EUROSAF Match Racing, Youth Open Europeans head to Lake Constance

by John Friend on 26 Mar 2013 EUROSAF have announced that the 2013 European Youth Match Racing Championship is to be organised by the Konstanzer Yacht Club (GER) in co-operation with the Jugend Regatta Förderverein, the Schüler Segelclub Konstanz (GER), Jugendsegeln Steckborn (SUI) and the Yacht Club Bregenz (AUT), a truly international line-up of yacht clubs.

From 24th to 28th September, and sailed from the City of Konstanz itself, this ISAF Grade 3 championship will crown the best youth match racing skipper and crew as the Champions of Europe. In the two previous years, the championship has been won by Valerio Galati (ITA) in 2011 and by Guillaume Pirouelle (FRA) in 2012, in what was a very closely fought final with the 2011 champion.

Twelve teams will be invited to compete in 2013 and in a change to the rules, the age limit has been increased from under 22 on 31st December in the year of the championship, to under 23. The event winner also gains an automatic invite to the 2014 EUROSAF Match Racing, Open European Championship, where they will pits their wits against the top European Match Racers, such as the 2012 Champion Pierre Antoine Morvan from France.

Chairman of the EUROSAF Match Racing Committee, Yana Dobzhitskaya, said 'we are delighted to have teamed up with Konstanzer Yacht Club and Jugend Regatta Förderverein, who between them, and their sister clubs around Lake Constance, will be organising and managing this important Championship on our behalf. EUROSAF are committed to developing match racing within Europe and having a strong and viable youth event is a key component in achieving this objective'.

She continued 'this youth championship is now in its third year and going from strength to strength. The quality of the racing has improved even in this short time, so we are confident we are on the right track and that Europe will be producing some of the best young match racing sailors in the world as we move forward'.

Felix Somm, Event Director, from Jugend Regatta Förderverein said 'We are excited to be hosting the European Youth championship this year. Our Teams have participated in the last two championships and are highly motivated to organise a great event on Lake Constance for teams from all over Europe, and to compete on their home waters against the best youth match racing teams of Europe.'

Entry to the EUROSAF Match Racing, Youth Open European is by invitation. Skippers and teams wishing to apply for an invitation should do so through their National Authority for Sailing. The Notice of Race is available from EUROSAF or here.