase the dedication and involvement of youth and amateur sailors, from local club regattas to major championships, hoping to inspire the next generation of sailors across Australia and the world.