Italy wins Nations Trophy at Youth Sailing Worlds

Auckland, New Zealand (December 20, 2016) – The 2016 Aon Youth Sailing World Championship came to a close with Italy lifting the Nations Trophy, an award that recognises the best performing nation overall.

Master of ceremonies, and affectionately known as the ‘voice of yachting’, Pete Montgomery began proceedings at the Auckland University of Technology City Campus by welcoming the 389 sailors from 65 nations, coaches and guests.

Montgomery handed over to Rio 2016 Olympic gold and London 2012 silver medallist Pete Burling and Rio 2016 bronze medallist Sam Meech who received a rapturous applause.

Burling and Meech spoke of the sailing pathway the participants could enjoy, remembering their time sailing at the Youth Worlds and how it put them on the right track to achieve success at the Olympic Games.

In an event that put the sailors truly at its core, Burling and Meech remained on stage to award the medals and wooden trophies carved in a traditional New Zealand design to the triumphant sailors.

The last of the awards was the prestigious Nations Trophy. Italy claimed the honour for the third time in the history of the award, finishing just six points ahead of Great Britain in second. The team of 14 sailors took to the stage, passionately singing their national anthem to hundreds in attendance. For Nation’s Trophy results, click here.

World Sailing Vice-President Jan Dawson was on hand to shine the spotlight on the Youth Worlds Emerging Nations Program (ENP) sailors who attended the Youth Worlds. World Sailing supported 13 sailors from 11 nations attending the event, offering them scholarships and coaching guidance on the ground. The best placed male and female ENP sailors, Santiago Diz (URU) and Mariela Nikolova (BUL), were rewarded with invitations to the Aarhus 2018 ENP clinics to be held ahead of the Sailing World Championships in the Danish city in 2018.

Finland’s Martin Mikkola was awarded the Bengt Julin Trophy which is a unique trophy awarded to a competitor or a National Team that has done most to foster international understanding and displaying attributes that should be encouraged in international competition at the Youth Worlds. The award was voted entirely by the sailors.

Bringing proceedings to a close, Dawson again took the stage to thank the competitors, organisers, sponsors and boat suppliers before the World Sailing flag was lowered to signal the end of the championships and the end of a successful regatta with youth at its heart throughout.

Scoring – Nations Trophy
a) The best four race scores of each national authority will score points per race as follows:
The first boat will receive 10 points; the second will receive 9 points; the third will receive 8 points and so on until the 10th position.
b) If the fleets have not completed the same number of races the scores will be calculated for those races numbered in order of completion, completed by all fleets.
c) If there is a tie between two or more national authorities, they shall be ranked in order of their score in the last race. Any remaining tie shall be broken by using the National Authorities scores in the next to last race and so on until all ties are broken.

The Youth Sailing Worlds is open to competitors under the age of 19 years. The 46th edition saw 389 sailors from 65 nations competing on December 16 to 20. Radial and 420 fleets had 9 races with 13 races for the Nacra 15, RS:X, and 29er fleets.

Event details – Scoreboard – Live blog – Facebook – Canada team – USA team

Countries had only one entry in each of the nine disciplines: 29er Men and Women, 420 Men and Women, Laser Radial Men and Women, RS:X Men and Women, and Nacra 15 Open.