Aussie youths at ISAF Worlds

The 2012 Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Dublin, Ireland is set for big fleets in the SL16 and 29er.

The Open SL16 event at this year’s regatta features several mixed crews. Paul Darmanin and Lucy Copeland (AUS) are one of those in Dublin with Rio 2016 on their mind, “The mixed multihull for the Games is on our rader but I just want to focus on the Youth Worlds at the moment,” said Darmanin who won SL16 gold in 2010 as crew with Chase Lurati.

“My cousin Jason and sister Lisa are training very hard working towards the 2016 Games so for me to try for the Olympics I would have to battle it out against them.

“Competing at the Olympic Games would be the ultimate dream come true as it is the highest level of sailing around. I love representing Australia so doing it at the Olympics would be fantastic.”

New Zealand’s Tomer Simhony finished fifth at the 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds in the SL16 with Ellie Copeland and is back again with another female crew, Gemma Jones.

Twenty six teams will compete for 29er gold but the undermining favourites coming into the event are the 2011 Champions Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel (ESP). The Spaniards stormed to gold in Zadar, Croatia with a string of consistent results over 12 races to claim gold by 18 points.

With only Klaus Lange and Mateo Majdalani (ARG) returning from the top ten finishers in 2011, the Spaniards will aim for a second successive gold.

The fleet features a new wave of young sailors who will be seen beyond 2012 with 43 of the 52 sailors competing in the 26-boat fleet eligible to sail at the 2013 edition in Limassol, Cyprus.

The ISAF Youth Worlds was first held in Sweden in 1971. The 2012 Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland will be the 42nd edition of the championship.

Past notable winners include American’s Cup skippers, Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL), Dean Barker (NZL); Olympic medallists, Robert Scheidt (BRA), Amelie Lux (GER), Ben Ainslie (GBR), Iain Percy (GBR), Alessandra Sensini (ITA), Elise Rechichi (AUS) and Tessa Parkinson (AUS); Volvo Ocean Race sailors like Stuart Bannatyne (NZL) and Richard Clarke (CAN).

Racing at the 2012 Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship begins on 14 July in Dun, Laoghaire, Ireland running until 20 July.

Links

Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship
www.isafyouthworlds.com

ISAF Youth Worlds Facebook site:
www.facebook.com/ISAFYouthWorlds

ISAF YouTube
www.youtube.com/ISAFChannel

The ISAF Youth Worlds was first held in Sweden in 1971. The 2012 Four Star Pizza ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Dublin, Ireland will be the 42nd edition of the championship.

Past notable winners include American’s Cup skippers, Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL), Dean Barker (NZL); Olympic medallists, Robert Scheidt (BRA), Amelie Lux (GER), Ben Ainslie (GBR), Iain Percy (GBR), Alessandra Sensini (ITA), Elise Rechichi (AUS) and Tessa Parkinson (AUS); Volvo Ocean Race sailors like Stuart Bannatyne (NZL) and Richard Clarke (CAN). The most successful ISAF Youth World Champions are Great Britain’s Sally Cuthbert and Poland’s Zofia Klepacka having won four successive titles in the Laser II and Mistral respectively.

France is the current holder of the Nations Trophy, awarded annually to the top performing nation at the Youth Worlds. France is the most success nation through the history of the Championship, winning the Nations Trophy on a record 12 occasions and holding a record 67 medals: 22 gold, 28 silver and 17 bronze.