Rookie finds sailing the ant's pants

Fifteen-year-old Nathan Stacey was one half of the winning combination who took out the 2015-2016 Flying Ant State Championship last month in Dunsborough.

Nathan and skipper Jack Joyner became the best in WA after dominating the seven boat event on January 23-25 having only sailed together on board their vessel Viper for 12 months.

After first taking an interest in the sport two years ago, Nathan began training with The Cruising Yacht Club in Rockingham before heading to Mounts Bay Yacht Club and then onto Fremantle Yacht Club where he now sails.

"I enjoy sailing because it is fun, fast and competitive," Nathan said.

"It's a really positive sport and I love getting out on the water to see what we can do."

Nathan's mother Sandra said she encouraged her son to have a go at sailing because they lived close to the ocean in Secret Harbour.

"We are not from a sailing background but we want Nathan to try different things so we decided to give it a go," she said.

"He picked it up so quickly and now has progressed to a level where he is comfortably sailing on the large keel boats with men twice his age.

"He is incredibly strong and both he and Jack are known for their speed when they get out on the water."

Flying Ant Skiff Association president Dale Kerswell said he first noticed Nathan sailing at Mounts Bay during the 2014-2015 State Championships.

"I watched him team up with Jack on Viper and observed their improvement going from strength to strength," he said.

"Nathan is a very talented young sailor and his recent success is just the start of many great things to come.

"I'm looking forward to watching some amazing sailing from Nathan over the next few years."

Nathan had a busy month in January, completing a six-day voyage on the TS Leeuwin as well as placing third in the Flying Ant National Championships.

He also took part in Cockburn Sound Regatta aboard The Low Flying Duck.

Final results of the Flying Ant State Championships were: second place Luke Phillips and Nic Sfetsos on Ants Pantz; third place - Caylim and Liam Vause on Temporary Insanity; fourth place - Harry Joyner and Jameel Imamdin on Addiction; fifth place - Harry Ainsworth and Finn Penter on The Edge; sixth place-- Owen and Callum Eiszele on Elusive, seventh place - Grace and Matthew Myburgh on Hard Yakka.