Finn Alexander ( OR2016 ) Wins Gold
condition in an intense six-day race described as the toughest , most gruelling thing he has done . Through it all , Finn emerged victorious to win gold , becoming the 2017 Laser Radial Youth World Champion .
With this incredible achievement under his belt , he flew home and competed in his first Mens Open Laser National Champion , in which he finished 5th in the Men ’ s Division and won the Under 21 Trophy . All these wins have gained him a spot in the Australian Sailing Squad , which was something he had dreamed of since he was a boy .
Photo Finn Alexander , 2017 Youth Sailing World Champion . |
2016 was a busy year for Finn Alexander . |
State Championships and NSW Youth |
Not only was the Claver House Vice |
Championships . |
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Captain busy studying for the HSC along with his year 12 peers , he was also in training for the 2016 Youth World
Championships . He managed to not only perform strongly in the HSC , but he also competed in and won a number of regattas including Sail Melbourne , NSW
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Since graduating , Finn competed in the final series of the World Cup Regatta and won gold with a very convincing lead .
From there , he competed against the best of the best from around the world in the
Laser Radial , dealing with every weather
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“ Winning gold at the World Championships was the perfect way to finish my youth sailing career , and became a stepping stone into the much more competitive men ' s fleet . It was the culmination of three years of very hard work with a lot of sacrifice , which was all worth it in the end . My focus has turned now to breaking through the men ' s fleet and pursing my goal of winning an Olympic gold medal .”
The Banksia Project
“ Come as an individual , share as a group and leave connected ”
The OIU-backed mental health initiative , The Banksia Project , has continued to make significant progress in its mission to go beyond awareness for mental health . In May , we held our latest public forum - the Garden Room , which focused on mental health in sport . Hosted by Olympian Matt Shirvington , the event was attended by over 300 people and featured special guests from across Australia ’ s major sporting codes .
The second part of The Banksia Project , the Growth Rooms , has now opened , providing male-only community support groups led by trained facilitators . There are currently six Growth Rooms located across Sydney which are free to attend .
For more information on The Banksia Project , to get involved or to join a Growth Room , please visit thebanksiaproject . com . au
LUKE O ’ DONNELL ( OR2006 ), SECRETARY FOR THE GENERAL COMMITTEE
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