Battle begins at Youth and Junior World Windsurf Champs
This week from 31 July-6 August, 17 of Britain’s best young windsurfers head to Marsala, Italy, to compete in the Youth and Junior World Windsurf Championships.
RYA Team GBR will bring a host of novice and experienced sailors to the event and all have been training hard for this competition. Great Britain will field leading talent in all three of the fleets, Techno, IMCO and the RS:X.
In the Techno 6.8, Sam Sills will be looking to medal after making rapid progress throughout the year. Sam, from Cornwall, will be competing in his second World Championships having finished in 14th place at the same event in 2005.
The 2006 Worlds will see Izzy Hamilton’s debut at a major international competition. Hamilton will be hoping for her favourite windy conditions in Masala.
Reigning World Champion Ali Masters is recovering from a knee injury which has kept him off the water for the last week. Ali is adamant that his injury will not affect him and is looking to defend his title on the Techno 7.8. Also competing on the 7.8 is David Woods, another sailor looking for a breezy week to demonstrate his awesome board speed.
In one of the biggest junior girls fleets ever assembled, Avril Gibbons will be looking to build on the experience that a full year of competition and training on the Techno 7.8 has given her.
Fresh from the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships, Richard Hamilton is keen to set the score right on the RS:X. The British National Champion finished in fifth place at the Youth Worlds where he was in arms reach of a medal until the very last day of the event. At only 16, Richard from Barrow-upon-Humber will be one of the younger sailors on the RS:X and posses the natural talent, drive and ambition to see him finish at the top.
The Team GBR RS:X fleet has strength and depth with a whole host of talented sailors including Elliot Carney, Kim Jiskoot, Alex Griffiths and Dan Skudder all ready to put in to practice the skills they have been fine tuning all year.
British Girls National Champion, Beth Williamson will take to the water girls RS:X fleet. Recently finishing in seventh overall following a string of solid results at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, Liverpool’s Beth will be looking to improve on her result. Beth is steadily gaining all important international experience and whilst looking for a top finish at this regatta she will also be looking to use the event as a valuable learning curve in preparation for competing at the senior RSX World Championships 2006, Lake Garda in September.
Great Britain will also field two young up-and-coming female RS:X sailors. At only 14, both Kirsten O’Callaghan and Daisy Brooks display the potential, attitude and talent that will see them excel in the future. As two of the youngest competitors in the RS:X the girls will gain valuable experience from the event.
Other sailors representing Great Britain also include Jacob Burbet, Richard Cleworth and Ed Strange.
“The Brits are definitely here in force.” Helen Cartwright, RYA National Windsurfing Coach explained. “And we’re all ready to get on the water.”
For further event information and full results visit the event website http://www.marsalasail.it/
