Over 450 of the world’s best youth sailors from 69 countries, including Australia, are getting ready to compete at the Allianz Youth World Sailing Championships 2022, to take place off the coast of Scheveningen in The Hague, Netherlands, from 8-15 July.
The Championships are open to young sailing stars up to the age of 19 and an elite gathering of sailors will compete across 11 youth events, including the 29er skiff, 420 two-person dinghy, ILCA 6 one-person dinghy, along with the Mixed two-person the Nacra 15.
Last year incorporated the introduction of Male and Female categories in Kiteboarding Formula Kite, and this year for the first time, we will see Male and Female competitors flying above the water in Windsurfing Youth iQFOiL. The move to more foil-borne events mirrors the developments seen in Olympic competition over the past year since the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The 11 events will test different aspects of the sport. From the highly tactical, boat-on-boat contest that we will see in the traditional dinghy classes, through to the ‘apparent wind’ driven multihull and skiffs, which test balance and agility.
These foiling windsurfers require high levels of balance and aerobic fitness, while the fastest competitors on the water will be the kitefoilers, capable of peak speeds over 30 knots.
Having already proven themselves at the front of the senior fleet, the battle for supremacy in the new kitefoiling contest will be world class by any measure.
Singapore’s 15-year-old Max Maeder, winner of the Youth Worlds last year in Oman, has been winning events against all the senior riders on the Kitefoil World Series.
“I’m so happy to have the privilege to compete with all of the best youth riders around the world and wish them the best of luck,” said Maeder. “It feels like a great honour to represent your nation at such a big event, and I think the atmosphere on and off the water will be incredible.”
Last year’s silver medallist in the Female kitefoiling division, Julia Damasiewicz (POL), is back to see if she can get to the top of the podium in The Hague.
Having won the recent Kitefoiling World Series event in Austria, the 18-year-old Polish rider broke the incredible winning streak of 32 consecutive international regatta wins over the last six years by five-time Formula Kite World Champion, Daniela Moroz (USA). Damasiewicz will be hard to beat, although last year’s youth bronze medallist, Héloise Pegourié from France, has also displayed world-beating form at times this year.
The Hague will also host the Sailing World Championships for Olympic classes in August 2023, also from the port of Scheveningen. Around 1,400 sailors from 90 countries will compete in the 10 Olympic and three Paralympic classes. The Youth Worlds will serve as a useful build-up to the senior competition for race officials, organisers and the local community of Scheveningen.
Many of this year’s youth competitors will compete at next year’s Olympic class event, including a growing number who have graduated from World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Program (ENP).
World Sailing’s Training and Development Executive, Cat Duncan and Training Delivery Manager, Rob Holden, have been running a clinic for ENP athletes at Scheveningen over a number of days before the regatta begins.
Olympic representative for Mexico in the ILCA 6, Tania Elias Calles, has been leading the coaching and will be working with the ENP sailors throughout the regatta.
“We’re committed to closing the knowledge and skills gap between the top sailing nations and the Emerging Nations,” Holden said.
“Last year’s gold medal, won by Florencia Chiarella from Peru, shows what’s possible if you really dedicate yourself to succeeding at the top level of sailing. It’s been great to work with this group of keen ENP sailors this week. I wish them all the best and hope they enjoy the experience of competing at the Youth Worlds.”
The Hague looks set to deliver stunning weather with temperatures forecast for the mid-20s Celsius. A range of wind and wave conditions also look likely for the five days of competition, including the prospect of three-metre swell. It should make for a thrilling contest.
David Graham, CEO, World Sailing, said, “The Allianz Youth Sailing World Championships is a prestigious event in the World Sailing calendar and we are looking forward to the event in The Hague. The combination of a natural beach and the North Sea winds will make for an exciting competition, and a true test of sailing skills for the world’s brightest prospects.”
The Opening Ceremony officially welcomes the sailors on Saturday 9 July. Racing will commence on Sunday 10 July and runs through to Thursday 14 July when 11 new Youth World Champions will be crowned.
Events for the Youth Worlds:
Female Windsurfer – Youth iQFOiL (with 8.0m rig)
Male Windsurfer – Youth iQFOiL (with 8.0m rig)
Male Kiteboarding – FormulaKite
Female Kiteboarding – FormulaKite
Female Two Person Dinghy – 420
Male/Mixed Two Person Dinghy – 420
Female One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Male One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6
Male Skiff – 29er
Female Skiff – 29er
Mixed Two Person Multihull – Nacra 15
About the Youth Worlds
First held in Sweden in 1971, the Youth Sailing World Championships are World Sailing’s flagship event for youth sailors.
Past notable winners include America’s Cup skippers Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL) and Dean Barker (NZL); Olympic medallists Nathan Outteridge (AUS), Iain Jensen (AUS), Robert Scheidt (BRA), Amelie Lux (GER), Ben Ainslie (GBR), Iain Percy (GBR), Alessandra Sensini (ITA), Elise Rechichi (AUS) and Tessa Parkinson (AUS); VOR sailors Stuart Bannatyne (NZL) and Richard Clarke (CAN).
The most successful Youth World Champions are Sally Cuthbert (GBR) and Zofia Klepacka (POL), who won four successive titles in the Laser II and Mistral respectively.
Following the success of their athletes at the 2021 edition in Oman, France is the current holder of the Nations Trophy, awarded annually to the top-performing nation at the Youth Worlds.
Event website: http://worldsailingywc.org/
