• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Win drought ends for Langy
  • Brown has another talented stayer on his hands
  • Pythons win a close one, Kangaroos clear on top
  • An update on activities in Balnarring
  • Morris calls on Wynne to ‘end’ Ryman application
  • Happy finish to greyhound’s run
  • Prom catch threat to bays’ whiting
  • Experts fancy strait flight for parrots
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»Sport»Cat ace creating new champs
Sport

Cat ace creating new champs

By Mike HastJanuary 29, 2014Updated:March 28, 2014No Comments3 Mins Read
Michelle Bursa and Chelsea Haynes push their Hobie 16 catamaran Vitamin Sea to the limit on Western Port. The pair is off to the youth world championships in Portugal mid-year.
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

BALNARRING’S catamaran world champion Robbie Lovig has rivals for best yachtie in the Western Port region – two teenagers he has been coach­ing for about 14 months.

Michelle Bursa and Chelsea Haynes, both 17, secured a place in the Australian team for the ISAF Youth World Championships in Portugal in July when they won their Hobie 16 class two weeks ago off Blairgowrie and Sorrento on Port Phillip.

Mr Lovig, 29, who with his French crewman Andy Dinsdale won the Hobie Tiger Worlds in Germany last winter, said they were the first-ever female team to represent Australia in the class.
“Michelle and Chelsea have been sailing together for about three years,” he said. “They are childhood friends who lived near each other in Somers. I have been very impressed with their commitment and motivation.

“They have potential to succeed far beyond the youth worlds and could be Olympic sailors.

“They have shown great courage overcoming their weaknesses on the race course and showing male teams what young women can do.”

He said the women won the youth and women’s division at the NSW state titles in December, beating a former women’s world champion and many youth men.

“They also placed very well at the national titles. These boats are very physically demanding so it’s impressive to see the girls master the demands of the boat.”

He said travelling around Australia and internationally was a financially challenging exercise. “Any support would be greatly appreciated.”

Bursa and Haynes will compete at the Hobie 16 open women’s worlds in February in NSW to tune up for the youth regatta.

“I believe they can win this event too. They will be racing against some of the world’s best women sailors including dual Olympian Krystal Weir.”

Mr Lovig said seeing his charges win this month meant more to him than any regatta he had sailed in recently. “As a team, we have worked so hard to achieve this. I’m so proud of them.

The women were introduced to sailing at Somers Yacht Club in their early teens.

They met Lovig in 2012 after a midwinter training sail and accepted his offer of coaching.

He predicted their success when interviewed by The News last August soon after returning victorious from the worlds in Germany.

Lovig and Dinsdale won the 2013 Hobie Multi-Worlds regatta, held in northern Germany last July. This followed Lovig’s third place in the 2012 event.

Michelle Bursa and Chelsea Haynes push their Hobie 16 catamaran Vitamin Sea to the limit on Western Port. The pair is off to the youth world championships in Portugal mid-year.
Michelle Bursa and Chelsea Haynes push their Hobie 16 catamaran Vitamin Sea to the limit on Western Port. The pair is off to the youth world championships in Portugal mid-year.
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Win drought ends for Langy

May 17, 2022

Brown has another talented stayer on his hands

May 17, 2022

Pythons win a close one, Kangaroos clear on top

May 17, 2022

Superb display by Mornington

May 9, 2022
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Weather
May 17, 2022 - Tue
Mornington, Australia
14°C
overcast clouds
overcast clouds
4 m/s, WNW
58%
762.07 mmHg
tue05/17 wed05/18 thu05/19 fri05/20 sat05/21
light rain
14/14°C
light rain
12/12°C
light rain
13/12°C
broken clouds
14/11°C
few clouds
13/11°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

April 27, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

March 2, 2022
Council Watch

Shire offers $500,000 to performing arts

May 2, 2022

Mayor claims record in trust appointment

April 26, 2022
Elections 2022

Shire accused of being off track with pledges

May 17, 2022

Security takes precedence

May 17, 2022

Liberals slide as independents climb

May 17, 2022
Interview

Volunteers track koalas for science

May 2, 2022
Property of the Week

278 Dundas Street, Rye

May 11, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

An update on activities in Balnarring

May 17, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.