Ex-Cadet Sailor – Will Farnell, the ORCV’s Youth Sailor of the Year 2025
Sixteen-year-old Will Farnell, a proud product of Victoria’s International Cadet “6th Fleet”, has been named the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s Youth Sailor of the Year 2025. The Geelong teenager has already logged more offshore miles than many adults, impressing the ORCV with his seamanship, maturity and infectious enthusiasm for the sport. orcv.org.au
Cadet foundations
Will’s sailing story began in 2017 when he joined the Cadet class. Those early seasons racing two-handed dinghies taught him sail-trim basics, tactical thinking and – perhaps most importantly – how to lead and look after a crew-mate. “Cadets gave me the confidence to step aboard bigger boats and know what was happening from day one,” he says.