Promising Sailors

Promising Sailor Wai Zhi Tong

Age: 10 School: CHIJ Primary (Toa Payoh) Hobbies: Swimming, Aikido and Cycling Favourite Food: Braised chicken wings & mushrooms pot cooked by Mummy Words For a Fellow Sailor: Sometimes you may need to follow your gut feel even if it means going a totally different path from the rest. Once you’ve decided, follow it through to the end.

Sailing Honours: • 7th position; Junior Optimist

Girls; SingaporeSailing Students

Challenge Trophy

How did your sailing journey come about? Daddy signed me up for GKA at Sembawang when I was in P1. It was fun and so he continued to sign me up for C-Squad and then B-Squad. Then he asked me if I still want to continue with racing. I said yes and here I am, training and racing actively. What can you say about your time with SAF Yacht Club? With SAF Yacht Club, my weekends are always filled with fun and excitement.

Could you share your most memorable sailing experience? In one of my recent races, I took a path that is different from everyone else and rounded the mark first. Eventually I finished 2nd for that race.

What about your worst experience in sailing? In another one of my recent races, I capsized just 50m away from the finishing line. What could have been an 8th position finish, ended up with me finishing 20+. It was so frustrating.

Are you into other sports besides sailing? If yes, what are they? I learn and practice Aikido since I was 4 years old. I like to swim leisurely with my daddy and brother. I also enjoy cycling with my family at the various parks in Singapore. For you, what makes a good sailor? A good sailor is someone who has good sportsmanship, a good sense of environmental conditions, and can perform well consistently.

What are your personal goals in terms of sailing? I hope that one day I will be able to represent Singapore in international sailing competitions.

Any regattas you are looking forward to this year? How do you prepare yourself for the competition? With the current pandemic situation causing many regattas to be cancelled, every opportunity to race is precious and I look forward to participating in every one of them. I will go for every training session leading up to the regattas and put my best in every training race.

What’s your favourite aspect of sailing? I get to make a lot of new friends who are passionate about sailing. How do you manage sailing around your curriculum of studies? I try to finish all my homework before the weekend so that I can fully enjoy the sailing.

Promising Sailor Pek Zhen Qi Ruth

Age: 13 School: Singapore Chinese Girls School Secondary Hobbies: Playing the tuba, knitting, crocheting, wave boarding Favourite Food: McDonalds Words For a Fellow Sailor: You may want to win, but don’t neglect your friends time with my friends (Chloe P, Zi Tong) and am immensely grateful for all the uncles there who constantly help me rack and launch my boat.

Furthermore, the coaches there such as coach Low and coach Mike have really helped me to hone my sailing skills. How do you manage sailing around your curriculum of studies? I ask my Teachers for an extension if i need it, and ensure that i study hard and hand in good quality homework.

For you, what makes a good sailor? Good sportsmanship and being able to make friends with other sailors.

Sailing Honours: • 10th place; Singapore youth sailing championship

How did your sailing journey come about? My mother signed me up for GKA at SAFYC together with my younger sister and cousins. It was only meant to be a four day course, but I greatly enjoyed that sailing experience and decided to continue my sailing journey.

What’s your favourite aspect of sailing? The massive adrenaline rush you get while sailing especially during strong winds.

What can you say about your time with SAF Yacht Club? My time in SAFYC has been extremely enjoyable. I greatly treasure spending Could you share your most memorable sailing experience? My most memorable experience was during the gold fleet qualifier. I had a great time with my friends in that regatta, including making new friends from people from other classes.

What about your worst experience in sailing? I had done really poorly on day 1 and was hoping to improve my placing on day 2 of the regatta. However, there was barely any wind on day 2 and the current was extremely strong. Needless to say, there were no races that day.

Are you into other sports besides sailing? If yes, what are they? Not sure if this counts, but we do push-ups and sit-ups in school band, and carrying the tuba up the stairs is not easy. What are your personal goals in terms of sailing? I hope to eventually get into national team A, even though I know that won’t be easy.

Any regattas you are looking forward to this year? How do you prepare yourself for the competition? I look forward to participating in NSC cup 1, especially since there have hardly been any races so far this year.