U.S. Sailing has announced the 14 U.S. Youth Team athletes who will represent the United States at the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships. The 53rd edition of international youth sailing’s premier event will be held July 13-20 on Lake Garda in Italy.
“I can’t imagine a more iconic European venue for this year’s event,” said Phil Muller, U.S. Sailing’s youth performance manager and head coach. “The Youth World Championships is the capstone regatta on our annual calendar. To me, it’s the ultimate showcase of sailing skill, national pride and international competition.”
Open to athletes under the age of 19, U.S. Youth Team competitors were selected based on the results of one qualifying regatta in each class: the Nacra 15 Midwinter’s East Championship hosted by Lauderdale Yacht Club (FL), the iQFOiL Ring of Fire Championship hosted by Kaneohe Yacht Club (HI), and the ILCA, 29er and i420 Midwinter’s West Championship hosted by Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (California).
The United States is scheduled to send representatives to nine of the 11 sports at the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships.
2024 U.S. Youth Team:
• Male Windsurfer – iQFOiL Youth
Makani Andrews (Kaneohe, Hawaii)*
• Female Windsurfer – iQFOiL Youth
Sage Andrews (Kaneohe, Hawaii)*
• Male single dinghy – ILCA 6
Jake Homberger (Palm Beach Gardens, FL)
• Women’s single seater dinghy – ILCA 6
Isabella Mendoza Cabezas (Miami, Florida)
• Male/Mixed Skiff – 29er
Finn Olsen and Pierce Olsen (Miami Beach, Florida)
• Women’s Skiff – 29er
Annie Sitzman & Molly Bonham (Severna Park, MD / Annapolis, MD)
• Male/mixed 2-seater dinghy – i420
Freddie Parkin* & Estella Morris (Riverside, CT / Larchmont, NY)
• Women’s 2-seater dinghy – i420
Ava McAlely & Michelle Caneti (Miami, FL / Mamaroneck, NY)
• Mixed 2-person multihull – Nacra 15
Dylan Tomko & Casey Small (Canyon Lake, TX / Houston, TX)
*Returns as a member of the 2023 Youth World Team
The United States will not send athletes to compete in the men’s and women’s kite flying events.
The coaches for the 2024 Youth World Regatta are Phil Muller (iQFOiL, team leader), Sophia Reineke (ILCA 6), Paris Henken (29er), Steve Keane (i420) and Rosie Chapman (Nacra 15).
“Youth Worlds is a life-changing, defining event for all athletes who make the U.S. team,” Mueller said. “Americans are fierce competitors, and this year’s team is made up of athletes who have proven themselves both at home and abroad. We look forward to coming together as a team and representing our country.”
Team members will participate in a training block with training partners who have earned invitations based on their performance in the qualifying regattas. The 2024 U.S. Youth Championships, to be held June 22-25 in Bristol, Rhode Island, will be the team members’ final opportunity to hone their skills before the World Championships.
USA Sailing Youth Competition Manager John Pierce added, “We are pleased to see such strong competition at this year’s USA Youth Team Qualifier Regattas. The skill level is high across the country, and the athletes are pushing each other to be better. To all youth sailors striving to be the best, we have just one message for you: keep going. We’re rooting for you and we look forward to seeing you at USA Sailing events this year!”
Event details: https://worldsailingywc.org/
The Youth Sailing World Championships is open to young sailing stars up to the age of 19, with around 1,600 young sailors from over 75 countries aiming to follow in the footsteps of Olympic champions Martine Grael, Kahena Kunze and Nathan Outteridge, as well as the current World, European and Asian Formula Kite champion Max Mader, who is also a three-time Youth Sailing World Championship winner.
Source: US Sailing
