Will Sargent, Nathan Gulliksen and Hamish Vass won the 2021 Kellett Shield Regatta, outperforming five other teams from the CYCA. Four races were completed in a dying westerly breeze in Rushcutters Bay. A very close second place on count-back was Finn Tapper, Xavier Doerr, James Watson and Jess Tavener.
The Kellett Shield was donated to the Youth Sailing Academy in 1994 by Past Commodore and CYCA Life Member David Kellett AM. This year saw his son, CYCA Director Bradshaw Kellett who was part of the original 1993 Advanced Squad, joined the racing.
This fleet racing event is the culmination of the development of crew work and communication skills for the CYCA Advanced Squad each year. The format for the event consists of a maximum of six races with crews rotating through each position for each race.
Joining Bradshaw was CYCA Director Sam Haynes, CEO Justine Kirkjian, 2019 Youth Match Racing World Champion Jess Grimes and YSA Alumni Eric Sparkes. Whist it was the first time in the Elliott 7s for Kellett, Haynes and Kirkjian, the team gelled well with each race. With Kellett back at the helm for the first time in a YSA boat since 1995, he came agonisingly close in Race 3 to victory, having to settle for second place.
The Advanced Squad’s focus now shifts to match racing, with the Club’s next event on Saturday 19 June for the CYCA Match Cup.
FULL RESULTS:
| Skipper | Crew | Race 1 | Race 2 | Race 3 | Race 4 | Points | |
| 1st | Will Sargent | Nathan Gulliksen, Hamish Vass | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| 2nd | Finn Tapper | Xavier Doerr, James Watson, Jess Tavener | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
| 3rd | Hugo Stoner | Lachy Steel, Hugo Leeming, Darcy McCracken | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 13 |
| 4th | Bradshaw Kellett | Sam Haynes, Justine Kirkjian, Jess Grimes, Eric Sparkes | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 17 |
| 5th | Jack Littlechild | Charles Rickwood, Hugh Allen, Tom Barrington | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 17 |
| 6th | Emma Byrne | Cole Tapper, Riley Evans, Finley Scade | 5 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 19 |
