US SAILING LAUNCHES US YOUTH SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP WEBSITE

June 19, 2002 (Portsmouth, RI)-For everything from up-to-the-minute reports, results, and pictures to background information on boats and coaches, US SAILING’s US Youth Sailing Championship website
www.ussailing.org/youthchamp is the place to go. The Championship will be held at the San Diego Yacht Club (San Diego, CA) June 21-27. Jerelyn Biehl (San Diego, CA) is the Youth Sailing Championship Regatta Chair. Developed with a grant from the Walt Disney Company, the website includes competitor interviews, photos, and bios (“Just Us”), a section on the Racing Rules of Sailing by Dave Perry (“Da Rulz”), sailing instructions and the Notice of Race (“Borin’ Stuff”), and descriptions of the boats (Laser-full rig only-420, 470, and Europe) the young sailors will take on the race course (“What We Sail”).

The site also includes the “Graffiti Wall,” which will allow participants to leave messages for each other or proud friends and family can leave for their favorite sailors. Additionally, visitors can check out sailing-related links in “The Bilge” and teen-related sites in “Beyond Sailing.” Youth Championship merchandise is for sale in “Phat Hat.”

The “Press Center” provides links to information reporters may need to create or flush-out stories for their papers or websites, including background information on the event and sponsors, including West Marine and Vanguard Sailboats. ABOUT THE YOUTH SAILING CHAMPIONSHIP The US Youth Sailing Championship is the premiere youth sailing event in the country for sailors under age 20. The event started in 1973 as an open championship and grew quickly in popularity and size. This required then-USYRU to limit the number of entries. Currently, applications are submitted and participants are selected based on their sailing resumes by the US Youth Championship Committee. Double- and single-handed fleets are sailed in Club 420s and Lasers. In 1997, the event was renamed the USA Junior Olympic National Sailing Championship, and became the pinnacle of the new Junior Olympic Sailing Program. The next year a developmental fleet of 10 Olympic class 470s were added for competitors up to age 21. The following year 10 Europe dinghies were invited. A boardsailing fleet was included from 1983 to 1996. The event was uncoupled from the Junior Olympic Program in 2002 when the name was changed back to US Youth Championship. The Robert L. Johnstone Trophy for the singlehanded division 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 Manton D. Scott Trophy (doublehanded) is named in honor of an aspiring Olympic sailor whose life was cut short prematurely -- he was electrocuted when the mast of his boat made contact with an overhead powerline. The Major Hall Trophy for boardsailing honors the long-time US Boardsailing Team coach. The David M. Perry Sportsmanship Trophy was dedicated in 1989. Sailors in each fleet are selected for this award by a vote of their peers. Dave Perry is a former committee chairman (1985-1989). The only four-time winner of a Youth Championship trophy is Scott Haladay (Gulf Breeze, FL) in the Boardsailing Heavyweight Division (1991-94). Mike Goyan (Long Beach, CA) won the doublehanded trophy three times with three different skippers (1982-83, ‘85). Bill Hardesty (San Diego, CA) has the distinction of winning both the singlehanded (twice, 1993-94) and doublehanded trophies (1992). Kevin Hall (Ventura, CA) won both the singlehanded (1986) and the doublehanded as crew (1987). Andrew Campbell (San Diego, CA) is a two-time winner in the singlehanded division (2000-01). For more information about the Disney donation, visit www.ussailing.org/pressreleases/2002/YouthChampionship.htm.

The US Youth Sailing Championship and the Junior Olympic Sailing Festival program are sponsored by West Marine, the nation’s largest specialty retailer of recreational boating supplies and apparel. It offers its broad assortment to boaters worldwide through its 232 retail stores, an international catalog mail order division, a wholesale division and an Internet site, www.westmarine.com. Vanguard is the leading world manufacturer, and largest US supplier, of recreational and high performance small sailboats. Vanguard products include the Sunfish and Laser, two of the most recognized brands in the sailing world. Vanguard was started in 1967 and is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. Visit their website at www.teamvanguard.com.

The United States Sailing Association is the national governing body for the sport of sailing, the mission of which is to encourage participation and excellence in sailing and racing in the United States. The organization achieves its goals through member organizations and volunteers, located throughout the United States, who are supported by an administrative staff located at the organization’s headquarters in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. For more information about US SAILING, visit the website at www.ussailing.org.