Over 600 sailors from 43 nations to participate in Laser Youth Worlds

by segler-zeitung.de on 27 Jul 2016 The international sailing youth is flooding Kiel-Schilksee in August. More than 600 young sailors from more than 43 nations will be participating in the Youth World Championships of the Laser 4.7, Laser Radial and the Laser Standard from 1. until 16. August.

'We are happy, that so many young sailors are coming to us just one month after the Kiel Week to sail their World Championship here. Kiel once more is promoting its position as a sailing site in Schleswig-Holstein by hosting these Youth World Championships', said organisational director Dirk Ramhorst (Kiel Yacht Club).

To support the top-class sailing events, the government of Schleswig-Holstein has confirmed to provide financial means in 2016 and 2017. This aid money can help to bring top events to Schleswig-Holstein. 'That the championships take place in Kiel, is a proof for the international top position of the sailing site Schleswig-Holstein. As the government of Schleswig-Holstein we will continue to strengthen and extend this exceptional position', said Schleswig Holstein's Minister of Sports, Stefan Studt.

The junior class 4.7 will be the first ones. The Laser class is regarded as the base and entry level class for the Olympic classes Laser Radial (women) and Laser Standard (men). 127 female and 261 male sailors did register for the 4.7 Youth Worlds, starting on 30. July with the measurement and check-in. They will be sailing up to twelve races from Tuesday, 2. August until Sunday, 7. August.

Next to Germany (44 starters), Poland with 29, Spain with 24, Great Britain with 22 and Greece with 21 participants are the biggest fleets at the event. Further young sailors are coming from Australia, Brazil, Peru, Trinidad/Tobago, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore as well as from the Oman.

In the girls' fleet, there are 13 sailors representing Germany, among them Katharina Schoch (Stuttgart) and Amelia Zartl (Wuerttemberg Yacht Club/Tettnang) from the junior national sailing team as well as Julia Buesselberg (Berlin), on whom hopes are pinned. The 16-year old from the junior national sailing team did win the vice championship and the Worlds title in the U16 fleet. The successful sailor from Berlin is aiming for a place on the podium at the Worlds in Kiel.

Buesselberg knows the sailing territory in Kiel by heart. The young sailor, who is also among the favourites for the World's tilte, did win the Young-European-Sailing (YES) as well as the Kiel Week last year and also this year's YES in Kiel. At this year's Kiel Week, the sailor from Berlin was the best girl on rank four.

Strong competitors are Frederica Cattarozzi from Italy and Emma Savelon from the Netherlands. They finished the U16 ranking behind Buesselberg on ranks two and three in 2015, but managed to turn the tables at the regattas at Hoorn (Netherlands) this year. Almost 400 sailors are at the start line on the race courses Echo and Juliett, divided into six groups (four male groups, two female groups).

Two days after the prize giving ceremony of the 4.7 Lasers, the measurement for the junior sailors (U21) in the Olympic classes Laser Radial (women) and Laser Standard (men) will start. Many participants of the Worlds did use the Kiel Week as Pre-Worlds, among them Monika Mikkola from Finland, who had finished the event on rank two.

The Standard men's fleet with 148 participants consists of 21 German sailors plus competitors from 36 further nations. During the Kiel Week, Jonatan Vadnai (Hungary) finished on rank four and Joel Rodriguez (Spain) on rank five and are thus among the favourites. The hopes among the German sailors are pinned on Nik Aaron Willim (seventh at Kiel Week) from the Sailing Team Germany.

The Youth World Championships are being supported by the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein and Helly Hansen. Based on this support, a special highlight will be the live TV broadcasting and the tracking of the last three race days of the championship. Since it is not possible to report about all the big participants' fleets, the organisers will take turns in concentrating on the Gold Fleets or one of the Medal Races.