First Olympic Qualification Regatta for Yngling Class Underway

Racing began today at the Yngling World Championships on Lake Lucerne, Brunnen, Switzerland. The event is split into an Open fleet and a Women’s Fleet, with the latter vying to qualify their nation for a place at the 2004 Olympic Regatta in Athens.

Racing began today at the Yngling World Championships on Lake Lucerne, Brunnen, Switzerland. The event is split into an Open fleet and a Women’s Fleet, with the latter vying to qualify their nation for a place at the 2004 Olympic Regatta in Athens. The competition in both fleets is hot with the world’s top Yngling sailors fighting it out for the title of World Champion.

Women’s Fleet
The preliminary entry list indicates the fight for the Women’s Yngling World Championship title will be a tough one! Only 6 of the sailors in the ISAF Yngling Ranking List do not figure on the entry list, and all but one of the top 20 are competing in the 46 boat fleet. 16 nations are represented, with 11 helms who are participating at their first ISAF Graded Event in the Yngling Class, and will therefore make their debut on the ISAF World Sailing Rankings. However, 2 of these 11, figure in the top 15 of the ISAF Women’s Match Race Rankings and will be hoping to make as impressive an impact in the Yngling. Guilia Conti, ranked 9th, will be a familiar face to many and will be hoping to improve on her 4th place in the women’s keelboat event (J22) at the recent ISAF World Sailing Games in Marseille and make her mark on the Yngling Ranking list. Claire Leroy (FRA), is currently ranked 13th in the world.

Australia’s Melanie Dennison and crew, who have been the ISAF World Ranking Leaders since July 2001 will be looking to add a Gold at the World Championships to affirm their dominance and improve on her 6th position in 2001, in a fleet where the top five places went to the USA.

The fleet is more than double the size of the women’s fleet in 2001, with a far more international flavour and there is no doubt that this is because it is an Olympic Qualification event. The top 5 finishing nations will secure their place for the 2004 Olympic Regatta. Those nations who miss out this time will have another chance at the 2003 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Cadiz, Spain (which will combine the 2003 Olympic Qualification Regattas for all Olympic events) where 6 more nations will qualify and the last 3 places will be decided in 2004. The host nation, Greece, will automatically have an entry in the event. It will then be the decision of each nation as to which crew represents them at the 2004 Olympic Regatta.

Women’s Fleet – Weight Measurement Procedure
The 2002 Yngling Worlds will also see a weight limit measurement procedure introduced for the first time. In November 2001, ISAF determined that the all-up crew weight limit in the Yngling Class would be 205kg. In May 2002, ISAF agreed that for the 2002 Olympic Qualification Regatta and 2002 Test Event the following weight measurement procedure. Based on the experience from these events, ISAF shall determine the measurement procedure to be applied at the 2003 and 2004 Olympic Qualification Regattas and 2004 Olympic Regatta. The weight measurement procedure is that all competitors will be required to present themselves for weighing every day between 0700-0900 (or at another two hour slot as required if racing is to commence before 1100) in order to ensure compliance with the all-up crew weight limit of 205kg. Competitors may present themselves at any time during the two-hour window and as often as necessary to make the weight limit. For those competitors failing to meet the weight limit they shall not sail in any races that day and shall score DNS. For full details on the discussion regarding the Weight Limit Measurement Procedure go to Minute 9(a) of the Council Minutes of 405 May 2002 at: http://www.sailing.org/meetings/2002midyear/default.asp

Open Fleet
The Open fleet, smaller than the Women’s, has 41 entries representing 9 nations. Reigning Champion Christoph Skolaut (AUT) will be back again to try and hold on to his title and will face some stiff competition, not least from veteran Yngling skipper and 3 times World Champion (1997, 1998, 1999) Mads Christnesen (DEN) who finished 4th in 2001 and 3rd in 2000. Although only five other skippers will be returning to the event from last year there are plenty of other experienced Yngling sailors competing at the event.

For the latest news and results visit the event website at: http://www.yngling-worlds.ch