US youth program

US Sailing publish details of Sailing Festivals program

Thousands of young sailors from across the US will get on the water this sailing season thanks to US Sailing's USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festivals program. This year's calendar of Junior Olympic Sailing Festivals includes 24 events hosted by sailing organisations in 18 states. Created to help young sailing enthusiasts develop their sailing skills while having fun on and off the water, the program is organized by US Sailing. West Marine, continuing its support of youth sailing, is presenting sponsor of the program, has it has been since the program's inception in 1997. The program is also supported by Gill.

Many sailors' dreams of competing in the Olympic Games begin in junior programs. The USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival program provides a perfect launching pad for sailors with those dreams. It is a grassroots youth development program created for youngsters to become involved in sailing and develop their skills, with a goal of making sailing a life-long sport. While all Festivals incorporate elements of fun and learning, each features different levels of competition with fun clinics. In 2004, more than 4,500 young sailors participated in the nationwide program. Overall, more than 24,000 young sailors have gone out on the water as a Junior Olympic competitor. The largest event in the program is the Orange Bowl Regatta, held each year in December in Miami. More than 660 competitors from 11 countries participated in the event last year.

2005 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Schedule

June 18-19 - USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Upper Midwest
Wayzata Yacht Club, Minn.

June 18-19 - USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Midwest
Island Bay Yacht Club, Springfield, Ill.

June 25-26 - USA Junior Olympic Windsurfing Festival
Calema Windsurfing School, Merritt Island, Fla.

July 2-4 - USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Gulf Coast
Pensacola Yacht Club, Fla.

July 9-10 - USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Chesapeake Bay
Fishing Bay Yacht Club, Deltaville, Va.

July 11-15 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Hawaii
Hawaii & Waikiki Yacht Clubs, Honolulu, HI

July 12 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Southern New England
Niantic Bay Yacht Club, Niantic, Conn.

July 12-14 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Northeast Youth Championship
Portland, ME

July 15-17 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - South Atlantic
Savannah Yacht Club, Ga.

July 16-23 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Texas Youth Race Week
Texas Corinthian, Lakewood & Houston YCs, TX

July 22-24 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Southern California
San Diego Yacht Club, Calif.

July 23-24 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Colorado
Union Sailing Club, Longmont, Colo.

July 25-26 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Mid-Atlantic
Island Heights Yacht Club, N.J.

Aug 6-7 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Northern California
San Francisco Yacht Club, Belvedere, Calif.

Aug 12-14 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Rochester
Rochester Yacht Club, N.Y.

Aug 12-14 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Ohio
Edgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland, OH

Aug 13-14 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Long Island
Sayville Yacht Club, N.Y.

Aug 15-17 - USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Mass Bay Sailing Youth Regatta
Cottage Park Yacht Club, Winthrop, Mass.

Aug 16-18 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Narragansett Bay Jr. Race Week
Sail Newport, Newport, R.I.

Aug 27-28 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Northwest Youth Sailing Championship
Shilshole Bay/Seattle & Corinthian Yacht Clubs, Wash.

Sept 24-25 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Michigan
Macatawa Bay Yacht Club, Holland, Mich.

Oct 15-16 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - River Romp Regatta
Edison Sailing Center, Fort Myers, Fla.

Dec 27-30 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival - Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta
US Sailing Center & Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami, Fla.

January 14-16 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival 2006
US Sailing Center of Martin County, Jensen Beach, Fla.