Bids for 2017 Youth Sailing World Champs Venue

(January 21, 2017) – World Sailing has received bids from three Member National Authorities aiming to host the 2017 Youth Sailing World Championships. Bids have been received from the following host cities:

Mar del Plata, Argentina
Melbourne, Australia
Sanya, China

Each bidding venue has indicated it would host the Youth Worlds, the pinnacle event for youth sailors, in December 2017.

The 2017 selection process opened in November 2016 after the Israeli Sailing Association exercised the right to withdraw from hosting the 2017 edition as a final contract had not been concluded. World Sailing were informed by the Israel Sailing Association of its decision to withdraw as they were unable to secure adequate funding to host the event.

World Sailing Director of Events, Alastair Fox, commented, “Following Israel’s withdrawal from hosting the 2017 edition, World Sailing is pleased to have received three strong bids from three leading sailing venues.

“By holding the competition in December this year, our MNAs youth sailing teams will have adequate time to prepare for competition. Each venue has expertise in hosting internationally recognised sailing events with good sailing conditions in December.”

Bid evaluations are ongoing and a decision will be made early February.

About the Youth Worlds
The Youth Worlds was first held in Sweden in 1971. The 2017 Youth Sailing World Championships will be the 47th edition of the championship.

Past notable winners include American’s Cup skippers, Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL), Dean Barker (NZL); Olympic medallists, Nathan Outteridge (AUS), Iain Jensen (AUS), Robert Scheidt (BRA), Amelie Lux (GER), Ben Ainslie (GBR), Iain Percy (GBR), Alessandra Sensini (ITA), Elise Rechichi (AUS) and Tessa Parkinson (AUS); Volvo Ocean Race sailors like Stuart Bannatyne (NZL) and Richard Clarke (CAN).

The most successful Youth World Champions are Great Britain’s Sally Cuthbert and Poland’s Zofia Klepacka having won four successive titles in the Laser II and Mistral respectively.

Italy is the current holder of the Nations Trophy, awarded annually to the top-performing nation at the Youth Worlds. France is the most success nation through the history of the Championship, winning the Nations Trophy on a record 11 occasions and holding a record 79 medals: 29 gold, 31 silver and 19 bronze.

Source: World Sailing