The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) is pleased to announce that 27 competitors from 13 nations have been approved to receive funding from the Athlete Participation Programme (APP).
Since 2002 APP funding has enabled over 150 sailors the chance to compete at the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships.
From the 27 sailors chosen to benefit from APP funding in Zadar there will be nine sailors in the Laser Radial Boys, five in the Laser Radial Girls, six in the 420 Girls, two 420 Boys, three RS:X Boys and two sailors from Hong Kong in the SL16.
Of the 2011 recipients Laser Radial sailor Christopher Sands (BAH), US Virgin Islands 420 pair Nikole Barnes and Augustina Barbuto and Roman Gonzalez representing Puerto Rico in the Boys Laser Radial will benefit from the same support again after receiving funding for the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds in Istanbul, Turkey.
The APP has given developing sailing nations the chance and opportunity to represent their nation at the premier regatta for youth sailors. Sailors from Botswana, El Salvador, Andorra, St. Lucia and Paraguay have all been given the opportunity to compete on a level playground with developed and experienced sailing nations.
Sailing Club Uskok will host the 41st edition of the ISAF Youth Worlds and the sailors on APP will be able to compete in Zadar with subsidised travel and entry.
They will also benefit from the coaching of Hugh Styles, World Youth Sailing Trust coach, who will guide the athletes. “The Athlete Participation Program will give athletes a chance to experience things outside of what they could possibly comprehend,” said Styles. “It will give them a chance to network, see a new cultural dimension, cross boundaries and give new opportunities.”