Issue date
The battle for spots in the New Zealand team at December's Youth Sailing World Championships iare expected to be hotly contested when the Yachting New Zealand Youth Trials are held at the Manly Sailing Club from October 11-15.
George Gautrey finished seventh at last year's 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championships in the Laser Radial. Photo: Sailing Energy / World Sailing.
About 80 children aged 14-19 are expected at the event which is being used as a selection regatta for the NZL Sailing Foundation youth team to compete at December's Youth Sailing World Championships in Sanya, China. Entries are open and can be submitted unitl October 2.
Trials will be held in all five youth classes: RS:X 8.5, 420, 29er, Laser Radial and Nacra 15. Athletes who win their classes will be nominated for selection but will still have to prove they are capable of good results at the youth worlds - New Zealand competed in eight of the nine events last year.
As the premier event in youth sailing, more than 400 sailors from over 60 nations are expected to compete on the waters off Hainan Island from December 9-16. Torbay hosted last year's edition, with New Zealand collecting one medal to sisters Kate and Greta Stewart in the girls' 29er.
There will be a different look to the New Zealand team selected for the Youth Sailing World Championships, irrespective of results at the trials, with some of last year's crop now too old or having moved into Olympic classes.
"This is a really important regatta for youth sailors because selection for the NZL Sailing Foundation youth team will be a great stepping stone for their careers," Yachting New Zealand youth co-ordinator Stu Thomas said.
Registrations can be accessed through the Yachting New Zealand youth trials page.
