ABN AMRO sponsor juniors

The 2006 Optimist European Championship in Workum, Netherlands is to be sponsored by ABN AMRO

ABN AMRO have announced their intention to sponsor the 2006 Optimist European Championships. The event takes place from 21 to 28 July in Workum, Netherlands, under the auspices of the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA). The organization expects 250 boys and girls from forty-five to fifty countries, who will compete for the European title.

Jan Berent Heukensfeldt Jansen, Managing Director of Team ABN AMRO in the Volvo Ocean Race said about the sponsorship: “Team ABN AMRO races around the world with ‘Making More Possible’ on the sails. This key value of the bank was enforced by the selection of young talents for the second boat. The Optimist Europeans link up nicely with this project. Finally, the teenagers are the next generation of high potentials.”

By order of the Optimist Club Nederland, the organization of the ABN AMRO IODA European Championships Optimist is in the hands of the Sailing Club of Workum and the foundation Race Organization Optimist Sailing (W.O.O.Z.). A total of twelve races are scheduled. The IJsselmeer will be the battle field, where the boys and girls will compete in two fleets. Workum is a familiar event location for European Optimist sailors, since the Frisian coastal city hosts the annual Dutch Youth Regatta in May.

Every country has its own qualification process in order to decide who will participate in the ABN AMRO IODA Optimist Europeans 2006. The European nations may select seven children, with a maximum of four and a minimum of three boys. The national class organizations overseas receive four entries. Host country the Netherlands may fill in fourteen spots.