Emirates Western Force backs Perth 2011

It is hoped that the partnership will give rugby and sailing athletes and fans new opportunities to learn about each other’s sport.

Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley says it is of great benefit to have the support of the Emirates Western Force.

“Sailing and rugby are two sports which often have common followers,” said Longley. “Our new partnership will greatly enhance our ability to spread awareness that the biggest international sailing event of the year is happening here in Perth this December”.

Ahead of their home game against the New South Wales Waratahs at nib Stadium this Saturday, three Emirates Western Force front rowers met up with international athletes taking part in the Perth 2011’s Emerging Nations Programme.

Under the watchful eye of Olympic Gold Medallist and Perth 2011 Sailing Coach Belinda Stowell and Olympic and Perth 2011 coach Arthur Brett, Pek Cowan, Ben Whittaker and Matt Dunning took to the water with the Emerging Nations athletes, trying their hand at mastering a Laser dinghy, one of the Olympic classes to be sailed at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

“It would be fair to say that I was pretty well out of my depth in terms of sailing knowledge and skill on the water but I   really enjoyed the experience and managed to stay dry in the boat which was my main aim,” Pek Cowan said after sailing a Laser. 

“The partnership between the Emirates Western Force and Perth 2011 I think is going to be beneficial for both organisations and I’m looking forward to seeing the event unfold in December and to continue to build on the relationship over the coming months."

"It will be good to get a few of the sailors down to a Force training session and onto the scrum machine to see how they go in the front row, although they’re probably better suited as a back because you have to be pretty nimble to work your way around those Olympic Lasers, they’re definitely not the class of boats for me!”

The Force front rowers also chatted with several of WA’s elite young sailors who are chasing success on the international sailing circuit. They included Matt Wearn from Fremantle, who’s going overseas to compete in the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Croatia in July.

  “Striving towards being the best youth in the world would be probably the best experience in my life so far,” Wearn says of his training with the West Australian Institute of Sport and competing alongside the ENP athletes.

The close relationship between the two sporting organisations is already well established with international sailors taking part in the Perth 2011 Emerging Nations programme last year attending several training sessions in the Emirates Western Force gymnasium and receiving advice on fitness and strengthening.

The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships will take place from 3-18 December 2011, with ten world titles at stake and some 1400 athletes and 850 boats from 80 nations competing.  The regatta will also decide 75 per cent of the national qualifications for sailing at the London Olympic Games in 2012.