Windward – Kennedy seeks sponsor to reach highest level

The call is out for a person or organisation to sponsor one of the Coast’s most talented youth sailors, whose sailing CV is already impressive.

Mooloolaba’s Mitch Kennedy, Laser class Under-21 World Champion and member of the Australian Laser Team, needs money if he is the make the next step up and become a very serious contender for Olympic selection 2020.

He has the proven performance record and the mental capacity to make it to the top, but like so many of Australia’s elite athletes, the battle to secure sufficient program funding from his sport’s high performance program, is eluding him.

Often the funding is allocated to a small top tier leaving those on the cusp scrambling to fund their training and competition program.

Kennedy needs $10,000 towards his program this year, but with a lot of scrimping and shared bunking down with his sailing mates he will find a way to make it through the year, just.

He has come off four weeks of intensive study at the Sunshine Coast University, completing the final subjects in his exercise physiology degree.

The time away from the water is worth the effort as he knows the degree will help him secure a job in the future.

Now, it’s back to the water with two weeks training under the eye of Queensland Academy of Sport sailing coach Ash Brunning, then another two weeks on Sydney Harbour with the Laser team and Olympic coach Michael Blackburn before he heads to Hyeres in France for the first major international regatta for the Australian Laser Team.

“Sam Meech, the Kiwi Rio bronze medallist will be in Sydney to train with us,” Kennedy said.

There will be five Australians training including Rio gold medallist, Tom Burton.

To bridge gap between himself and the top Australians Kennedy thinks his best option over the coming months is to train smarter and work on his mental toughness and keeping a level head during racing to make the difference.

“I need to do some more work on the mental side of things,” Kennedy said.

“The boys are all pretty similar in physical fitness.

“If you can get the mental edge on other guys, it will certainly help towards the end.”

After France the team will travel to Japan for two training camps before travelling to the class world championships in Croatia later in the year.