Issue date
Yachting New Zealand have made the difficult decision to not send a team to December's Youth Sailing World Championships but will still select a team off the back of October's NZL Sailing Foundation Youth Championships.
The decision to forgo the youth worlds is based on the risks associated with sending a team to the event, due to be held in Oman, as well as the current managed isolation requirements on return and the health and wellbeing of sailors and coaches.
It's a stance other countries have already taken, including Australia, and World Sailing have indicated they expect only half of the normal number of attendees at the regatta.
The Youth Sailing World Championships are the pinnacle event for youth sailors, with only one entry from each country in all nine classes. Last year's youth worlds, scheduled to be held in Brazil, was cancelled due to Covid-19.
"We have given careful consideration to attending the 2021 Youth Sailing World Championships," Yachting New Zealand chief executive David Abercrombie said. "The Government recommend that people don't travel internationally and that, together with MIQ requirements, which would have been both expensive and over Christmas, has influenced our decision to not attend the event.
"We know there will be a number of people who will be disappointed by this decision, especially those who are in their last year at youth level, but we wanted to give people certainty so they can plan their season ahead."
Yachting New Zealand still intend selecting a NZL Sailing Foundation Youth Team from October's NZL Sailing Foundation Youth Championships at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.
Those selected, as well as training partners, will be invited to attend a training camp in December at a venue still to be confirmed and Yachting New Zealand are looking into other opportunities depending on things like the trans-Tasman bubble.
