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The success of the Aon Fast Track programme has been highlighted in the past 12 months with a number of recent graduates and members of last year's squad excelling on the world stage.
It means this year's Aon Fast Track squad is smaller than previous years as sailors graduate into higher teams.
Six young sailors were announced at a function today at the Aon headquarters in Auckland, with Seb Menzies and Blake McGlashan (pictured) the only newcomers for 2020. They joined Veerle ten Have (windsurfing), Josh Armit (Laser) and Jackson Keon and Scott McKenzie (49er) in the squad.
Aon, a leading provider of insurance broking and risk management services in New Zealand, has been supporting the Yachting New Zealand youth development programmes through its investment in the Aon Fast Track programme and training clinics around the country since 2014.
The programme aims to accelerate the standard of the most talented youth sailors from top international youth sailors to successful Olympic campaigners. They all aspire to eventually be members of the NZL Sailing Team, which features this country's top sailors.
Aon chief executive Geoff Blampied says they are eager to see how the newcomers perform in the next year given the recent graduates’ success.
“The members of this year’s Aon Fast Track squad show great promise and it has been fantastic to see them develop into top-level international competitors," he said. "We take pride in being able to encourage and support young sailors in their development of the sport, from youth through to the elite level."
George Gautrey was a member of the squad last year and went on to win bronze at the Laser world championships in Japan. Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie have also graduated after finishing 11th at last year's 49er world championships in Auckland on top of the world title they won at the 49er junior world championships in Norway.
Ten Have impressed at last week's RS:X world championships, qualifying a spot for New Zealand at the Tokyo Olympics after finishing second in the under-21 division and 26th overall.
She's also preparing to switch to windfoiling, which will replace the RS:X on the programme for the 2024 Olympics. The Paris Games will feature gender equity and steps are being taken to develop female sailors and coaches in this country.
Menzies and McGlashan earned their places in the Aon Fast Track squad on the back of some standout results which included gold in the boy's 420 at last year's youth sailing world championships in Poland.
“We are very excited about their potential and where they are at in their development at such a young age,” Yachting New Zealand talent development manager Geoff Woolley said. “We see a big future for them in the sport no matter what avenue they choose.”
Their main focus is the 29er, with the 29er world championships in Weymouth in August and they're also hoping to win selection to the NZL Sailling Foundation Youth Team to compete at December's youth worlds in Brazil, but they will also debut in top-level Olympic class sailing at this month's 470 world championships in Palma.
The other four members of the squad have all been competing at their respective class world championships in recent times and are targeting some good results in 2020.
"The majority of them kicked off their Olympic campaigns last year, dipping their toes into top-level international competition," Woolley said. "They have seen the level they have to get to, so now it's a matter of putting the plans in place and building that race experience.
"It often takes years to get to the top but our squads, including our very best sailors, share information in the hope we can expedite the process. We have seen that with the likes of George Gautrey, Logan Dunning Beck and Oscar Gunn, Isaac McHardie and William McKenzie and Micah Wilkinson and Erican Dawson, who are all recent graduates of the programme. We can't thank Aon enough for the support they have given us over the years.
"It's critical for all of those in the Aon Fast Track squad to maintain other things in their lives, like study or work, but they all really need to be hitting the next Olympic cycle ready for a big few years ahead."
About Aon
Aon is a leading global professional services firm with 60,000 colleagues in 120 countries. In New Zealand, Aon is the leading provider of insurance broking, risk management and associated services with over 950 staff in 65 offices, managing renewal placements and related revenues in excess of $1.3 billion.
If you would like to know more about Aon’s sponsorship of Yachting New Zealand please get in touch by emailing sponsorshipsnz@aon.com.
2020 Aon Fast Track Squad:
Jackson Keon & Scott McKenzie (49er)
Photo: Sailing Energy
Josh Armit (Laser)
Photo: Junichi Hirai
Veerle ten Have (Windsurfing)
Photo: Sailing Energy
Seb Menzies & Blake McGlashan (29er)
