RYA Youth Worlds And Youth Classes Selection Policies Published

The RYA has published the latest RYA Youth Classes selection policy and selection notice for the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship.

The RYA Youth Classes policy, incorporating the selection criteria for the 2009 RYA National Youth Squad, 2009-10 National Youth Squad, International Competition Support and the Tailored Support (TS) Programme, has undergone a number of significant changes with the aim of providing greater transparency regarding selection decisions while also providing more clarity to aid sailors and parents in structuring their competitive programme for the year.

Key Points:

As well as clarifying entry points for the National Youth Squad, the new policy also sees the introduction of class squad indicator events, identifying which event’s results will play the integral role in the allocation of Youth Squad places.

For the first time in 2009 sailors who turn 19 between 1 September and 31 December may now enter the RYA Youth National Championships and Trials and be eligible for Youth Squad places and be recipients of international competition grants.

All RYA Youth coach / international travel grant-supported events for the summer are listed with full details of the number of grants available, which aspects of the trip the RYA will organize and fund as well as outlining any parental contributions and which parts of the trip the sailors will be expected to organize.

The new policy also sees the inclusion of primary and secondary indicator and nominated squad review events to determine, amongst other things, which sailors will receive additional bespoke, needs-based training and support supplementary to core Youth Squad activity designed to provide the very best progression to Olympic Classes sailing through the RYA TS Programme.

RYA Youth Racing Manager Duncan TRUSWELL explained, “We felt it was important that sailors were able to better understand why or why not they may have been selected for a certain squad or event as well as highlighting which events we will be basing selection decisions on. This enables sailors to focus their efforts on performing at a few key events throughout the season.

“The publication of international competition grants also helps parents budget accordingly for the season’s activities and again assists in helping pull together the best possible competition schedule for the sailor to attain their season’s goals if squad selection and international competition is what they are aspiring to.”

Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship Selection

For the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, it is the intention of the selectors to select the first team/sailor in each ISAF Youth World class at next month’s RYA Youth National Championships and Trials in Largs to represent Britain in Buzios, Brazil from the 9-18 July provided three specified criteria have been met and the sailors commit fully to the agreed pre-training and competition programme.

If selectors feel that one of those three conditions has not been met, a series of secondary indicator events per class will be used to make the final Youth Worlds team selection decision.

The only exception is the Hobie 16 class which will not compete at Largs and whose primary selection event will instead be Eurocat in Carnac (1-3 May).

To view the selection policies in full visit www.rya.org.uk/Youth/youthsailracingprogrammes/Pages/aboutyouthsail.aspx