Festival of Sails © Nic Douglass
Legendary female skipper, Wendy Tuck, the first female skipper to win the Clipper Round the World Race, and Sailing Operations Manager for Making Waves will helm the TP52 class yacht for racing and try sailing opportunities, at what will surprisingly also be her first Festival of Sails.
“I haven’t actually taken part in the Festival of Sails, can you believe it?!” exclaimed the well-travelled Wendy Tuck. “I can’t wait to sail and take part in Festival of Sails 2024 with the Making Waves Foundation!”
Making Waves Foundation is an Australian registered not-for-profit charitable organisation, which has been providing unique on-water experiences for young people with disabilities or young adults experiencing disadvantage out of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club for the past 12 months.
“Making Waves used to be known as Sailors with Disabilities”, said Tuck. “It started just over 27 years ago, [first] taking adults with disability to Hobart, and then started taking children out on jaunts around the Harbour”. “We have morphed and grown”, she continued. “We are just about to start operating in our fifth location [Brisbane], we have changed our name to the Making Waves Foundation, and we mainly focus on taking kids with disability sailing”.
“Then we took the big step down to Royal Geelong Yacht Club”, she exclaimed. “Geelong has been so supportive of us, getting us a berth, looking after us, and it’s a great location”.
“We took the boat down there last year, but we just didn’t do the regatta, so it’s exciting to be sailing in Festival of Sails. I can’t wait!”
“This is the best bit about sailing as a sport, there is a level of participation for everyone, and at an event like the Festival of Sails, taking part and the community is just as important as the racing.”
“I’m hoping you are going to see lots of big smiles for our crew and all who come sailing”, said Tuck.
“I can’t wait to be in Geelong for the Festival of Sails!”
Make sure you put Festival of Sails in your diary, 26-28 January 2024.
by Nic Douglass
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