Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club’s young sailing talent, Leon-Wei Petit, has achieved an impressive result at the 2025 Open Skiff World Championship in Osaka Bay, Japan, placing 22nd out of 61 competitors in the U17 division and 16th out of 43 boys.
This was Leon-Wei’s first-ever World Championship regatta, a remarkable milestone just two years after he first began sailing. Selected to represent Australia, he competed against some of the best young sailors in the world.
Throughout the week-long regatta, Leon-Wei focused on steady improvement and consistency in each race, gaining invaluable experience in boat handling, tactical decision-making, mental focus, and adapting to shifting weather conditions.
The championship delivered a true test of skill, with early races in heavy 20-knot winds and later rounds in lighter 7-knot breezes. The choppy open-ocean bay and strong currents added another layer of challenge, providing Leon-Wei with a wide range of racing conditions to master.
Leon-Wei credits much of his preparation and performance to the dedicated support of his team:
• Coach Scott Sinclair of Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club, whose pre-event coaching program and daily remote guidance ensured Leon-Wei was ready for world-class competition.
• His father, Jerome Petit, who provided detailed race debriefs and goal-setting after each day of racing, helping him fine-tune his performance.
“This event has been a huge step forward in my sailing journey,” Leon-Wei said.
“Competing at this level has shown me what’s possible, and I’m more motivated than ever to prepare for the 2026 World Championship and see how far I can take my performance.”
The Noosa Yacht & Rowing Club congratulated Leon-Wei on this outstanding achievement and looks forward to supporting his continued growth and success in the sport.
