Top US Teenage Sailors Race In Youth Worlds Qualifier

Once again the path to glory for the best young sailors in the USA leads through Long Beach and the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club as host of the 2009 US Sailing ISAF Youth World Qualifier and US Youth Multihull Championship from Saturday through to Monday, 17-19 January.

The Martin Luther King weekend event will see about 80 boys and girls ages 19 and under from around the country sailing Laser Radials in separate classes, boys sailing International 420s, girls in Club 420s and both sailing Hobie 16s as an open class.

The winners in each class will qualify for the 39th Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship at Buzios, Brazil from 9-18 July. The fleets will include 17 sailors who were recently selected for the Under 18 (U18) and Under 23 (U23) US SAILING teams, geared to put leading prospects on a track to the Olympic Games.

The Hobie 16s, with 11 boats provided by the Hobie Cat Co., also will be chasing the national title for the Arthur J. Stevens Trophy. John LOVELL, a 2004 Olympic silver medallist in the Tornado class, is chairman for the multihull competition.

Amongst the young US stars lining up are Judge RYAN and Chris SEGERBLOM in the 420 competition. RYAN and SEGERBLOM qualified for the 2008 Youth Worlds in Denmark sailing different boats in last year’s event in Long Beach. They have now teamed up in a 420 for a shot at 2009. Claire DENNIS, of Saratoga, California, is the only U23 team member entered, sailing a Laser Radial.

Racing is scheduled to start at noon each day on two courses inside or outside the breakwater, depending on weather conditions.

Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship – www.sailing.org/youthworlds