SAFA Skysailor Magazine

35 SPRING 2025 | September-October-November SKY SAILOR got a few beers. It was half time with Queensland leading 20-0. Couldn’t wait to watch the rest of the game. We walked into the back room of this Irish bar – full of Aussies going off with the footy – time for me to relax too. What a second half – plenty to shout at, laugh, and beers flowed – 24-12 win to the Queenslanders, yeah! Then we moved on to the ‘State of Origin’ pool competition, Queensland cleaned up at this too! About 9pm the fellas I was with had to leave for a tour of the FC Barcelona stadium. What a great bunch: Three fellas also from Cairns, all doing medical specialty training, as it turned out, I was at school and uni with one of the boys’ father, who still lives in Cairns. What a small world! Next day I was on the AUS HG bus with Guy, Vic, and Rory heading to Àger. El Capitan, Guy, and assistant Rory, had knocked up some clever roof racks for the hire van to carry our gliders for the comp. The countryside on the drive up to Àger reminded me of South Australia – old sandstone/stone buildings, stone walls and fences, Mediterranean fruits, figs, grapes, peaches, and wheat paddocks. Every inch What an adventure! A bus ride, then underground train, with friendly people helping me to interpret the ticketing machines, I popped up out of the subway onto some downtown street, my phone telling me, “Walk 150m, turn right, you will be at your destination.” Two young lads sat outside this pub, beer in hand, as I approach I overheard them talking. “You boys Aussies?” I asked. “Yep, Queensland or NSW?”, he asked back. “Queenslander,” I replied with enthusiasm! The young fella gives me a thumbs up, I asked what beer he was drinking, “Estrella Damm is pretty good.” I joined them and Left: Brod on launch at Àger, Spain Photo: Team AUS