Klaus Lorenz to coach Airlie Beach based Optimist dinghy fleet

9:42 PM Sun 11 Sep 2011 GMT

'Klaus Lorenz from the Whitsunday Sailing Club was the day's best performer posting a perfect score with three bullets - 2011 International Optimist Australian & Open Championships' Tom Quirk

Teenage Whitsunday Sailing Club skipper Klaus Lorenz has filled an important role as the qualified coach for the young Airlie Beach based Optimist dinghy fleet.

The 2011 Optimist Australian championship Bronze Medallist who personally built his own career from an intense program of training and racing on Pioneer Bay to become one of the best in the Nation has the proven talent to pass this knowledge on to other members of the Whitsunday Sailing Club junior squad.

Heading the squad will be his younger sister Eva (12) already recognised among the best female Optimist skippers following her selection to represent Australia earlier this year.

Both Klaus and Eva have a unique bond with Eva who has measured her career on racing and training against her older brother as the important path towards improving her tactics and technique has now become a special student in the Klaus Lorenz trained Optimist dinghy racing team.

Klaus who turned 15 on May 22 has made the important career decision to step up into the Olympic 420 dinghy class racing program with his good mate and previous Optimist rival Ollie Annear (14) however he remains determined to help the young WSC Optimist team gain the knowledge to improve and enjoy their fleet racing.

The exceptionally dedicated self-taught sailor who has shown it is possible to develop a career from endless hours of mid-week sailing after school hours with his tenacious kid sister Eva has the proven experience to wear the title as the Optimist team coach.

Sure Klaus appreciates the support from his parents WSC Life Member Jim Hayes and Yachting Queensland Youth development coach Ben Callard but while there commitment has been important he has added the personal touch to become recognised among Queensland's best young dinghy sailors.

Later this month Klaus Lorenz and Ollie Annear will make their 420 class debut in the Yachting Queensland State Youth championships while Eva will contest the Optimist class series on the Keppel Bay Sailing Club courses off Yeppoon.

As expected they Whitsunday Sailing Club team will be racing against the best youth sailors in Queensland however they are physically and mentally prepared to retain their places in the youth development squad.

Racing in the 420 will be a new learning curve for skipper Klaus Lorenz and sail handler Ollie Annear however as they have learnt from the competitive Optimist fleet racing that the major results are only achieved from endless hours of practice.

'Ollie and I are close mates and understand what it will take to start our 420 career from being the 'new boys' in the fleet but we are ready for the challenge,' Klaus Lorenz said.

The Queensland Youth Championships will provide Klaus Lorenz and Ollie Annear with an important bench mark on their boat speed as they prepare to contest the open Australian championship on the Moreton Bay Boat Club courses in late December.

by Ian Grant