Will Troop Takes Flight Across the European WASZP Circuit
RPAYC youth sailor Will Troop has completed an ambitious three-event international campaign, racing at Foiling Week in Malcesine on Italy’s Lake Garda before travelling to Spain for the WASZP Spanish Nationals and WASZP European Championships at Los Alcázares on the Mar Menor. Conducted from late June through to mid-July, the program gave Troop the opportunity to measure his progress against some of Europe’s strongest WASZP fleets
Troop’s preparation began in December, with every suitable foiling day used to target specific areas of performance. He reinforced that training by contesting the Australian Sprint Championships, Victorian States, Asia Pacific Championship, NSW States, WASZP Worlds in Pensacola, and the Queensland States and Nationals.
The World Championships provided an important turning point. Troop identified starting as his biggest weakness and devoted his final Australian regattas to developing several start-line techniques that could be applied in the larger and more congested European fleets.
He arrived in Europe with a clear objective: to finish inside the top 20 at each of the three events. It was an ambitious but considered goal, shaped by the depth of European competition and comparisons with sailors he had previously raced against. More importantly, the campaign would test whether the improvements made during his Australian preparation could transfer to major international fleets.
The standout moment came on the fourth day of racing, when Troop recorded consecutive fourth and fifth-place finishes. In one race he led around the first top mark, while in the following race he rounded second.
“I was able to prove that it wasn’t a one-time thing,” Troopy said.
Those two performances demonstrated that he could not only start and sail at the front of an international fleet, but repeat that performance against high-quality opposition.
The campaign has now established a strong platform for the next phase of Troop’s sailing. He will begin working towards the 2027 WASZP World Championships on Lake Garda and the WASZP Oceania Championships in Manly, New Zealand.
Alongside his foiling campaign, Troop will continue developing his match racing through the RPAYC Youth Development Program and begin competing on the 16ft skiff circuit.
For Troop, the European tour delivered far more than individual race results. It sharpened his starting skills, confirmed his ability to compete near the front of major fleets and provided a clear benchmark for the work ahead.
Photo: Martina Orsini | DownUnder Sail.
