2017 Youth Match Racing World Championships host announced

by World Sailing on 21 Apr 2016 World Sailing is pleased to announce that Balboa Yacht Club, USA has been selected to host the 2017 Youth Match Racing World Championships.

Situated in the widely recognized Orange County in California, the Balboa Yacht Club will host the 2017 Youth Match Racing Worlds, continuing in its strong history of hosting such Youth Match Racing regattas.

Balboa Yacht Club is the founder and host of the oldest continually held Youth Match Race event in the world, the Governor's Cup, which will celebrate its 50th Anniversary in July 2016. In honor of that milestone, the Club's members and friends funded the design and construction of twelve new 'Governor's Cup 22's' which will be first used in the 50th Anniversary event and in next year's World Sailing Youth Match Racing World Championship.

Head of Events at World Sailing, Alastair Fox said, 'Balboa Yacht Club has a proven track record of holding a successful Youth Match Racing regatta and is a fantastic venue to hold our fourth edition of these World Championships.

'World Sailing looks forward to working with Balboa Yacht Club and have no doubt that both the club and California will impress all competitors involved, especially with the use of the new anniversary yachts.”

The new boats to be used in the World Championship are high performance, three or four person sloops designed by noted yacht designer Alan Andrews and feature 'flat top' mains, carbon fiber rigs, fractional rigs with masthead spinnakers.

The choice of venue was made by an Evaluation Panel who reviewed applications received in October 2015. The Panel then made their recommendation to World Sailing's Executive Committee who endorsed the recommendation.

The selection of Balboa Yacht Club is subject to a successful site visit and satisfactory contractual arrangements.

Dates are yet to be confirmed for the regatta but will be released in the near future.