| PORTSMOUTH, RI. USA-(6-7-2006) In just a few days, eight of the country's best youth sailors will travel to Busan, Korea to represent the U.S.A. at the 2005 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, organized by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF). More than 200 competitors from 48 nations will be racing for the finish line from July 14 to 23 on Suyong Bay, site of the 1988 Olympic Regatta. The members of US SAILING's US Youth World Team will be competing in five events: Girls Singlehanded (Laser Radial), Boys Singlehanded (Laser), Girls and Boys Doublehanded (International 420), and Open Multihull (Hobie 16).
Each member of the US Youth World Team qualified for the team after winning a select regatta previously determined to be a qualifying event.
`These sailors have been competing in regattas across the U.S. in preparation for the Youth Worlds,` said Mike Kalin, US SAILING's Youth Development Coach (Cambridge, Mass.) and Team Leader. `The competition won't be easy since they'll compete against the best youth sailors in the world, but they'll gain a lot of sailing experience and at least they'll come home with great memories, if nothing else` Kalin added with a smile. Kalin is also supported by coach Rob Hallawell (San Diego, Calif.).
For 18-year old Laser Radial sailor Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.), this is her fourth trip to the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships. She won the gold in 2003 and the bronze in 2002. A current member of the US Sailing Team, Railey has been spending time in Europe this spring and summer competing in regattas, and doing quite well: she won the Princess Sofia Trophy in Spain last March. Railey qualified for the US Youth World Team by winning the 2004 U.S. Junior Women's Singlehanded Championship.
Laser sailor Royce Weber from Surf City, N.J. qualified for the US Youth World Team by winning the junior division at the Laser Midwinters West regatta earlier this year. The 17-year-old has been a regular on the sailing scene and just last week finished third in the Laser fleet at the 2005 U.S. Youth Sailing Championship.
Representing the U.S. in the Hobie 16 fleet are the Tullo brothers, T.J. and Jerry, from Staten Island, N.Y. They qualified for the US Youth World Team by winning the 2004 U.S. Youth Mulitihull Championship, making history by being the first pair of siblings winning the event. At 17, T.J is two-and-a-half years older than his brother Jerry.
Adam Roberts and Nick Martin (both from San Diego, Calif.) will be competing in the International 420 class. Roberts and Martin (18 and 17 years old respectively) have been sailing together for several years and just last week finished third in the 2005 U.S. Youth Sailing Championship. They qualified for the Team by winning the 2005 420 Midwinters.
Megan Magill and Briana Provancha (both from San Diego, Calif.) have been sailing together for six years. They qualified for the Team in the 420 by placing second earlier this year at the 420 Midwinters. They prepared for the Youth Worlds by competing in regattas across the country. Most recently, Magill and Provancha (who are 17 and 16 years old respectively) competed in the U.S. Youth Championship and finished eighth overall.
The US Youth World Team is sponsored by Extrasport, Gill, Harken, Nautica, New England Ropes, Rolex Watch U.S.A., Sperry Top-Sider, Team McLube, Vanguard Sailboats, Vineyard Vines, West Marine, and Zodiac of North America.
For more information on the members of the 2005 US Youth World Team, please visit www.ussailing.org/olympics/YouthWorld/2005/team.htm. For more information on the 2005 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, please visit the event website at www.worldyouthsailingbusan.com.
The US Youth World Team is managed by 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 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 Teams. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org.
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