Eliza sails in Perth

A gruelling Emerging Nations Camp comes to a climax in Australia this week when 20 athletes from 11 nations bring Olympic class sailing to the Perth waterfront.

Cook Islands national sailor Taua Eliza has just completed the 21-day intense sailing training and coaching camp and will put his new skills to the test in the City of Perth Sailing Regatta as part of the preparations for the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

The regatta is the last opportunity for athletes to compete before the Perth 2011 World Championship test event in three weeks’ time.

Emerging Nations coach and Australia’s Olympic gold medallist Belinda Stowell says that each athlete has developed enormously over the five Emerging Nations Camps.

“The training in Australia has given each athlete the experience required to allow them to mature, and gain the confidence and knowledge to compete at a world class standard.

“We have opened our arms to the world and shared Australia’s technologies and techniques with them.”

Stowell and fellow coach Arthur Brett will closely follow each athlete’s performance and award points towards the prestigious TAG Heuer Rising Star Award which will be presented at the completion of the seventh Emerging Nations Camp next November 2011.

The award recognises the athlete with the best performance and potential to continue their journey towards Olympic success.

Eliza and fellow local elite sailors will gather at the end of the year for the Sailing Down Under Regatta followed on by the Sail Auckland Series that runs over the Christmas and New Year period.

Unfortunately for the local sailing club, they are unable to take all their talented sailors to the Olympics in 2012 as there are only two slots available for one female and one male sailor.

But a strong sailing squad is expected to represent the country at next year’s New Caledonia Pacific Games.

For now – the country’s top sailors will continue to race in as many regattas as possible to gain experience and improve their skills ahead of what is going to be a busy few years for sailing.