YNZ announces 2016 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team

Yachting New Zealand is pleased to name a team of 13 sailors to compete at the 2016 Aon Youth World Sailing Championships which run from 14 December to 20 December in Torbay, Auckland

The prestigious international event sees national teams from around the world gather together for a week long regatta for youth class sailors under-19 years of age. New Zealand will be represented in eight of the nine events being contested in 2016.

2016 NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team

Olivia Christie, 17 years (Worser Bay Boating Club) Laser Radial Girls

George Gautrey, 18 years (Muritai Yacht Club) Laser Radial Boys

Patrick Haybittle, 17 years (RNZYS and Murrays Bay Sailing club) RS:X Boys

Greta Stewart, 16 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 29er Girls Skipper

Kate Stewart , 18 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 29er Girls Crew

Francesco Kayrouz, 13 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Wakatere Boating Club) 29er Boys Skipper

Oscar Gunn, 17 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 29er Boys Crew

Josh Berry, 15 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 420 Boys Skipper

Henry Haslett, 17 years (Wakatere Boating Club) 420 Boys Crew

Courtney Reynolds-Smith, 16 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 420 Girls Skipper

Brianna Reynolds-Smith, 16 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) 420 Girls Crew

Jackson Keon, 16 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) Multihull Skipper

Tom Fyfe, 16 years (Murrays Bay Sailing Club) Multihull Crew

Ten of the team represent the Murrays Bay Sailing Club on Aucklands north shore, but sailors hailing from the Wellington region also feature in the line-up. They range in age from 13 to 18 years old, and for five of the sailors this will be their second time representing New Zealand at the World Sailing Youth World Championships.

"I am very excited about the raw talent we have in this years NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team," says Yachting New Zealands Talent Development Manager Ian Neely.

"We have a nice mixture this year of returning medallists from last year and young sailors attending their first World Sailing Youth Worlds"

"The World Sailing Youth World Championships provides its own unique set of challenges, and the event is regarded by many as a youth version of the Olympic Games with the limited entries, and high pressure racing.

"This year we will be racing on home turf which is an amazing opportunity and extremely exciting to invite the worlds best to come and sail and race with us. The team organising the World Sailing Youth Worlds look to be doing an amazing job and I am sure it will be an event to remember"

"Between now and December we will be putting in the work to be as best prepared as we can. Its all about doing everything possible now, to arrive at the regatta knowing we are well prepared and ready for action."

Plenty of the worlds best known yachtsmen and women have competed and medalled at the World Sailing Youth World Championships which date back to 1971.

Among the list of New Zealanders to have stood on the World Sailing Youth Worlds podium are Sam Meech (2008 Bronze, Laser Radial), Alex Maloney (2010 Silver, 29er), Jo Aleh (2004 Silver, Laser Radial), Sir Russell Coutts (1979 Silver, Laser and 1981 Gold, Laser), Blair Tuke (2007 Silver, 29er), Dean Barker (1990 Gold, Laser and 1991 Silver, Laser) and Stuart Bannatyne (1989 Gold, Laser).

The World Sailing run event is coming to New Zealand for the first time in its 47-year history and as a consequence the NZL Yachting Trust Youth Team will have the opportunity to compete against the best youth sailors in the World in their own home waters.

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Yachting New Zealand