Host Nation Brazil Selects Team For 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship

The host Brazilian team for the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship has been named following last week’s selection event at the championship venue of Buzios.

As is traditional in Brazil, the Brazilian Youth Team to compete at the 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship this July in Buzios, was selected in a single-trial, held in Buzios, from 30 April- 3 May 2009. Over four days of competition in predominantly light-wind but very sunny conditions, nine races were completed in each of the seven Youth Worlds’ events. In total 55 young sailors lined up to battle in the selection trials, but ultimately only 10 of them could be successful.

“It was a record for the biggest entrance for a Youth trial ever held in Brazil, probably because this year we have the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Brazil, Buzios. But it’s also because we are seeing an increase in youth sailing in Brazil, with a lot of sailors coming out from the Optimist and joining the youth classes such as the Laser, 420, boards and the catamarans”, said Walter BODDENER, Technical Coordinator of the Brazilian Sailing Federation and also the Principal Race Officer for this year’s Youth Worlds.

As at the past eight Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships, Brazil is sending a full team of 10 sailors, with some well-known names joined by some new faces.

In the Girls’ Two Person Dinghy – 420 event, Brazil representative from Århus 2008 returns to the Youth Worlds for 2009. Martine GRAEL, daughter of five-time Olympic medallist and Volvo Ocean Race skipper Torben GRAEL, and her new crew Kahena KUNZE qualified by winning all their in a fantastic performance. From the same club, the girls’ training partners, Felipe HADDAD and Nicolas CASTRO, took first place in the Boys’ Two Person Dinghy – 420. 

Renato AMARAL is another member of the team who also represented Brazil last year in Denmark. He again lines up in the Boys’ Windsurfer – RS:X event. In contrast, the other windsurfing slot in the Brazilian team was taken by Youth Worlds first timer Lelia WINCKLER from Rio de Janeiro.

New faces will also represent Brazil in the both One Person Dinghy events. In the Women’s One Person Dinghy – Laser Radial, Bethina HOFFMANN from the south of Brazil, earned her place in the 2009 Brazilian team, whilst Stefano MAZZAFERRO, from São Paulo, will line up in the Boy’s fleet. Both Laser Radial classes at the selection event were very fiercely fought, with the overall scores the closest of the trials. With 23 competitors, the Boy’s Laser Radial event had the biggest entry of the trials, ensuring a very tough battle which went down to the final race before MAZZAFERRO prevailed.

The Open Multihull – Hobie 16 event, provided surprise winners in Diego MONTEIRO and Daniel DANTAS. The top crew come from the state Paraiba in northeast Brazil, a location with a big tradition in catamaran sailing, but which had gone for a long time without any representation at such a big event.

“We are happy with the growth of youth sailing in Brazil, but we also know that we have to work hard to get them sailing, putting on training camps and giving them support. With the team selected, now it is time to train hard and prepare every sailor for the first ever Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship held in Brazil. It will be exciting to see them in Buzios”, concluded BODDENER.

The 2009 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship takes place in Buzios, Brazil from 9-18 July. Find out more about this year’s championship at www.sailing.org/youthworlds. 

Brazilian Youth Team 2009

Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship – www.sailing.org/youthworlds