Two teams from the Australian Sailing Pathway faced a week of challenging conditions at the Nacra 17 European Championships in Palermo, Sicily. With light and shifty winds limiting the fleet to just six races, Ruben and Rita Booth finished fifth overall, while Paris 2024 Olympians Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown placed eighth.

Ruben and Rita Booth sailed consistently, staying near the top of the leaderboard throughout the week. Ruben Booth reflected, “After a week of tricky racing in light winds that made every race a challenge, we entered the final day just one point off the podium and four points from first place. Unfortunately, weather conditions stopped further fleet races on the last day, leaving us in fifth overall.”

Despite the close finish, Booth remains optimistic: “We learned valuable lessons and gained great race practice. This was the first event of the 2028 Olympic cycle, and we’re excited for what lies ahead on the road to LA 2028.”

Ruben and Rita Booth CREDIT Salvatore Lopez / Nacra 17 Class 

Meanwhile, Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown showed flashes of brilliance, securing a race win amid the testing conditions. Brown shared, “It was a great venue, and they did well with what they had. The racing was tough, you had to stay really sharp, or you'd fall behind, so it was a solid test.”

She added, “There was one race where we were foiling, which was exciting, and the class trailed foiling reaching starts, though none went ahead.”

Returning to the boat after a post-Olympic break, the pair finished third in the Junior division. Brown concluded, “It was great to get back into the boat, find our footing, and see what we want to achieve in this next quad. Brin and I are planning to do another four years and strive for that gold medal in LA.”

Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown CREDIT Salvatore Lopez / Nacra 17 Class 

The championship introduced a unique twist, ending with a thrilling match-race final for the top two teams, with Willemijn Offerman and Scipio Houtman of the Netherlands taking the European Champion title.

The momentum towards LA will continue with the summer of sailing in Australia, with major regattas Sail Melbourne, Sail Sydney, and Sail Brisbane scheduled through the end of the year.