Country’s Top Youth Sailors To Compete
For National Championship in Westport, Connecticut

Westport, Conn. (June 2, 2005) – In just a matter of weeks, nearly 160 of the country’s top youth sailors will arrive in Westport, Conn., to compete in the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship organized by US SAILING and hosted by Cedar Point Yacht Club. From June 24 to 30, these young sailors, who are all under the age of 20, will race on Long Island Sound in Lasers, Laser Radials, and Club 420s to compete for the coveted National Champion title.

The list of competitors of the U.S. Youth Championship reads like a “Who’s Who” in youth sailing and includes several current and past US Youth World Team-members, Orange Bowl champions, a US Sailing Team-member, and many more. The competitors were selected based on sailing resumes from a list of more than 260 applicants.

Before top-level racing begins on Monday June 27, the Championship features three days of advanced racing clinics, led by US SAILING’s Youth Development Coach Mike Kalin, who will be joined by a team of at least eight other well-known sailors and US Sailing Team athletes. The event will kick off on Friday June 24 with an opening dinner at the historic Sheffield Island Lighthouse, hosted by Nautica. The dinner also features an exciting guest-speaker: Olympic gold medalist Kevin Burnham, who will inspire all sailors by sharing his experiences from last year’s Olympic Games in Athens.

Several awards will be presented at the conclusion of the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship. The winner of the Laser class will receive the Robert L. Johnstone Trophy, which recognizes the pioneering in community sailing and popularizing of one-design sailing for which Bob Johnstone is known. Johnstone was the creator of the Youth Championship and was the first committee chairman. The winner of the Club 420 class will be awarded the Manton D. Scott Memorial Trophy, named in honor of an aspiring Olympic sailor whose life was cut short prematurely -- he was electrocuted in 1973 when the mast of his boat made contact with an overhead power line. The David M. Perry Sportsmanship Trophy was dedicated in 1989 and is awarded to the sailors who demonstrate good sportsmanship behavior. The winners of this trophy are selected based on a vote by their fellow competitors.

For more information on the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship, including a complete competitors’ list, please visit www.ussailing.org/youthchamp. The U.S. Youth Sailing Championship is part of US SAILING’s Youth and Junior Championship series. For more information on these National Championships, please visit www.ussailing.org/championships or e-mail championships@ussailing.org.  

Demonstrating a continuing commitment to youth sailing, the U.S. Youth Sailing Championship is once again sponsored by Vanguard Sailboats, manufacturer of the boats used in the event, and West Marine, Official Marine Retailer of US SAILING. Nautica, the Official Apparel Supplier to the US Sailing Team, is also sponsoring the event, establishing its roots in youth sailing development. In addition to the national sponsors, the event is also sponsored by Aquafina, Subway, Gill, Bear Naked Granola, Westport Magazine, Gowrie Barden & Brett, Zodiac, Harken, North Sails, and The Boat Locker.

About US SAILING
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing body for sailing and sailboat racing. Headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the organization's mission is to encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the U.S. US SAILING offers training and education programs, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including the US Sailing Teams and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.  

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