Final sailors selected

The RYA have chosen the final youths to sail at the ISAF Worlds

The RYA’s team to compete at this summer’s 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Denmark is complete after James Ellis and Andrew Glover earned the nod for the final Team GBR berth in the SL16 catamaran class.

The pair, both medallists at last year’s ISAF Youth Worlds, learned they had been selected for their second successive Championships following their second-placed showing at the Carnac Eurocat event, France last week (30 April - 4 May).

Plymouth’s Ellis, 17, and 16-year-old Glover from Weymouth went into the extended trials event at Carnac having finished second to Adam Butler and Gilly Sutcliffe at the RYA Youth National Championships and Trials at Pwllheli Sailing Club last month.

But having once again claimed silver in France, with the other British crews Youth Nationals bronze medallists Sebastian Greber/Nikki Boniface and Butler/Sutcliffe finishing third and eighth respectively in the 15-strong fleet, selectors felt Ellis and Glover had done just enough over the course of both events to earn selection.

RYA Youth Racing Manager Simon Wergan said: “The nomination for the SL16 spot for this year’s ISAF Youth Worlds has been very carefully considered and the selectors have been very impressed by the standards and determination demonstrated by all three crews.

“We have three strong SL16 teams and it is very encouraging to see the group working so well together and inevitably pushing each other to perform.

“Although it was felt that James and Andy had done enough at Pwllheli and Carnac to be selected for the Youth Worlds team we are very keen to keep all three boats training together as a group in preparation for the SL16 World Championships in La Baule, France in August where there are valuable World medals to be won.”

At the 2007 ISAF Youth Worlds in Canada, Glover won Hobie 16 gold with his brother Richard while Ellis took boys’ 29er bronze with Rob Partridge.

The 2008 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships get underway in Arhus, Denmark on Thursday 10 July and closes on Saturday 19 July.

GBR squad:

29er

Boys: James Peters / Ed Fitzgerald
Girls: Frances Peters / Claire Lasko

RS:X

Boy: Jacob Brubert
Girl: Izzy Hamilton

Laser Standard

Stuart Godwin

Laser Radial

Chloe Martin

SL16

James Ellis / Andrew Glover