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Auckland confirmed for 2016
Youth Sailing World Championships
World Sailing
announced today that Auckland, New Zealand has been confirmed as the host
venue for the 2016 Youth Sailing World Championships.
The 2016 selection process was opened in March 2016 after the Oman Sailing
Committee exercised the right to withdraw their hosting of the event as a
final contract had not been concluded - http://www.sailing.org/news/39418.php#.Vx-Srz9GMfc
Following a comprehensive selection process, Auckland will host the Youth
Worlds in conjunction with World Sailing and Yachting New Zealand from 14 -
20 December 2016.
Yachting New Zealand Chief Executive David Abercrombie said, "This
announcement is very exciting for Auckland and for New Zealand. The
circumstances provided New Zealand with a unique opportunity to host the
prestigious youth sailing event and we're thrilled to work together with
World Sailing to deliver a fantastic event later this year.
"A great deal of work has gone in to ensure the success of this hosting
bid and I wish to acknowledge both New Zealand Major Events and Auckland
Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) for their support. Without
the backing of these organizations this would not be possible,” adds
Abercrombie.
"New Zealanders are great at hosting sporting events and the sailing and
boating community is among the best at it,” says Abercrombie. "We're a
nation of yachties and boaties, we have incredible sailing waters and we have
some of the best race management people in the world.
"The 2016 edition of the Youth World Championships will be
quintessentially kiwi and everyone who has the privilege to come to New
Zealand this December to represent their country will remember this
experience for a lifetime.”
The event is expected to attract around 400 young sailors from up to 70
nations to Auckland and bring benefit to the local community and to young
sailors throughout New Zealand.
In recent history, Auckland has hosted a stopover in the Volvo Ocean Race and
the 2016 Red Bull Foiling Generation, while Emirates Team New Zealand are
currently in the fight for an America's Cup spot with current Rolex World
Sailor of the Year winners Peter Burling and Blair Tuke showing the diversity
and pedigree of the nation to hold such high profile events.
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) Chief Executive
Brett O'Riley says, "This event fits well with Auckland's world renowned
on-water lifestyle, marine capability and commitment to sailing. Being host
city for the Youth World Championships is an important step for Auckland if
we are to be considered as a host for other large-scale World Sailing events.
We look forward to welcoming these young sailors and their supporters to
Auckland.”
Sport New Zealand's Chief Executive Peter Miskimmin says, "Yachting is
an important sport for New Zealand, all the way from our young people
competing in local clubs to our elite athletes winning on the world stage. So
I'm delighted that New Zealand will be hosting the Youth Worlds in Auckland
later this year. I wish the organisers and our competitors the very best
of luck.”
World Sailing Events Manager Alistair Dickson said, "Finding a venue who
can host this championship at this late stage has not been an easy task but
World Sailing is confident that Auckland is one of the few venues in the
world that can turn this championship around in the few months remaining.
"World Sailing was delighted by the positive global response to our
request for new venue and we are truly thankful to all nations that submitted
interest.”
World Sailing CEO Andy Hunt said, "We are absolutely delighted that
Auckland and Yachting New Zealand has stepped in to host the 2016 Youth
Worlds. Our work with the bid team over the past two months have left
us in no doubt they will host a fantastic Youth Worlds.”
In 2015 New Zealand delivered one of this nation's most impressive
performances on record at the Youth World Championships with a four medal
haul and 2nd place in the Nation's Trophy for overall team performance in
Langkawi, Malaysia in January 2016.
With New Zealand's youth talent development programme producing better than
ever talent the Aon Fast Track Squad was launched in 2015 with a focus on
accelerating the standard of the most talented youth sailors from top
international youth sailors, to successful Olympic campaigners.
With NZL Sailing Team role models like Peter Burling and Blair Tuke in the
49er and Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie in the Women's 470 to aspire to, New
Zealand's junior and youth sailors have the inspiration to perform on the
world stage.
World Sailing has started working with the Youth Worlds boat suppliers
Nautivela, Ovington, Neil Pryde, Maclaren and Nacra Racing to ensure that all
competitors attending the Youth Worlds will receive supplied equipment.
The Notice of Race, registration process and further information for attending
sailors will be published on the Youth Worlds website in due course.
By Richard Aspland, World
Sailing
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