2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship

Notice of Race now available

The ISAF today published the Notice of Race for the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, the 41st edition of the championship being held in Zadar, Croatia from 7 to 16 July 2011.

300 of the world’s top sailors representing over 60 nations are expected to descend on Sailing Club Uksok in Zadar next July for youth’s sailing blue ribbon event. Since its launch in 1971 the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship has gone from strength to strength, attracting ever increasing numbers of participants and nations and proving a stringboard onto the world stage for many of the sport’s greatest stars.

Triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie (GBR), three-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts (NZL) and four time Olympic gold medallist Alessandra Sensini (ITA) are just three legends of the sport to have first made their mark at the Youth Worlds. The 41st edition of the Youth Worlds at Zadar in 2011 provides the perfect stage for the next generation of sailing stars to announce their arrival.

The Notice of Race for the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship contains all of the key details relating to the championship and is available to download from here

The Croatian Sailing Federation and the Sailing Club Uskok will organize the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship under the authority of ISAF.

Zadar is located in the very centre of the Croatian Adriatic, in the most indented part of the archipelago. The Sailing Club Uskok is located in the west part of Zadar. The club is more than 50 years old and looks forward to welcoming the young sailors to Zadar.

The first Youth Worlds medal fell to Croatia in 1998 when Marin Misura finished second in the Laser boys event in Cape Town, South Africa. Misura matched this result in 1999 event in Kuopio, Finland. In 2002 Ivan Kjlakovic Gaspic won the third silver medal for Croatia, again in the boy’s one person dinghy event. In 2003 he was followed in the Laser by Tonic Stipanovic who won the bronze and in 2004 went one better to win silver.

In 2006 Tina Mehilc finally claimed the first gold medal for Croatia in the girl’s one person dinghy sailing the Laser Radial but since then there has not been a medal for the Croatian team.

Zrinka Grancarić, Event Manager for the 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship, said, “We are excited to be welcoming the world’s best young sailors to Zadar for the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. Preparations are well underway to make this a spectacular event. We are sure that Zadar will provide all the competitors and coaches with a truly memorable experience.”

Open to competitors aged under 19 in the year of the championship (i.e. for Croatia, under 19 on 31 December 2011) in the events and equipment listed below (all supplied), the Youth Worlds occupies a unique place in the sailing calendar. Simply getting to the championship is a major achievement for most as entry is limited to one boat per nation, per event, meaning sailors first having to win through their national qualification series.

2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship Events

(Event – Equipment)
Boy’s One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Girl’s One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Boy’s Two Person Dinghy - 420
Girl’s Two Person Dinghy - 420
Boy’s Windsurfer - RS:X with 8.5m2 sail
Girl’s Windsurfer - RS:X with 8.5m2 sail
Open Multihull - Sirena SL16
Open High Performance Dinghy - 29er

Entry details have been sent to ISAF Member National Authorities (MNAs). MNAs are reminded of the deadline for submitting the Equipment Reservation Form is 31 January 2011.

In 2010 ISAF introduced an additional training day to the event, giving competitors a greater opportunity to familiarise themselves with the equipment and the sailing conditions before competition gets underway. This extra day is also in the schedule for the 2011 event and will continue to establish the ISAF Youth Worlds as not only an elite racing event but also a platform for developing sailing worldwide.