Photo: Supplied.
Australian sailor Rory Meehan has clinched gold at the Youth World Championships in Brest, France, sailing his way to the top in a thrilling final against competitors from 36 countries.
With 150 sailors in the U19 Men’s fleet and shifty, light winds to contend with, Rory’s campaign was anything but smooth sailing. After a gutsy race win on Day 1, an over-eager start left him with a costly Black Flag penalty. With a disqualification hanging over every start, Rory had to play it safe, working his way up from deep in the fleet, race by race.
By the end of the qualifying series, he’d fought through to secure sixth place and a spot in the gold fleet. With the pressure lifted and a chance to race freely, Rory soared, posting three first-place finishes and jumping to second overall heading into the medal series.
Only eight sailors advanced to this final showdown. As the second seed, Rory earned a direct berth to the Grand Final, where he faced off against Italy’s Mattia and Türkiye’s Arton in a knockout-style format.
It all came down to the final race. With all three contenders holding one star apiece, Rory pulled off a bold tactical move at the bottom mark, launched into a pumping battle upwind, and held his lead to the finish line, claiming the world title and sealing the win with pure Aussie determination.
“This title isn’t just mine,” Rory said. “It’s for my coach Mitch Pearson, Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, my family, my teammates – everyone who supported me.”
And he’s not stopping here. Next up: training camp in Townsville and a push to qualify for the Youth Sailing World Championships in Portugal this December.
Keep an eye on this rising star. His Olympic dreams are very much afloat.
