FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Marlieke de Lange Eaton
401-683-0800
READY, SET,
RACE!
2008 Junior Olympic Sailing Festival Season Starts This
Month
Portsmouth, R.I. (June 9, 2008) – Throughout
the United States, young sailors are eagerly anticipating the last school
bells and the first racing signals of the season. US SAILING’s 12th annual
Junior Olympic (JO) Sailing Festival season is set to begin with three
events in June, kicking off with events in Illinois, Missouri and Florida.
The JO Festival, sponsored by West Marine, Gill and Active.com, is a
nationwide series of regattas designed to promote the enjoyment of sailing
and development of skills to young sailors as well as to provide a pathway
for aspiring Olympic competitors.
During the course of the 2008 JO season, which runs from June through
December, approximately 4,000 young sailors will race Optimists, Lasers,
Bytes, Sunfish, El Toros, Club 420s, CFJs, 29ers and windsurfers in 21
events held in 14 states. Since the inception of the program in 1997,
approximately 35,000 sailors between the ages of 8-21 have participated in
over 200 events offering various levels of competition, skill building and
fun activities designed to encourage a life-long involvement in the sport of
sailing. Additionally, US SAILING’s JO program has inspired of hundreds of
young sailors to reach for their Olympic dreams.
US SAILING Junior Olympic Festival events slated for June 2008:
June 20-22 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival – Upper Midwest
Lake Forest, Ill.
Joey Harris -
harrisj@cityoflakeforest.com
www.cityoflakeforest.com/cs/rec/cs_rec2d16.htm
June 20-22 USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival – Midwest
Lake St Louis SC, St. Louis, Mo.
Pearson Buell -
pearsonbuell@centurytel.net
www.lakestlouissailing.com
June 21-22 USA Junior Olympic Windsurfing Festival
Calema Windsurfing School, Merritt Island, Fla.
Susie Dornellas - susie@calema.com
www.calema.com
For a complete schedule of US SAILING’s 2008 Junior Olympic Sailing Festival
events visit:
www.ussailing.org/youth/racing/jo/calendar.asp?KEYWORD=Junior+Olympic.
For more information about US SAILING’s JO program, please visit
www.ussailing.org/youth/racing/jo or contact
US SAILING Inshore Director, Lee Parks at 401-683-0800 or via e-mail at
juniorolympics@ussailing.org.
The United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is the national governing
body for sailing. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode
Island, the organization provides leadership for the sport of sailing in the
United States. US SAILING offers training and education programs for
instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing
organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and
provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the
country, including National Championships and the U.S. Olympic and
Paralympic Sailing Teams. For more information, please visit
www.ussailing.org.
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