Youth and Junior racing an important part of the WPNSA event calendar
by Jessica Francis on 20 Aug 2014
Nearly 500 young helms raced at the WPNSA in their Optimist dinghies during August Martin Allen
Youth and Junior racing forms an important part of the events calendar at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) and this year is proving to be no exception. 2014 has seen the Academy host a wide variety of major events ranging from weekend Grand Prix to National and World Championships, featuring many of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Youth and Junior Classes.
The spring season started well with the RYA Youth Nationals in April followed by the Laser Europa Cup and the WPNSA has also welcomed Toppers, Fevas, 29ers, Optimists and the Cadet Class. A combination of favourable weather and a world class sailing venue has led to some fantastic racing and great reviews from the sailors and their parents.
The International Optimist Class Association recently held the 2014 Volvo Gill British National and Open Championship at WPNSA. Mark Lyttle, the Class Chairman commented, 'We had a great week; the weather was superb with nearly 500 sailors racing. Many of the youngsters who have been at the majority of these events before, said that this edition has been the best they have ever attended'. Sir Ben Ainslie, a Director of WPNSA, was onsite to help inspire the racers. A former Optimist sailor himself, he was on hand to sign autographs and answer sailor’s questions.
Following on from their National Championship, the UK National Cadet Class Association (UKNCCA) has the honour of being host nation for the World Championship. Jan Martin Wilschut, Chairman of the International Cadet Class Association, is extremely happy to be racing from such an esteemed sailing venue, 'It fills me with great pleasure and a feeling of immense pride that the UK National Cadet Class Association took it upon itself to host the 2014 Cadet World Championship at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the 2012 Olympic sailing venue. National teams will compete intensely and at the same time young sailors will make international friends for life'
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