On the eve of the most prestigious sailing Event in the world – the America’s
Cup – Australian icon of the sport John Bertrand, is in Perth today to lend
support to the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships (Perth 2011).
As Ambassador to Perth 2011, Bertrand is proud to be associated with the
biggest sailing Event to be staged on Australian shores, since the 1987
America’s Cup Defence.
« As was the case in 1987, Perth 2011 will again attract the world’s interest to
Western Australia, » Bertrand said.
« Perth 2011 is a big and exciting Event. Over 1,400 competitors from more
than 80 nations and tens of thousands of spectators will descend on Perth for
the Sailing World Championships and live racing will be accessible to over a
billion households and countless Internet users around the globe. »
He explained that next year’s Event, the main qualifier for the 2012 London
Olympic Games Sailing Competition, would be about four times bigger than
the 1987 event, which was also held on the waters off Fremantle.
While in Perth, Bertrand expressed strong endorsement of Perth 2011’s
popular Emerging Nations Programme (ENP), a first of its kind sailing
initiative, which assisted Perth win the bid to host the Sailing World
Championships.
« The ENP is showing merit in identifying and progressing sailing talent, having
produced a Gold Medal winning champion in Colombian RS:X sailor Nicolas
Lozano, who triumphed at Sail Melbourne (the first leg of the ISAF Sailing
World Cup) in December, after participating at the second ENP training
session, » explained Bertrand.
« There is no doubt that much of Lozano’s success can be attributed to his
involvement with the Emerging Nations Programme. »
The next ENP Intensive Training Session will run between 8th-25th February
and 11 participants from developing sailing nations as diverse as Moldova,
India and Peru will train under ENP Head Coaches Belinda Stowell and
Arthur Brett. A regatta will be held on ‘Centre Course’ (Bathers Bay,
Fremantle) during this session, between 19-21 February 2010, in conjunction
with the 2010 RS:X National Championships.
Bertrand himself is still at the top of the sport, having been crowned 2010
Etchells Australian Champion just last month!
The Dream Begins In Perth!