There are just seven more days for sailors to get their entries in for the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships – the RYA’s premier youth racing event in 2011 – which will take place at Hayling Island Sailing Club from 9-15 April. Competitors have until up until Sunday 3 April to submit their entries – due to the size and complexity of the event entries requested after this date cannot be accepted.
The UK’s most talented youth sailors across nine sailing classes will battle it out on four race courses in Hayling Bay between Monday 11 April and Friday 15 April, where they’ll not only have the chance to test their racing skills against top competition but will also have the chance to be crowned RYA Volvo Youth National Champion 2011.
Hayling Island Sailing Club last welcomed the Youth Nationals in 2007. As host to the prestigious and award winning 2010 Laser World Championships it is well used to staging major events and will hope to provide the young, determined sailors a great welcome and perfect conditions for them to commence battle against their rivals.
With over 255 sailors from 5 nations already entered for the 2011 edition of what is regarded as Britain’s premier annual youth sail racing event, organisers are urging sailing’s future Olympic athletes to confirm their attendance and submit their on-line entry promptly.
The 2011 RYA Volvo Youth National Championships will also be the first time that youth sailors from other nations have been invited to compete, which undoubtedly will add to the highly competitive and exciting racing environment.
RYA Youth Racing Manager, Duncan Truswell, commented: “The 2011 RYA Volvo Youth National Championship is shaping up to be a particularly exciting event, we have competitors from as far afield as New Zealand bolstering the strong domestic fleets across the range of classes.
“We also have a range of extracurricular activities going on: Sunday enables Racing Rules guru and Rule 42 expert John Doerr to help educate the sailors on the process and interpretation of rule 42, Monday is ladies day where we hope to promote the increasing options available to talented girls within the Youth Programme with a move towards a more equal gender balance at the 2016 Olympic Games and beyond, Tuesday will see a talk enlightening the sailors of the wealth of opportunities within the RYA/UKSA-run British Keelboat Academy, and Wednesday will offer an opportunity to talk to Barrie Edgington, RYA Olympic Development Squad Manager to discuss options in Olympic sailing.
“With all this on offer, as well as the usual competitive shakedown which we hope will be the foundation of RYA Team GBR’s 2011 International success, the advice is simple – get your entry in because all of us at the RYA, HISC and Volvo Car UK look forward to welcoming you at the regatta and delivering a great event.”
As well as acting as the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships, the event doubles up as a selection event for RYA Volvo Team GBR – the British team which will compete at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships, which this year takes place in Zadar, Croatia in July.
This year Hugh Styles, who has recently been appointed as the World Youth Sailing Trust’s coach and who finished sixth in the Tornado class at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, will be among the panel of Youth Worlds selectors at Hayling Island.
The sailors will also have the chance to showcase their talents in front of a Royal audience after confirmation that HRH The Princess Royal will be attending the RYA Volvo Youth National Championships on Wednesday 13 April.
To submit your entry now for RYA Volvo Youth National Championships 2011 please visit www.ryaracingevents.org.uk/youth/nats.
