In La Rochelle, France Ross Vaughan lies 82nd in a fleet of 132 at the European Laser Radial Mens Championships. Over 300 Lasers started their World Championships off La Rochelle yesterday in sunshine, a 20-25 kn breeze and a big swell.

Vaughan is a former member of Ireland's ISA Academy Squad who are all competing at the youth radial championships that start tomorrow at the same venue.

The Squad will also be joined by Finn Lynch and Fionn Lyden who the ISA say are on 'a six month probation period for entry into the Academy'. The 147 Standard-Youth sailor fleet is split in three groups.

After the first days racing in the Mens competition Sam Meech NZL is leading followed by Martin Evans GBR (5/1) and Francebesco Marrai ITA (2/5).  Follow here.

Chris Penny also competed in the Standard Youth World and European Championships and finished 44th in the Europeans and 64th in the Worlds.

With 30 knots blowing racing at the 470 Youth Worlds in Medemblik, Holland was abandoned on Friday. Dun Laoghaire pairing Jane Butler and Jenny Andreasson lie 16th in the 32-boat fleet. It is the first big step on the international stage in an Olympic boat for the royal St.George pairing. Follow here.

The medals in the eight fleets at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia have been decided following a dramatic final day. Ireland's team of three take home one overall result in the top ten, an 11th and a 17th plus some fine individual performances - including a final race win today – and many lessons for next year's event on Dublin Bay.

For the third consecutive year France walk away with the ISAF Nations Trophy with Spain coming in second and Poland taking third place.

Irish Laser Radial sailor Philip Doran of Courtown Sailing Club and the National Yacht Club Doran took charge of the 15 knot north-westerly from the beginning of his final race, leading the fleet from the first mark. Competitors from Belgium, the UK and Australia tried to challenge him at the leeward mark but Doran continued to master the previously unseen wind conditions in this championship.

Doran ended the final race of the championship with an extraordinary first place win and finishing 10th overall, having also claimed five top 10 results during the course of the competition.

Irish Coach Rory Fitzpatrick praised the comeback: "It hadn't been going Philip's way at the half way stage in the event. He was sitting towards the back of the fleet but he fought hard over the next few days and finished in the top 10 which just shows the level of determination and mental strength he has".

But the success story doesn't end there. Royal St George Yacht Club and Quoile Yacht Club Laser Radial sailor Sophie Murphy placed 23rd in her final race which saw her finishing 11th overall. It's a disappointment to drop out of the coveted top ten position but there is consolation that it is the best result Ireland has ever had in the girl's single handed competition since Ireland began competing at the ISAF Youth Worlds in 1971.

Murphy found the conditions tough today but fought tooth and nail putting in her best performance at an international event. Similarl to Philip Doran, she also had one race win and five top 10 results during the course of the championship.

Fitzpatrick said: "This is Sophie's personal best at an international event and the best we've ever had at the Youth Worlds but she's only going to continue to grow and strengthen".

Cork natives Emma Geary from Royal Cork Yacht Club and Niamh Connolly from Baltimore Sailing Club put in another strong performance in the 420 class today. They made good tactical decisions on the water which saw them finishing the race in 12th and finishing the championship in 17th overall. The girls showed their prowess in the stronger wind conditions of the past two days placing a 9th, a 6th and today's 12th.

Just one point separated Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Veronica Fanciulli (ITA) and YOG gold medallist Siripon Kaewduang–Ngam (THA) at the top of the RS:X Girls leader board ahead of the final race. And it was Fanciulli that came ahead of the Kaewduang–Ngam in fifth place compared to the Thai RS:X sailors sixth place to win the gold medal in Zadar. Fanciulli said, "The race was good. I finished fifth and the Thai girl finished sixth and I won the whole competition.

"At the Youth Olympic Games there was very light wind and the Thai girl was very good in the light wind and today was a windy day and I am really happy." Watch the full interview with Fanciulli here.

Agnieszka Bilska (POL) won the final race today but it wasn't enough to overhaul Naomi Cohen (ISR) who finished second to clinch the bronze medal.

In the RS:X Boys Korea's Cho Wonwoo, who won silver at the 2010 ISAF Youth Worlds, went one better in 2011 winning the gold medal. Wonwoo, who is on the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme has benefitted from the coaching of Hugh Styles throughout the week and was delighted with his performance. He said, "I am very happy and happy to win. I was very nervous and today I am the winner." Full interview with Wonwoo here.

Mateo Sanz (ESP) came through in second overall followed by France's Louis Giard who retired after the finish today but had already done enough to clinch the bronze medal.

Maxime Mazard (FRA) came out on top in the Laser Radial Boys following a battle against Giovanni Coccoluto (ITA). The Frenchman finished 13th compared to the Italians 20th place which handed Mazard the gold medal. Mazard said, "It was my first ISAF Youth Worlds and it was fantastic. Everyone was really close and the Italian was eight places behind me and I just did my race as normal.

"I don't think I realise what's happened." Watch an interview with Mazard here.

Žan-Luka Zelko (SLO) recorded two race wins throughout the week and after his 11th place finish today he receives the silver medal for Slovenia. Coccoluto's 20th place finish saw him slip down to pick up the bronze medal.

Norway's Tiril Bue brought a six point cushion into the final day and after finishing sixth today she won the gold medal. Bue said, "It was great, especially the three last days. They were the best. I love Zadar. It is sunny and warm and great wind conditions. It is just crazy. I never thought I would win the whole championship." Tiril Bue spoke to ISAF after the racing, watch an interview here.

The competition for silver and bronze was tense leading up to the final day with two points separating second and fourth place. Manami Doi (JPN) went into the final race second, Paulina Czubachowska (POL) started in third and Erika Reineke (USA) was fourth.

In the end Reineke came through in second after finishing fifth today but a late charge by France's Sandy Fauthoux, which saw the French girl finish second, meant she picked up the bronze medal by two points after Doi came down in 11th and Czubachowska ended the last race in 15th position.

Martin Lowy and Kim Andrade (BRA) clinched the gold medal in the SL16 after they came seventh in the final race of the championship. The boys from Brazil have had an excellent regatta and won eight races out of the 12 sailed in Zadar. Lowy said, "It was very good. Everything is perfect. I love it." Watch the emotion of the boys from Brazil here.

Denmark's Nicolaj Bjornholt Christiansen and Daniel Bjornholt Christiansen finished with a bullet today to pick up the silver medal and Great Britain's Rupert White and Nikola Boniface came through in second to secure the bronze medal.

Consistent results at the front of the fleet is vital and Spain's Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel exemplified this point after finishing in the top six in 11 races in the 29er to seal the gold medal. After the race Robles said, "I am really happy. We were celebrating on the course for ages with the Spanish Laser Radial sailor."

And Trittel added, "I am very happy. It is a beautiful day today and a perfect championship for us." ISAF spoke to the pair immediately after the racing.

Antoine Screve and Max Agnese (USA) pipped the Netherlands Max Deckers and Annette Duetz to the silver medal following their second place finish today compared to the Dutch duos fourth place.

Like their compatriots Jordi Xammar and Alex Claville (ESP) also showed a level of control and consistency that saw them awarded the gold medal. Xammar receives his second ISAF Youth Worlds gold medal following his success with Joan Herp at the 2010 regatta in Istanbul, Turkey. Xammar said, "It is incredible. Nothing to say apart from thanks to everybody helping me to arrive here. I just want to say thanks to the people that help me everyday with my training. Today is for saying thanks for all the help." A delighted Xammar spoke to ISAF following the crews celebrations.

Daichi Mototsu and Yuki Hino won the silver medal after their bullet today and Australia's Angus Galloway and Alexander Gough received the bronze medal.

Lara Vadlau and Tanja Frank (AUT) won gold in the 420 Girls following a nervy race against Morgan Kiss and Christina Lewis (USA). The Austrians finished the final race in eighth compared to the Americans third place meaning they were tied on 34 points apiece. Both teams had two race wins but the Austrians came out on top having had three second place finishes. Vadlau said, "We are very proud and it was a hard job to win and finally we did. We had lots of luck but everyone needs luck to win."

Frank added, "We were happy but we didn't know when we came off the water so we went to the list and asking everyone if we had win. And we were happy when we found out we had won." View the full interview here.

Fiona Kidd (CAN), the Chairman of the ISAF Youth World Championship Sub-committee rounded off the 41st ISAF Youth Worlds, "The organisation has been world class. The organising committee has done an exceptional job both on and off the water. Logistically it is a very difficult event but here we've had superb sailing, the race management has been excellent and on shore they've done a super job in terms of making every body enjoy the event.

"It's great to see all the sailors having a good time. We've had two fantastic days of racing today and yesterday and I think we got all the races in. At the end of the day the best sailors won and they've all had a fantastic time."

In spite of two thirtieth places scored in today's penultimate rounds Irish sailor Sophie Murphy stays in the top ten of the ISAF Youth Worlds in Zadar, Croatia. The Royal St George Yacht Club and Quoile Yacht Club Laser single-hander struggled in day fives stronger breezes, the first of the competiton.

Murphy can stay top ten, an important target, if she has a good final race tomorrow morning.

420 duo Emma Geary from Royal Cork Yacht Club and Niamh Connolly from Baltimore Sailing Club were definitely back on form today having been hampered by yesterday's lighter winds. The girls relished the medium breeze today placing 10th and 6th respectively in their two races. They lie 18th overall. 

Philip Doran of Courtown Sailing Club and the National Yacht Club caught up to 12th place during his first race of the day but lost out on the final downwind which saw him finishing in 22nd. He fared better in his second race sitting fifth for the duration until the final mark when he was yellow flagged, the penalty saw him finish ninth leaving him 15th overall.

Meanwhile, Maxime Mazard (FRA) and Giovanni Coccoluto (ITA) go into the final day of racing at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia with just one point separating them in the Laser Radial Boys fleet.

The Frenchman, who has led for the majority of the week, finished 25th and seventh today and has seen his five point overnight lead reduced to a single point after Coccoluto came seventh in Race 10 before discarding his disqualification in Race 11.

The final race tomorrow will decide who takes the gold medal home for their nation and it should be a fascinating finale.

RYA Volvo Team GBR sailor Cameron Douglas shone in the breeze today finishing with a bullet and a second place, he said, “It was an awesome day. We had a bit of breeze for the first time this week so I’m very happy. It has been a really great event.”

Australia’s Matthew Wearn won the days other race but did not finish Race 11 and is down in 26th place and Žan-Luka Zelko is third on 114 points trailing Mazard by eight points.

In the Laser Radial Girls Erika Reineke (USA) also finished with a race win and a second place. The American, who is a full time member of US SAILING’s Team Alphagraphics, said, “I liked today a lot better. There was a little bit of breeze and there was some nice waves. I was pretty far away from the gold today, 19 points, and I think I caught up a bit. I’m just going to go out and try my hardest tomorrow and try to win.”

Tiril Bue regained the lead in the Radial Girls fleet after she was consistent in the breeze finishing third in Race 10 and fourth in Race 11. Overnight leader Paulina Czubachowska came through in 10th and 11th today and has dropped to third overall. Manami Doi (JPN) maintains her second place overall but just two points separate Doi, Czubachowska and Reineke so it should be an interesting climax.

And like the Laser Radial Boys it will be winner takes all between Veronica Fanciulli (ITA) and Siripon Kaewduang-Ngam (THA) with just one point separating the pair in the RS:X Girls. Fanciulli went 2-4 today and Kaewduang-Ngam finished third and recorded a bullet to pull the overnight deficit down to a single point. Naomi Cohen (ISR) is third on 32 points and Agnieszka Bilska (POL), who claimed the days other bullet, is fourth on 36 points.

With three bullets today Louis Giard has leapt into second place in the RS:X Boys on 36 points. But Cho Wonwoo (KOR) continues to lead and will take a six point advantage into the final day following three RS:X races today. The Korean finished 2-4-6 today. Spain’s Mateo Sanz had a minor dent in his scorecard today following a tenth place in Race 9 but bounced back with a third and second. He is third overall on 37 points.

Morgan Kiss and Christina Lewis (USA) closed the gap on 420 leaders Lara Vadlau and Tanja Frank (AUT) to four points ahead of the final day. The Americans finished 4-5 today compared to the Austrians 8-2. Nikole Barnes and Agustina Barbuto (ISV) retain their third place following two seventh place finishes today. Today’s race wins went to Carrie Smith and Ella Clark (AUS) and Maelenn Lamaitre and Aloise Retornaz (FRA).

2010 ISAF Youth Worlds gold medallist Jordi Xammer with new crew Alex Claville regained the lead in the 420 Boys following a tenth and fourth place finish. They lead Japan’s Daichi Mototsu and Yuki Hino by eleven points. Angus Galloway and Alexander Gough (AUS) stay in third place going into the final day and have a two point advantage over Guillaume Pirouelle and Valentin Sipan (AUS)

In the SL16 Brazil’s Martin Lowy and Kim Andrade take a 13 point lead into the final day after they came eighth twice today. And with a fleet of 14, the boys from Brazil will need to sail a steady race tomorrow to seal the deal. Nicolaj Bjornholt Christiansen and Daniel Bjornholt Christiansen (DEN) had a good day coming second and third and are second overall on 37 points. And Great Britain’s Rupert White and Nikola Boniface are third on 48 points.

Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel have an impressive 19 point lead ahead of the final day after a bullet and a sixth place finish in the 29er. The Spaniards have only finished out of the top six twice and with a string of consistent results it would be hard to bet against the Spaniards claiming gold. The race for second place is interesting with Max Deckers and Annette Duetz (NED) on 51 points, Antoine Screve and Max Agnese (USA) on 53 points and Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake (AUS) on 56 points. The days other race win went the way of France’s Gael Jaffrezic and Julien Bloyet who are down in eighth place.

One race in each fleet will take place tomorrow to decide the medals and racing begins at 12:00 local time.

 

Irish Laser Radial sailors Philip Doran and Sophie Murphy tackled unfavourable variable light wind conditions in Day 4 of the ISAF Youth Worlds in Zadar, Croatia to produce four top ten performances, results that move Murphy up three places to eighth overall and Doran into 16th with two days of racing left.

Doran of Courtown Sailing Club and the National Yacht Club maximised yesterday's rest day and returned to the water this morning with 'a fresh mind'. He had his best day of the championships so far with two fifth places in the two races sailed today. Doran now moved up ten places from 26th.

Northern Irish sailor Sophie Murphy from Quoile YC and the Royal St. George YC had a similarly successful day. She placed 7th in her first race and although lying in 28th place rounding the first mark during her second race she worked hard and climbed the 41 boat fleet to finish in 6th place. Sophie now lies eighth and significantly the only Irish sailor in the top ten overall.

420 girls Emma Geary from Royal Cork Yacht Club and Niamh Connolly from Baltimore Sailing Club who favour heavier conditions had a tougher day placing 25th and 22nd respectively in their two races but their 25th placing is discarded leaving them in 22nd overall.

Maxime Mazard (FRA) continues to lead the Laser Radial Boys despite having an off day at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia.

Mazard finished 24th in Race 8 before discarding his 38th place finish in Race 9. Mazard's 12 point lead from the third day has been reduced to five with Giovanni Coccoluto hot on his heels on 79 points.

But Coccoluto also struggled in breezier conditions in Zadar posting a 21st and 19th place finish. Israel's Oz Adam recorded an eighth place finish in Race 8 but finished 42nd in Race 9 and after discarding his DNF in Race 5 he slips down to third overall on 83 points.

?an-Luka Zelko (SLO) moved into contention for a medal today after claiming a bullet in Race 8 and coming tenth in Race 9 to sit fourth on 91 points. The Race 9 bullet went the way of ISAF Athlete Participation Programme sailor Ramon Gonzalez (PUR). The Puerto Rican sailor has 144 points to his name and is 17th overall.

In the Laser Radial Girls Poland's Paulina Czubachowska continues to lead the way on 50 points after nine races. But surprisingly she picked up her first bullet in Race 9 after posting an 18th place finish in Race 8. But the Polish sailor has shown consistency which has been key.

Manami Doi (JPN), in second, had a good day finishing 3-5 and moves into second place on 54 points. And Tiril Bue (NOR) had a better day following a bullet in Race 8 and a third place finish in Race 9. The Norwegian is third on 57 points.

The top of the 420 Girls is very tight with just six points separating the top three with three races remaining. Lara Vadlau and Tanja Frank (AUT) continue to lead the way after finishing with a bullet and third place today. But America's Morgan Kiss and Christina Lewis traded blows after the Austrians posted the same race results. But the Austrians are at the top of the leader board on 17 points with the Americans five points behind. Nikole Barnes and Agustina Barbuto trail the Austrians by six points in third.

Martin Lowy and Kim Andrade continued their dominance in the SL16 by winning their eighth consecutive race in a row. With eight points they have a gigantic 26 point lead with three races remaining in the championship. The Brazilians are in great form and with a huge lead the gold medal is almost theirs. The rest of the fleet will fight it out for the bronze and silver. Just nine points separate second and seventh place so it should be an interesting climax.

Spain's Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel have extended their lead in the 29er to 12 points after finishing fifth and fourth in today's racing. Australia's Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake had a consistent day finishing second in both races to move up to second overall. Antoine Screve and Max Agnese (USA) finished sixth and recorded a bullet in Race 9 to retain third place.The top of the RS:X Boys and Girls is looking interesting with just one point separating Veronica Fanciulli (ITA) and Siripon Kaewduang-Ngam (THA) in the Girls fleet. And four points split Cho Wonwoo (KOR) and Mateo Sanz (ESP) in the Boys.

Fanciulli finished 3-4 today to move onto 15 points and Kaewduang-Ngam came second in Race 7 before discarding her fifth place finish in Race 8. Naomi Cohen won Race 8 today and is second on 22 points. Agnieszka Bilska won the days other race and is fourth on 28 points.

And in the RS:X Boys Cho Wonwoo once again put in a consistent display out on the water. He came seventh in Race 7 and second in Race 8. He leads on 18 points. Sanz discarded his 13th place in Race 7 before bouncing back with a fourth in Race 8. The Spaniard is second on 22 points.

Sam Sills (GBR) won Race 7 today and is sixth overall on 55 points and the days other race win went to Pawel Tarnowski (POL) who is third on 30 points.

The 420 Boys are still out on the race course for their third race of the day.

Racing is set to commence at 12:00 local time tomorrow with two races scheduled in each fleet.

Laser Radial Girl Sophie Murphy is closest to Ireland's goal of sailing to a top ten result at this week's  ISAF Youth Worlds in Croatia where conditions at the halfway stage continue to be light and tricky.

The event has added interest for Ireland as it will be staged next year on Dublin Bay, a venue alos know for its flukey winds. The Dublin organiser of the event Brian Craig is in Croatia to monitor progress there.

Murphy scored well in her first of the race of day three with a fourth after having a race win yesterday. She followed that with a 16th and 20th in the 41–strong fleet which leaves her in eleventh position overall going in to the rest day tomorrow.

Cork duo Emma Geary and Niamh Connolly in the 420 finished 17th and 21st today which sees them lying 17th overall.

Philip Doran from Courtown SC in the Laser Radial boys had a disappointing day fininshing 26th overall in the 49 boat fleet. Philip who is no stranger to large international competition (former 4.7 World Champion and the u17 Radial World Champion) remains optimistic and looking forward to a rest day tomorrow before the second half of the event recommences on Wednesday.

In one of the busiest racing weekends of the Irish sailing calendar a vintage Quarter tonner sailed by six friends lifted the top prize in Dun Laoghaire. We report on Supernova's success. In a weekend of extremes for the biennial 'big one' we have reports, photos and video from Day one, two, three and overall. Plus how one VDLR competitor skipped the ferry and sailed over, from Wales in a dinghy. We have the DBSC likely first series winners too. On Friday, John Twomey and his crew qualified in Weymouth for next year's Paralympic Games. Yesterday in Croatia Sophie Murphy took a race win at the ISAF Youth Worlds for Ireland. From a lead at the halfway stage Peter McCann ended up eighth at the Oppy worlds in Portugal.We have less serious Optimist action from Crosshaven too.

In offshore news, the Transatlantic Race 2011 Nears a Finish, and RORC yachts that headed West did best in the St Malo from Cowes race. Ireland's entry in the Tall Ships race, Celtic Mist, is safely in Scotland. WIORA starts this week in Clifden, thirty boats are expected.

Two top Cork performers are in Cowes for this week's Quarter Ton Cup.

In other boating news, rower Siobhan McCrohan won bronze at the World Rowing Champs in Lucerne, Kiteboarding debuted in Dun Laoghaire. There were Medals for Irish Kayakers at Athens Special Olympics.

And finally after a Elaine 'Shooter' Alexander is set for hero's welcome this week as she becomes the first woman from Northern Ireland to circumnavigate the island of Ireland.

All on our home page this morning, thanks for your interest in Irish Sailing and Boating.

Wexford's Philip Doran lies fourth overall after an impressive opening two rounds at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship in Zadar, Croatia.

Doran who is sailing in the Boys Laser Radial class has scored a 7 and 12 to be three points off third overall in his fifty boat fleet.

Sophie Murphy sailing in the Girls Laser Radial fleet is 19th after a single race in her fleet of 41.

The third Irish boat sailed by Emma Geary and Niamh Connolly,  in the girls double handed 420 class, is 14th from 32 countries.

More from ISAF:

Boys 420 ISAF Athlete Participation Programme sailors Raul Rios and Fernando Monllor (PUR) ended the opening day of sailing at the top of the leader board.

The boys, who are benefitting from the coaching of World Youth Sailing Trust coach, Hugh Styles (GBR), ended Race 1 in eleventh place before claiming the bullet in Race 2.

And the Puerto Rican duo were delighted with their performance. Rios said, "It was pretty light and shifty and it was my first bullet. It is a great feeling, this is my third ISAF Youth Worlds and I've struggled a lot in the other two and this one we're really prepared."

And Monllor added, "It was a very nice. Sailing with Raul has been really good and a great experience, he is a really good sailor and having the opportunity to sail with him has been a great pleasure."

Tied on equal points with the Puerto Rican duo is Brazil's Ricardo Paranhos and Patrick Essle. The boys from Brazil finished 4-8 after the opening day of sailing. The Netherlands Floris van de Werkwn and Laurens van dev Werken are third on 13 points tied with Juan Manuel Garcia Rodriguez and Facundo Mario Olezza Bazan (ARG).

Japan's Daichi Mototsu and Yuki Hino won the opening race in Zadar but came 19th in Race 2 to end day one down in ninth overall.

The 420 Girls were the last off the water at 18:30 local time and only managed to fit in one race due to very light winds. Great Britain's Jessica Lavery and Georgina Morthesele won Race 1 followed by Austria's Lara Vadlau and Tanja Frank. Poland's Julia Rokosz and Joanna Szopinska finished third.

The 23-boat 29er fleet saw Carlos Robles and Florian Trittel (ESP) and Norway's Anders Kippenberg and Emil Mellbye claim the day's bullets. But it was the Spaniards who finished the day at the top of the leader board after finishing fourth in Race 2.

The Norwegians had a poor start finishing 17th in Race 1 but bounced back with the bullet in Race 2. They sit eighth.

Max Deckers and Annette Duetz (NED) came ninth and second in the two races today and are six points behind the Spanish 29er pair. America's Antoine Screve and Max Agnese finished 6-5 to end the opening day of sailing in Zadar in third place.

New Zealand's Tomer Simhony and Ellie Louise Copeland lead the SL16 following their bullet in Race 1 and third place finish in Race 2. Belgium's Phillip Hendrickx and Victor Klaas trail the Kiwis by five points. The Belgian sailors finished 4-5 today and Spain's Jordi Booth and Pau Dengra are in third after coming in second behind the Kiwis in Race 1 and finishing ninth in Race 2.

Brazil's Martin Lowy and Kim Andrade retired after the finish in Race 1, but the Brazilians bounced back with a bullet in Race 2 to end the day in ninth.

In the Laser Radial Boys, Maxime Mazard (FRA) had a fantastic day finishing with a third and second place to lead overall on five points. Terence Choo (SIN) came second in Race 1 and finished 13th in Race 2. One point behind in third place is Oz Adam (ISR) who went 12-4 today.

Mazard takes a ten point lead into the second day of sailing but with a lot of racing to come the Frenchman won't be getting carried away.

Only one race was possible in the Laser Radial Girls as the wind died throughout the day. The race win went to Hong Kong's Erica Hok Yan Leung. Sandy Fauthoux (FRA) came through in second ahead of Erika Reineke (USA).

The RS:X Boys and Girls were only able to fit one race in as well. Louis Giard (FRA) won the RS:X Boys race ahead of ISAF APP sailor Cho Wonwoo (KOR). Italy's Mattia Camboni (ITA) finished third.

And in the RS:X Girls Camboni's Italian team mate Veronica Fanciulli claimed the bullet. Agnieszka Bilksa (POL) came second and Israel's Naomi Cohen finished third.

Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist Siripon Kaewduang – Ngam finished fourth and bronze medallist Audrey Yong (SIN) finished sixth.

350 sailors from 60 countries are gathering in the Adriatic town of Zadar in Croatia for the 41st edition of the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship including four youth sailors representing Ireland in three different classes. The competiton runs from today until July 16th.

Laser Radial Boys
Philip Doran from Courtown Sailing Club in Wexford is attending this event for the first time although he is no stranger to international events. He is a former 4.7 World Champion and the u17 Radial World Champion.  Philip will be targeting a top 10 finish overall.

Laser Radial Girls
Sophie Murphy from Quoile Y.C. in Northern Ireland is representing Ireland for the second time having competed in Turkey in 2010 at age 16. After sailing a consistent Irish trials Sophie won the right to take the girls place in the Laser Radial. Her experience of competing in this event last year will undoubtedly count in her favour as many quite simply get overawed by the pomp and ceremony that go along with an event as prestigious as this so expect some solid races from Sophie during the week.

420 Girls
Emma Geary from Royal Cork Yacht Club & Niamh Connolly from Baltimore Sailing Club are both aged 18. While not quite having the same amount of international experience as their team mates they are a very strong partnership together and are ideally suited to the 420. Coach Ross Killian has been putting them through their paces in preparation for the toughest event they will have sailed in so far.
Thursday 07 and Friday 08 sailors will be provided with their boats and equipment and will be briefed with limited on water training before racing commences on Saturday 09 July.

The ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships is ISAF's most prestigious event after the Olympic Games and the ISAF Sailing World Championships. Past notable winners include American's Cup skippers, Chris Dickson (NZL), Russell Coutts (NZL), Dean Barker (NZL); Olympic medallists, Ben Ainslie (GBR), Robert Scheidt (BRA), Alessandra Sensini (ITA), Iain Percy (GBR) and Elise Rechichi (AUS); Volvo Ocean Race sailors like Stuart Bannatyne (NZL) and Richard Clarke (CAN).

Ireland has won the bid to host the 2012 ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships in Dun Laoghaire from 12-21 July 2012. The granting of this prestigious sailing event to Ireland is a major boost to the sport and secures Ireland's position as a prime location for hosting worldclass sailing events. It also establishes Dun Laoghaire as one of the prime major racing locations in the world, capable of running multiple classes and courses to the highest international standard.

As nearly 400 sailors descend on Zadar, Croatia for the 41st ISAF Youth World Championships, representatives of Dublin Bay, the 2012 ISAF Youth Worlds hosts will be on site in Croatia to learn all they can, having recently had a welcome nod of approval from ISAF's Fiona Kidd following her visit to Irish waters. Andi Robertson Reports.

"From what I saw things look to be very much ideal. It is new to us to have the competition spread across three different, adjoining clubs but I am sure that will work well. One yacht club is where the race management is centralised and it is all very manageable from there." Explained Kidd who chaired the ISAF Youth World Championships Sub Committee for eight years and has been involved with the championships since 1994.

"The launching facilities look good enough, boat parking is good everything there in terms of the physical plant all looked good. The accommodation is centralised and directly across the street from the boat park which the athletes really appreciate. It is excellent."

"But the success of these championships is very much down to volunteers and already we can see that there is a really great group of people. I had a tour of all the yacht clubs and they seemed really motivated, excited by the prospect and looking forward to it. I left feeling that it is all in very good hands."

"You have to remember that this event is really unique. It is likened to a mini Olympics and we emphasize that to host venues. At a class championships the sailors book their travel, accommodation bring their boats pay their money and go racing. This event I tell the organisers that from the minute they step off the plane until they go home you are responsible for around 500 sailors, you have to house them, feed them, provide top class racing and make sure they are always safe. Logistically it is big, and so the more volunteers to make it go smoothly, the better." Continues Kidd,

"On top of that it has to feel like something special, something different. So there is strict accreditation and access to the boat park, all modelled on the Olympics. It's important for the sailors it feels different and you don't have anyone wandering around the boat park. It has to feel special. They all have to work hard to qualify to be there, so it needs to feel different."

"The event has grown, now there are between 58 and 60 nations and more than ever the big nations like Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, France, GBR send full teams and it has become the real launch pad for young sailors."

"It has been great to meet the organising teams for 2012, it really gives you a sense of who's doing what and I have a very good feeling about the event already."

"There will be a lot to learn this coming week in Zadar. For the first time ever we are having to split the 420's into flights and rotate them, and the accommodation is quite spread out there, and so we are hoping that it should all be made straightforward next year."

Often a successful ISAF Youth World Championships are the platform for a successful bid to host the ISAF Sailing World Championships, and Kidd confirms that a good Youth Worlds would set Irish sailing in good stead were they to look to hosting the Olympic classes ISAF Worlds in the future:

"Of the eight bids which were made for the ISAF World Championships four had hosted the ISAF Youth Worlds and all would be very capable of hosting the ISAF World Championships."