James Peate, edited by YA, Sydney, Tuesday, 13 May 2008

The skipper of the 2008 OAMPS Australian Youth Team 29er, Nick Peate, tragically died while at home in Ballina (NSW) on Saturday 10th May. He was just 17 years old.

Nick was a member of the Richmond River Sailing Club, the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron and The Southport School Sailing Club, where he was the 2008 Sailing Teams Racing Captain.

With a natural sporting talent, Nick achieved representative honours in many sports including sailing, gymnastics, cross country and hockey. He also had success in schoolboy rugby union, athletics and rowing.

Nick was regarded as one of Australia’s top youth sailors, beginning his career in 2001 with the Richmond River Sailing Club in his home town of Ballina in northern NSW. He tasted his first National success just 6 months after taking up the sport, at 11 years of age, placing 3rd in the ‘Manly Junior’ National Championships at Woollahra SC in Sydney.

In 2004, Peter Vaicuirgis, the ‘NS 14’ National Champion and NSW Academy of Sport Sailing Coach asked Nick to crew for him in the NSW ‘Heron’ State Championships. Against sailors with more experience than him, Nick rewarded the faith Peter showed in him, with a flawless performance placing them 1st after three races.

Later that year he was accepted as a cadet into the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron (RQYS) and in 2005 became a member of their Elite Junior Youth Development Squad.

In 2006 he won his first National Title, in the ‘Sabot’ class, and was offered a prestigious Sporting Scholarship for sailing at The Southport School (TSS). Nick relocated to the Gold Coast and despite it being his first year in the TSS squad he was immediately selected as skipper for the “A” team at the GPS Sailing Championships.

Ongoing triumphs in State and National competitions culminated in Nick being selected for Australia to compete in the 2007 Austalian Youth Olympic Festival as well as a nomination for the 2008 Ballina Shire Young Sports Person of the Year.

Success continued with Nick, and his crew Rhys Mara, recently being selected as NSW Institute of Sport scholarship holders and also members of the 2008 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Sailing Team to compete in the Volvo ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Denmark in July.

Outside of sport, Nick was a very high achiever earning the Silver & Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Awards as well as participating in numerous community programs including Solomon Islands Outreach Work and a Server and Crucifer at St Mary’s Anglican Church, Ballina NSW.

Nick is survived by his father Roger, his mother Janice and his siblings Katherine, James and Matthew. The Board and staff of Yachting Australia express our sincere condolences to all Nick's family and friends.

Goodbye Nick...

You will be missed Nick.

A talented Sailor, terrific person and all round nice guy

Nick was a great guy and a fantastic sailor - it was a pleasure to sail with him in Melbourne in January. It's shocking that he is no longer with us...

Such a tragic waste - Nick was an inspiration to many young sailors here and elsewhere. The Melbourne Sabot and 29er contingent extend their heartfelt condolences to Nick's family and friends. I hope someone can shine some light on these tragic events from which we can all learn.......

RIP

Such a terribly short life :(

Scott has posted about it on his blog which sheds some light :(

http://scott.projectsomewhere.com/2008/ ... for-words/

A great sailor and friend! Thanks for all the good times Nick - Sydney 07.

We will never forget you.

I had participated in many sailing competitions and coaching sessions with nick through sabots, 29er's and teams racing and he was such a good sailor and I looked forward to racing him in the future and learning from his great skill. But today I sadly found out through my daily visit of this website that I won’t be meeting him again.
I find it hard to believe that a competitor that I have raced and congratulated of there winnings has passed away.
Thanks nick for great competition, sportsmanship and inspiration.

Nick,
You were truly a naturally talented sailor, your cool calm and collected attitude always amazed me. My best wishes to Nicks family and those who new him. He will be sorely missed!

Today, Wednesday 23rd July, would have been Nick's 18th Birthday. We at TSS Sailing Club still feel Nick to be as much a part of our team as ever and the boys and I are all remembering him and his influence upon us in our own ways today. I am happy to be able to announce an item of good news relating to Nick and feel it to be an auspicious time to be able to annouce it on this landmark day.

TSSSC is proud and pleased to dedicate the Nick Peate Memorial Youth Sailing Development Fund, a perpetual fund to benefit development and facilitate opportunities for aspiring sailors at TSSSC.

The idea came about when Nick was appointed to the Australian Team to contest the Youth Worlds in Denmark. We wanted to do some fundraising to help his cause but the TSS Friends of Sailing Committee thought, why stop there? Why not establish a perpetual fund to help all talented sailors reach their potential? Nick was to be the first beneficiary of this new fund. The seed was planted, the plans were made, and then the unthinkable happened. A lot of plans were changed that day, and the impetus to drive the establishment of this fund momentarily stalled.

Janice Peate, Nick's mother, and long time friend and supporter of The Southport School and TSS Sailing, was honoured with the notion of the fund and proud to have it carry the legacy of Nick's involvement and excellence in sailing. TSS Sailing looks forward with enthusiam and hope for future generations of sailors and the knowledge that Nick's extraordinary ability might continue to inspire others to reach their best.

RIP Nick Peate 23/07/1990 - 10/05/2008
"Sail flat, sail fast, sail fair, sail for fun"