Meet the VIC Optimist State Team 2024/2025

From Left to Right: Acklin Stent, Tate Cantwell, Louis Coates, Frances Gibson, Ashlea Tan, Rachael Benoy

Ashlea Tan - AUS 1852 - Iga Kunoichi

Hi, I am Ashlea and my love affair with sailing began at the age of 8, when I realized the ocean was a mega giant playground full of awesome sea creatures. Since then, I have been sailing alongside dolphins, seals, jellyfish, and even stingrays! Fast forward to 2023, I went from splashing around to making waves internationally when I was selected for the Australian team. I represented Australia at the International Optimist African Championships in Morocco and then jetted off to China for the Qingdao International Optimist Training Camp and Regatta! I learnt so much through these international regattas and I am so grateful! This year, I pushed really hard at the Australian National Optimist Championships and landed a spot on the Australian Optimist Sailing Team (AOST) again. I am now gearing up for the IODA Opti European Championships in June 2024 in Carrara, Italy. 

I am also on a mission to share my tiny bit of aquatic wisdom with new sailors, especially the girls joining the Victorian Optimist family. Just like the name of my boat "Iga Kunoichi" - referring to female ninjas who were known for their skill, strength, and perseverance. It is a powerful symbol of our values and determination. We can do this, girls!

Frances Gibson - AUS 1665 - Scuppers

Frances’s first sailing regatta was while in utero, when her mother competed in the Tasar Australian Championships in Queensland when she was 21 weeks pregnant. As a toddler she watched her mum depart the wharf at Williamstown to compete in the Australian women’s Keelboat Regatta. Her mother had previously been an Australian Champion having won the regatta before she was born. The family routine on a Saturday was to go to the yacht club with her dad and younger sister and watch mum prepare the boat for racing before waving goodbye. Frances’s first long voyage was on a 35-foot yacht sailing from Geelong to Williamstown at night. She watched her dad build a timber boat in the garage and then started sailing a Minnow which her father had built. In 2022 she started sailing an Opti and loves the friendships and camaraderie of the class with sleepovers with other girls being a highlight of summer. Frances has been fortunate to have received great coaching from Sofie, Nick, Peter, David and Jack who are now her first port of call for advice, before her parents!

Louis Coates - AUS 1012 - Optimus Prime

Louis started sailing soon after moving home to Australia after living in Hong Kong and Japan. Getting his first Opti during Covid he has never looked back, actively travelling around Australia to train in camps and compete at events. He enjoys the coaching, competing and comradery with teammates and wider sailing / sporting community.

Rachael Benoy - AUS 1043 - Tigger

Hi my name is Rachael. I am so excited to have the opportunity to join the Victorian team this year. I really love sailing, the intriguing view, the mind part, and the friendships are all factors to why I am so obsessed with it. Watching the sunset inside my boat, listening to the rippling waves as I sail past, and laughing with my friends when we make ‘boat islands’ it is just out-of-the-world incredible.

Tate Cantwell - AUS 1860 - PR2

Hi I am Tate and I sail Optis’ at SSCBC and CCSC. I started sailing when I was 6 years old and had a great time improving my sailing skills and making spectacular memories – I am now 13 years old. 2024 was a great year making Gold fleet at the Opti National Championships, winning the Jubilee State Championships, 4^th Victorian boy at the Vic Opti State Champs, qualifying for VOST and AODS together with being the Opti Club Champion at SSCBC. Sailing has taught me many life skills and made me many terrific friends.  I am looking forward to a great season ahead and sailing well both at the Nationals at RQ and in Thailand representing Australia.

Acklin Stent - AUS 1907 - Blue Bayou

Acklins love of the water started well before his first formal sail training at the age of 8, when he completed the Tackers program at Mt Martha Yacht Club in 2019. Strict Covid isolation conditions in Victoria delayed the commencement of the Green Fleet training, but Acklin was lucky enough to live close enough to the water to “exercise” within his 5 km allowed zone. So he began his own training in his new Opti “Speed Hopper”, attached to a long rope
which his Dad held onto in case our little sailor headed out to Bass Strait! It wasn't long before that piece of rope became too short and thankfully Green Fleet training was due to start. Acklin sailed through this training (pardon the pun) and was busting to put his new skills to the test. He entered the Schnapper Point Regatta in 2022 but was intimidated by the rough conditions and failed to finish. He was however, captured with the competitive sailing environment and the camaraderie between the sailors . Lake Boga Regatta was next on the agenda and Acklin came home holding the 1st place trophy!
More regattas were entered and Acklins trophy shelf grew steadily culminating in winning the under 12 State Optimist trophy. The move to Sorrento Sailing Club saw new skills learned and an ever increasing passion and determination in the sport. Acklins' quest to sail with the best led him to be eligible to compete in the Opti Open class at the 2023 Nationals in Sydney. He came home from Sydney with some very strong results, but more importantly he saw the learning curve that was still ahead of him. Since then Acklin has been flattening that learning curve every time he sails and holding his own with those Opti sailors he has been in awe of ffrom the Sydney Nationals. An offer from VIODA for Acklin to bypass the State development Team and join a group of 8 sailors in the Optimist State team has cemented Acklins pure love and determination to sail and compete at the highest level. From a kid on a rope, to Representing the State in 3 years! Watch out world, this kid’s got an agenda!!

Meet VOST 2023-24

From Left to Right: Acklin Stent, Augustas Buividas, Leigh Harvie, Callum Simmons, Maya Cantwell, Lottie Griffith, Ashlea Tan

VOST 2022-23

VOST 2021-22

VOST 2020-21