The ISAF Youth World Sailing Championship has been held annually since 1971, and has taken place in cities all obver the world, Marathon - Greece, Rhode Island - USA, Fukuoka - Japan, Capetown - South Africa and Sydney - Austrailia to name just a few.

Since 2002 the Athlete Participation Programme has enabled 98 sailors all five continents to attend the World Sailing Games and the ISAF Youth World Sailing Championship from countries like Thailand, Namibia, Angola, Morrocco, Tahiti, Latvia the Seychelles and Slovakia.

2005 sees a continuation of this programme and the long term funding aspect of it enables developing countries to plan their participation and prepare their teams for future youth worlds, secure in the knowledge that funding will be available for them. Samoa for example, as they will be taking part for the third consecutive year with help from the Athlete Participation Programme.

We were delighted to welcome the Bahamas and El Salvador to the ISAF Youth World Championships for the first time, and welcome back the US Virgin Islands after a 20 year absence.

Alyson MYERS (BAH) and Luis Roberto RAMIREZ HENERA (ESA) both gave interviews to tell us a little bit about participating in the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF Championship from their perspective and coaching support was made available yet again courtesy of the World Youth Sailign Trust employing the services of top international coach Jim SALTONSTALL (GBR). These coaching services were available to all competitors not just those on the Athlete Participation Programme.

The results of those participating through the programme was varied with near podium finishes from Juan MAEGLI (GUA) in the Hobie 16 class and Cy THOMPSON (ISV) in the Laser. Please see below for all the results of the Youth Sailors who took part with help from the Athlete Participation Programme.

Sailors funded in 2005 are detailed below.