Harken gets kids into foiling, parents get driven nuts!

That smile is going to last for weeks! Pic: Martina Orsini
Here's a fun game to try… During a conversation with any parent of a junior sailor right now, say the word 'foil'. And watch them wince.

They've heard it a hundred thousand times already this year. At least! Because all every kid wants to sail is a foiling moth or a Waszp. Harken, being the nice guys they are, thought it would be a great idea to give a couple of kids a taste of what it's like to fly at this weekends foiling week event in Sydney. Parents likened the Harken team to crack dealers giving out free samples.

Seriously though, the seven kids selected to attend a theory session with none-other than Andrew Mcdougall (!) and then go sailing on a Waszp, were totally stoked to be given the opportunity. They did pretty well too, with several of the kids getting up and flying for their first ever time despite the light winds.

They were pulled from traditional kids classes, like the Sabot, O'pen Bic and Flying 11, so being handed a Waszp was quite a step up in performance, even for Emma Rankin who'd been sailing an NS14 and 49er FX already. She was the oldest of the group selected by Harken, with the youngest only 13!

Great to see, and an exceptional initiative taken by Harken. As the foilers get cheaper, and the Waszp class grows in popularity, we're going to see a lot more of these events pop up, and more kids winning over their parents and being handed the keys to a set of foils. Watch out then!