#youthworlds – Ireland's Seafra Guilfoyle lost his lead in the dying airs of race eight of the ISAF Youth worlds last night but is still in the fight for Ireland's first youth gold medal at Tavira, Portugal today. A ten point cushion rapidly turned into a seven point deficit as Guilfoyle counted a 7 and a 16 in more light winds yesterday. 

It will go down to the final day in the Laser Radial Boys and Girls fleets with very few points separating the leading racers.

Joel Rodriguez (ESP) leads Singapore's Ryan Lo whilst Seafra Guilfoyle (18), who had led from the opening day, falls down to third. The top three have all guaranteed themselves a medal but with seven points of separation the final race will decide the honours.

Race victories went the way of Lo and Jonatan Vadnai (HUN) who is sixth overall.

The top four in the Laser Radial Girls fleet are all in with a shout of claiming an ISAF Youth Worlds medal. Nine points divide Martina Reino (ESP), in first, Haddon Hughes (USA), Maud Jayet (SUI) and Monika Mikkola (FIN).

The days bullets were picked up by Julia Kuhn (GER) and Hughes.

Ireland have enjoyed previous podium success at the 'Olympics' of Under–18 sailing but until now success has been decades apart. There was bronze in the Laser II double–hander in 1996 and Laser Radial silver on home waters 16 years later but youth gold has always evaded Ireland.

More on this in the Irish Times here

Spain's Silvia Mas Depares and Marta Davila Mateu clinched 420 Girls gold with a race to spare on the penultimate day of racing at the 2014 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship.
The Spanish team have been sensational on the water and sealed the deal with a bullet and a sixth.

Many of the sailors across the remaining seven fleets have guaranteed themselves a medal but the colours are to be decided on the final day with one race on the cards for each fleet.

Tavira's breeze arrived fashionably late but when it came in it remained consistent from the south west building to 10-12 knots.

420

Spain's Silvia Mas Depares and Marta Davila Mateu wrapped up gold in the 420 Girls fleet after a dominant display on the penultimate day.

A bullet and a sixth leaves them with an unassailable 13 point lead over the chasing pack and they were delighted after racing, "Every sailor always dreams about winning a World Championship and this is awesome for us," said Mas.

"It's something you train hard for all year and now we're here and now I know we have won. It's something you can't imagine. It's almost like it's not true and I'm very happy."

A beaming Davila added, "Just being here is amazing but winning it, it's unbelievable. We've won an ISAF Youth Worlds!"

Israel's Yahel Wallach and Stav Brokman have had a strong two days of racing and with a race to go they have sealed silver.

The race is on for bronze with any of the teams placed from third to eighth mathematically able to win gold. As it stands Theres Dhnke and Birte Winkel (GER) hold third spot.

It's a different outlook in the 420 Boys fleet with five points separating the top four. The lead has exchanged hands numerous times throughout the week but heading into final day in pole position is Japan's Ibuki Koizumi and Kotaro Matsuo.

Many of the teams struggled for consistency on the penultimate day but Singapore's Yia Jia Loh and Jonathan Yeo found some form and posted a first and a sixth to advance into silver medal position.

Overnight leaders Diogo Pereira and Manuel Macedo (POR) fell to fourth overall following an 18th and an eighth. Malaysia's Mohammad Faizal Norizan and Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz occupy the final podium spot heading into the final day.

RS:X

There is just one point separating China's Shi Hongmei and Russia's Sefaniya Elfutina in the RS:X Girls with one race remaining. There has been very little separating the top four racers in the RS:X Girls fleet and it will go down to the final day to decide medals.

Italy's Marta Maggetti is six points off the Chinese leader with Pilar Lamadrid (ESP) six points behind the Italian in fourth.

The Spanish racer took the first bullet of the day but it could have been a different story as she explained, "Today was my best day but I could have done it better. I was first in the last race and second in the middle race but finally the girls but passed me but it's okay. I like this wind and I think tomorrow it will be better.

"The first day I was a bit nervous so I didn't have good racing with a seventh and a sixth but then on the other days I improved and I was less nervous and today I was able to win another race. I feel really good because I was at the top with all the good girls."

Israel's Yael Paz continues to lead the RS:X Boys fleet and sits atop of the pile on 18 points, four ahead of Mattia Camboni (ITA).

It could have been the perfect day for Camboni with three straight bullets but it was not to be as he explained, "Today was a really good day. I had three firsts but in the first one I was disqualified but I am still second. It was a really good day, the sun was okay and the breeze was quite good."

Camboni discards his UFD and having previously discarded a sixth he is still within sight of the Israeli. For him to overthrow Paz, Camboni has to finish first or second on the last day and hope the Israeli finishes sixth or lower. Whether it's gold or silver Camboni has thrived in his environment, "This event, it's the best of my life. This is my fourth and last ISAF Youth Worlds so I want to win but if I don't wind it's a nice experience."

SL16

Louis Flament and Charles Dorange (FRA) have an 11 point lead in the SL16 fleet heading into the final day. The French pair discard an OCS and having picked up a ninth on the penultimate day it will all boil down to the final bout.

Jordi and Ruben Booth (ESP) reduced the French duos overnight 15 point lead by four with a steady racing day but will be hard pressed to overthrow them in a single race on the last day. The French and Spanish teams have guaranteed themselves a medal but the colour is to be decided.

Brazil's Kim Vidal and Antonio Lopes hang on to third place overall by three points. America's Ravi Parent and Nicholas Schultz (USA) pulled to within touching distance of the Brazilians and will have one eye on them in the final race.

29er

Quinn Wilson and Riley Gibbs (USA) moved into pole position in the 29er after the French frontrunners had a disastrous day.

Brice Yrieix and Loic Fischer Guillou had an 18 point advantage going into the day but a discarded disqualification and a 14th sees them slip to second.

From two 29er races the Americans were strong and focused and posted a third and a bullet. They lead on 41 points followed by the French on 42 points.

Markus Somerville and Isaac Mchardie (NZL) are within touching distance of the top two on 48 points.

One single race in both fleets is scheduled to commence at 13:00 local time.

View results here.

#youthworlds – Argentina's Francisco Guaragna Rigonat may have been the epitome of consistency in the 57-boat Laser Radial Boys fleet as he took double bullets yesterday but Ireland's Seafra Guilfoyle, who picked up a fifth and discarded a 17th in the light Tavira winds, still leads at the ISAF Youth Worlds in Portugal.

The Argentinian's successful day moves him to second overall and he is ten points off the Royal Cork leader.

Martin Lowy (BRA) was disqualified in the opening race but hit back to take a second and he is third overall, tied with the Argentinean and Ryan Lo (SIN) in fourth.

Following double bullets on Tuesday 15 July, Spain's Martina Reino made it three in a row in the 46-boat Laser Radial Girls fleet before a sixth in the final race of the day. As a result the Spanish racer moves into top spot on 17 points.

Haddon Hughes (USA) follows on 26 points and Monika Mikkola (FIN) is a point behind the American in third.

It was a day for the underdogs in many cases on the third day of competition with improvements made and personal goals attained across the fleets.

Historically the ISAF Youth Worlds has seen French, Italian and British teams dominate proceedings but in a light westerly breeze, sailors from Slovenia, South Africa, Portugal and Argentina shone brightest in their fleets.

Frustrations were afoot early on in the Portuguese day with light winds present on-shore but after a slight postponement six of the eight fleets took to the water to complete their racing schedule. No racing was possible in the RS:X fleets.

SL16

South Africa's Brandon Wijtenburg and Todd Fisher had a superb day on the water in the 16-boat SL16 fleet, sailing three exceptional races.

A bullet, a second and a fourth push the South Africans up to eighth overall and they were thrilled after racing, "It was a pretty good day," said a modest Fisher. "In the first one we came second and in the second race we came first but only because the boats that won the race were over the line

"We've improved a lot over the whole regatta. That was the best day we had. The very first day we were pretty bad but we improved on day two and then today we moved forward a lot."

Before the third day their best result had been an eighth place and their secret on the third day, "Looking at the current and the weather and seeing which side of the race course paid off and it was definitely the right side.

"Hopefully the wind will be the same tomorrow as it was today so we will do the same and try to do better," concluded Fisher.

The South Africans were the benefactors of race leaders Louis Flament and Charles Dorange (FRA) and Kim Vidal and Antonio Lopes (BRA) being over the line in the second race of the day. It was not all bad for Flament and Dorange though as they took the days other race victories.

The French hold top spot on 16 points and are followed by Spain's Jordi and Ruben Booth on 31 points and the Brazilians on 40 points. With the French and Brazilians discarding their OCS they cannot afford any errors with four races remaining.

29er

France's Brice Yriex and Loic Fischer Guillou extended their 29er advantage to 18 points after a steady race day but stealing the show was Slovenia's Peter Lin Janezic and Anze Podlogar.

The Slovenians were the dominant duo out on the race course and picked up a bullet, a second and a fourth to advance to fourth overall and Podlogar was full of smiles after racing, "We did great and we are really happy about the day, we loved it," said the Slovenian crew. "We had a really bad day yesterday and today we opened a new page and decided to go from zero for a new beginning."

Janezic and Podlogar started well in the opening race and were sitting in second to Singapore's Elisa Yukie Yokoyama and Samantha Annabelle Neubronner but in some of their favourite conditions they came back as Podlogar explained, "In the first upwind we were second but then we gained on them in the second to take first and then there was only the downwind left and we kept first place. There were about five knots and lots of waves and I like that a lot.

"We hope we can do the same tomorrow and we will."

"We're going to give it all, 100%," concluded helm Janezic.

Quinn Wilson and Riley Gibbs (USA) are second overall behind the French pair on 37 points and are followed by New Zealand's Markus Somerville and Isaac Mchardie. The Slovenian racers are 13 points off the podium with four races remaining.

420

Portugal's Diogo Pereira and Manuel Macedo threw themselves into 420 Boys lead after dominating the 32-boat fleet on home waters on the third day of racing.

Pereira, a 2013 bronze medallist, and Macedo controlled the pack in both of the day's races, storming to double bullets that leaves them first overall going into the penultimate day. They are four points clear of overnight leaders Ibuki Koizumi and Kotaro Matsuo (JPN) and a further three ahead of Malaysia's Mohammad Faizal Norizan and Ahmad Syukri Abdul Aziz

After racing a delighted Macedo said, "It was brilliant, we got two bullets. Nothing better could have happened. We got clean starts and had our tactics defined. We had good speed and did what we do best. We're feeling great leading the table and let's hope we can keep it up until the end of the championship."

The pair are Portugal's leading stars at their home championship and realise how key the event is to them, "It's really important. There's a slight bit of pressure but we can keep it up because we are good sailors and we'll do the best we can.

"We struggled a little bit before but we managed to get the difficulties behind us today with two first places," concluded Macedo.

In the 27-boat 420 Girls fleet Spain's Silvia Mas and Marta Davila remained consistent on the race course once again and with a second and a first they regain top spot.

Germany's Theres Dahnke and Birte Winkel held the overnight lead but a sixth and a discarded 12th allowed the Spanish pair to move 10 points clear.

After racing a chirpy Winkel said, "Today was a really difficult day because there was no wind. It was a really long hard day. We're really happy though because that type of wind is not our best and we're at the top.

"I love this event, it's my first time and it's just amazing. It's like an Olympic Games for us."

Chile's Nadja Horwitz and Carmina Malsh remain in third overall, 13 points off the leaders.

With two days of racing remaining there are three more races scheduled across the 420 Boys and Girls fleets.

RS:X

It was a frustrating day for the RS:X Boys and Girls fleet with no racing possible. With the breeze playing hard ball on their course the race committee made the decision to send the fleets home shortly after they were released and at 17:20 the decision to cancel any possible action was made.

Racing resumes at 13:00 local time on 17 July.

#isafyouthworlds – Ireland's Laser Radial Boys racer Seafra Guilfoyle was all smiles after the first day of racing at the ISAF Youth Worlds in Tavira in Portugal today with good reason, he holds the lead in the 57-boat fleet.

Royal Cork's Guilfoyle revelled in the breeze and took the first bullet. A fifth place followed and he leads on six points, tied with Denmark's Patrick Dopping.

After racing Guilfoyle said, "It's been really good. Everyone is a brilliant sailor and it's not been easy and you always have to claw for every point. I can't complain about a one and a five from today. The wind was really nice and picked up which is what I like. The conditions are a lot less complicated than a lot of other places. Once you know which way the current is going it's easy enough because there's not many wind shifts that pay off."

The camaraderie at an ISAF Youth Worlds is unique and Guilfoyle is making the most of his surroundings, "I've made a lot of friends already and I know they'll be friends for life. It's been a great event so far and I'm hopeful for more this week and hopefully we'll have a few more days with wind like this."

Brazil's Martin Lowy completes the Laser Radial Boys podium after the opening racing day.

Ballyholme's Sarah Eames is ninth in her Laser Radial Girls fleet wrapping up an excellent first day for Irish Laser sailing at a record breaking youth worlds where 370 sailors are representing 68 countries.

#isafyouthnats – As Ireland hosts the Under–16 European Optimist Championships on Dublin Bay today, simultaneously the 44th edition of the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship has been declared open by ISAF President Carlo Croce at the opening ceremony in Tavira, Portugal.

Ireland is represented by a team of seven boys and girls who have been recording some promising results recently.

The 2014 ISAF Youth Worlds features 67 nations, an event record, with more than 360 sailors set to compete in five classes across eight events in the Algarve.

Sixty seven flag bearers and their teams paraded through Tavira towards the City Hall with local people, tourists, family and friends turning out to welcome the sailors competing at the premier youth sailing regatta.

Ireland's youth team for Portugal is Laser Radial Boy: Séafra Guilfoyle (Royal Cork Yacht Club) Girl: Sarah Eames (Ballyholme Yacht Club) 420 Boys: Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove (Howth Yacht Club) Girls: Lizzie and Cara McDowell (Malahide Yacht Club) and Sean Donnelly (National Yacht Club) and Patrick Crosbie (Royal Cork Yacht Club)

The traditional Mixing of the Waters followed, symbolising the collection and gathering of all the sailors from around the world. The 67 teams had brought bottles of water from lakes and seas from their home nation and poured them into a jug before the water was transferred into the Portuguese waters.

Speeches were delivered by ISAF President Carlo Croce, Chairman of the Organizing Committee Joao Pedro Rodrigues, Mayor of Tavira Jorge Botelho, Portuguese Sailing Federation President Jose Manuel Leandro and Secretary of State of Sports and Youth Emidio Guerreiro.

During the opening ceremony ISAF President Carlo Croce said, "I thank all of you for coming here from all over the world. The ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship is an important event and in its 44th year it's building up more and more. It represents the values of the International Olympic Committee. We see environment, accessibility, universality, fairplay and nice times for all.

"The sailors come to the ISAF Youth Worlds because it is the pinnacle event for a youth sailor. What I want to tell is, yes you're here to take the results of all your work but please remember that this event is for friendship. You need become friends with your competitors because you will meet them in the future and this is why sailing is a lifetime sport.

"I hope you enjoy your sailing and the regatta will be beautiful. The organizing committee have done a tremendous job and ISAF are pleased to be here."

As the ISAF Flag was hoisted Croce declared the 44th ISAF Youth Worlds open.

Sailors attentions now turn to the race action with the first start scheduled for 13:00 on Monday 14 July. Racing continues through to 18 July.

#YouthSailing - US sailor Morgan Reeser gave an inspiring talk to over 50 young sailors, their instructors and a few parents at Sutton Dinghy Club on Thursday 3 July, writes Andrew Johnston.

Reeser's son Nicolas has been a regular attendee at courses in Sutton the last two summers while on holiday in the locality, and this week has been sailing in Sutton Creek with his father and some of the other trainees.

Morgan Reeser, a 470 Olympic silver medallist in Barcelona 1992, is currently coaching both the US and Austrian Olympic 470 hopefuls and successfully coached the Greek 470 women's team to Olympic gold in Athens 2004 and the British 470 men to Olympic silver in Weymouth during London 2012.

He talked to the juniors about his first 'start sailing' course in Miami in an Optimist, as well as some of his sailing heroes and the coaches that inspired him.

Reeser also remembered his first visit to Dublin in 1981 for an inter-country team racing event sailed in Shamrock half-tonners in Dun Laoghaire, and obviously about his preparation for the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992.

His abiding memory of the final race of the regatta, after finishing in a tight bunch, was that he and his crew Kevin Burnham didn't find out till they reached the marina 40 mins later that they had won a medal.

He outlined the fine margins between medaling and missing out at events, explaining they would have been out of the medals altogether if they had dropped a single place in their best race at the regatta, which happened to be a race win.

Reeser was back at the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 and while he failed to take a medal, he met his future wife, none other than Irish Olympic 470 sailor Louise Cole.

The winning of an Olympic medal is obviously a fantastic memory for Reeser, but one of his best memories is of the opening ceremony in Barcelona and the opportunity to meet up with top-class athletes from around the world.

Since turning to coaching, Reeser has encouraged his Olympic hopefuls to attend the opening ceremony as this is one of the things that make it the 'Games' and not just another regatta.

Sutton Dinghy Club Commodore Andy Johnston presented Reeser with a club burgee and thanked him for taking the time drop in and talk with the club's young sailors and their instructors.

Before getting back on the water, many of the kids availed of the opportunity to get the autograph of a fully fledged Olympic medalist on what was a memorable morning for the young sailors and indeed for all in attendance.

#youthsailing – In a major boost for Irish Laser youth sailing, Seafra Guilfoyle finished in sixth place from 155–starters at the European Laser Youth Championships in Denmark yesterday. The result is a promising indicator of form for this month's ISAF Youth Worlds in Portugal, in which Guilfoyle will represent Ireland also in the Laser class.

There were other top Irish results at the Danish venue too in both the boys and girls fleets.

Five Irish girls finished in the top 30. The girls, all under 19 years, completed 12 races over the week and finished in strong conditions with winds over 20 knots.

Erika Ruigrok finished in 10th position followed by 6 other girl sailors Aisling Keller 14th, Sorcha Ni Shuilleabhain 23rd, Sorcha Donnelly 27th, Sarah Eames 29th & Laura Gilmore 40th out of a fleet of 77 boats.

In the larger boys fleet of 155 boats. Guilfoyle was followed by Cian Byrne 20th, Liam Glynn 27th & Conor O'Beirne. 56th.

#isafyouthworlds – It's an indication of the depth of current talent in Irish youth sailing that selection for this July's ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships came down to the last race of the youth championships in Howth this afternoon. The team of five boys and three girls will compete across three different classes in Portugal each one hoping to match Finn Lynch's stunning silver medal achieved in 2012. 

Only one male and one female place were offered in each class and the contenders had to meet both international standards as well as win their category (except for the 29er) at the youth national championships to be selected. In the end sailors from Cork, Dublin and Belfast were winners and will race at Tavira, Portugal from the 12 – 19 July.

In the Laser Radial boys recent Laser Europa cup performer Séafra Guilfoyle (Royal Cork Yacht Club) will represent and Sarah Eames (Ballyholme Yacht Club) represents in the Laser Radial girls.

Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove (Howth Yacht Club) who featured at last year's 420 Euros in Pwlhelli will race in the 420 boys, Lizzie and Cara McDowell (Malahide Yacht Club) in the 420 girls.

Recently fifth overall at the RYA youth championships in Weymouth skiff pairing Sean Donnelly (National Yacht Club) and Patrick Crosbie (Royal Cork Yacht Club) will race in the 29er open.

ISA Squad for the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships 2014:

Laser Radial

Boy: Séafra Guilfoyle (Royal Cork Yacht Club)

Girl: Sarah Eames (Ballyholme Yacht Club)

420

Boys: Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove (Howth Yacht Club)

Girls: Lizzie and Cara McDowell (Malahide Yacht Club)

29er

Open: Sean Donnelly (National Yacht Club) and Patrick Crosbie (Royal Cork Yacht Club)

#hyc – Up to 250 of Ireland's top young sailors sail from the Fingal port of Howth in County Dublin this morning for the annual four-day Youth National Championships. Three separate race areas will be laid north of Ireland's Eye in order to accommodate the large number of competitors.

From the 24th to the 27th of April, Howth Yacht Club is hosting the annual youth sailing event on the domestic calendar. 

In the Laser Radial class, many of last year's top performing sailors have progressed on to the senior Standard class. This has opened up the competition to the new wave of younger ambitious athletes eager to take the prized podium places. In the two-person 420 class, locals Robert Dickson and Sean Waddilove will be the ones to watch. The 2013 champions are currently in transition year and have spent their academic year studying in France where they have also been able to put in a lot of training and competition time on the water.

On a separate race course for the week, the 60 strong Optimist fleet will contest the first leg of their annual trials for representing Ireland abroad at a host of summer events. One of the pinnacle events will be the Optimist European Championship which this year will be hosted in Ireland by the Royal St George Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire. With just under three months to go to the opening ceremony there are currently 250 registered sailors in the Dun Laoghaire event from 43 countries from as far afield as Bermuda, Japan, India and Iceland. They will arrive with 80 coaches and support personnel and many travelling with their families.

The ISA championships will also be complemented by Howth's annual Dublin Bay Prawn Festival, which will see the entire harbour front filled with tents and stalls offering various culinary delights related to the world-famous crustaceans. There will also be a carnival on the green of the harbour for the children and their families.

#youthsailing – Sole Irish skiff duo Sean Donnelly and Patrick Crosbie took fifth overall in a highly competitive British youth nationals fleet in Weymouth yesterday. After eight races and one discard in the week long event, the National Yacht Club pairing counted seven top ten results, inlcuding a third place in race six in a 64–boat fleet.

And in the 420 dinghy, Ewan McMahon and Colin O'Sullivan from Malahide Yacht Club were 15th overall. Club mates Lizzie and Carrie McDowell were 26th in the 44–boat fleet. 

ll classes took to the water as scheduled on this final day of racing yesterday but battled against a light shifty breeze resulting in postponements and abandonments across the four course areas. The RS:X were the only class to complete a race, whilst the other four classes attempted one race, which was abandoned shortly after starting.

The RS:X boys' class was the one to watch this week as the battle for the top spot was the hot topic of conversation on the final day of racing. Entering the final day of the regatta Daniel Wilson trailed overnight leader Robert York by two points, however was unable to overcome the deficit as York clinched a second in the only race of the day to take event victory.

"It feels pretty awesome, I have put in a lot of hard work over the week so it's nice for it to pay off," expressed the 18-year-old from Skegness.

"It means a lot, I have been in the RS:X for two years now. Last year was my first Youth Nationals and it didn't really go to plan so it's nice to win it this year. I have been looking up to people for a quite a few years so it's nice to finally be there."

York found himself in third place going up the first beat with Wilson leading the race from the word go. Fighting against the light breeze inside Portland Harbour, York managed to pull himself up into second, while Wilson dropped back into third, handing York his first RYA Youth Nationals title.

"The last race didn't start off too well, I had an okay start but probably didn't go the right way up the first beat and ended up in third. Then the wind started to drop, there was a lot of pumping involved but I managed to bring it back and get past Dan [Wilson] who finished third."

Imogen Sills has completed her quest in emulating older brother Sam and twin sister Saskia by winning her first RYA Youth Nationals title in the female RS:X windsurfing event. Sills sealed championships honours with a fourth place finish overall, ending her regatta an impressive 20 points ahead of second placed Emma Wilson.

"I've finally won a Youth Nationals title," laughed the17-year-old from Launceston. "It means a lot to win and I'm just so happy. I worked hard and knew what I had to do, it feels good to keep the title within the family."

Entering today's final races with a healthy lead, Sills admits that she still had a lot to do to secure the title: "Emma [Wilson] is pretty good in light winds, so I thought if there was two races then there was a chance that she could overtake me, so I had to stay near her and work hard and keep an eye out. I didn't think I had won before the race, I wasn't taking anything to chance."

The 420 boys class was won by 2013 Youth National champion Tim Riley and his new crew James Taylor, who finished fifth at the 2013 event in Largs, Scotland with his former sailing partner. The duo who had a disappointing start to the regatta, soon came into their own posting seven top three finishes from the 12 race series to win the regatta by a comfortable 17 points. Robbie King and Ryan Orr clinched the silver medal while New Zealand's Sam Barnett and Zak Merton finished with the bronze.

Riley said: "I am relieved mostly, it was such a long day on the water especially with all the wind shifting about and I was half hopeful they would get a race in. We got one away and we were doing quite well in it then they canned it because there was no wind. I looked at my watch and noticed the time limit was over and realised I'd won it, just relief, pure relief."

On defending his Youth National title, Riley added: "It means a lot to win it for a second year, especially this year as we have had so many young competitive sailors in the 420 class really coming up and just to be able to hold them off for one week which is a long, long time in these varying conditions is a relief."

Sarah Norbury and Mari Davies took the girls 420 title holding their place as top female crew throughout the regatta. At the halfway stage of the regatta the duo really upped their game and posted three seconds giving them a sizable lead over the other 420 girls crews and placing them an impress fourth overall. Jemima Lawson and Lily Summers won silver while Olivia Mackay and Abby Goodwin (NZL) finished third.

Norbury said: "It's incredible, it feels so good to win! All the work hard has paid off and it has all come together so we are really pleased."

For the 29er title, Owen Bowerman and Morgan Peach tussled all week with 2013 Youth National champion and 2013 29er World Championship silver medallist Marcus Somerville and his crew Isaac Mchardie for the top spot but fell short by a single point, giving the Kiwi sailors their second consecutive Youth National title.

"The Kiwi's put in some great competition this week so hats off to them, it has been awesome having them here! We also have had some great British people to race against so to finish second is a massive achievement for us. It's been hard work and I am pretty proud of what we have managed to achieve" said Bowerman.

Bowerman and Peach finished top GBR boat whilst Scotland's Gilles Munro and Daniel Harris rounded their regatta off with a hard fought bronze medal. Ruth Allan and Alice Masterman were the top placed female boat finishing seventh overall, improving on their 13th place finish at the 2013 event.

Scotland's Jamie Calder claimed his first RYA Youth Nationals title in Radial fleet which saw competition become extremely tight once the qualifying series determined the Gold fleet. Having posted a set of consistent scores in the qualifying series, Calder entered the final series at the top of the pack. Facing stiff competition in a competitive Radial fleet, the Scottish sailor kept his focus and continued an impressive scoreline to claim event honours.

Ellie Cumpsty claimed victory in the Radial female fleet by an impressive 38 points. Cumpsty finished eighth overall while New Zealand's Ali Nightingale finished second female with Rhiannon Massey laying in third.

Coming in as one of the favourites, Cumpsty confessed: "If I messed it up it would be pretty disappointing for me. I managed to stay calm and exceed my expectations."

The Spitfire class was a tight affair with Weymouth duo Sam Barker and Ross McFarline and Olivier Greber and Jess Eales swapping first and second place all week. Two race wins on the penultimate day of racing was enough to give Barker and McFarline the Youth National title, while Greber and Eales were made to settle for the Under 19 crown. Brothers Oliver and James King took bronze.

James Tilley, RYA Youth Nationals Event Manager, said: "It has been a fantastic week of racing at WPNSA, on the behalf of the RYA I would like to thank the huge team of volunteers, the venue and all of the sailors for making it an excellent event."

Double Olympic gold medallist Sarah Gosling OBE, who has formed part of the RYA's Selection Panel at WPNSA this week, added: "I have been really impressed with the standard of racing this week, it's fantastic to have some foreign sailors here. The boat handling around the course has been strong and in a wide range of conditions which has been fantastic especially from a selectors point of view to see how the sailors react to different conditions.

"For those who didn't quite achieve what they set out to, they need to remember it is the first stepping stone in their journey and I think everyone needs to understand that you don't necessarily win everything you set out to, you don't always perform to the best of your ability all the time.

"It is how you overcome that, take the lessons forward and improve for the next event and this is actually what makes a great sailor. Not everyone will win everything, it's how you knuckle down after this event and assess what happened then go out and do better next time," concluded Gosling.

Next week will see a record number of the nation's top Youth sailors compete on the Olympic waters of Weymouth and Portland for the chance to be crowned RYA Youth National Champion 2014.

The premier event on the RYA's Youth Racing calendar, which this year is being staged at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy from 12-18 April, will welcome the largest number of competitors in the event's history.

Over 392 dinghy, catamaran and windsurf racers in the six Youth classes will compete across four race course areas in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour for Championship honours and the chance to be selected to represent the British Youth Sailing Team at a range of International competitions, World and European Championships in 2014.

Five reigning champions will be bidding to retain their crowns; Tim Riley (420 boys), Luke Burywood (420 boys), Olivier Greber (Spitfire) and Mimi El-Khazindar (29er) all landing their first Youth National titles in Largs, Scotland last year, while Ben Batten (29er) will be vying for his third consecutive national title at this year's event.
"Our preparations for the Youth Nationals have been going really well. Mimi and I have been sailing well together, we have been working hard over the winter and we feel like we are ready to go come the starting gun on Monday," expressed Batten.

"We would love to try and win the regatta again -- it would be an amazing achievement for us to win what is such a big and prestigious event for a second year running. Our aim is to just put in a good, consistent series and to also try and take away as much as possible for our summer regattas. We know if we sail like we know we can, keep consistent across the five days of racing then we will be in with a chance of defending our title."

17-year-old Batten, who competes with his helm Mimi El-Khazindar, will be up against it they are to retain their crown in the 29er class. The Lymington duo who represented Great Britain at the 2013 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship will face stiff competition from 2013 Youth Nationals medallists Owen Bowerman/Morgan Peach, siblings Rob and Emma Loveridge and the Scottish duo of Gillies Munro/Daniel Harris who will be among the other main title contenders.

"It's certainly going to be a challenge in what is such a competitive 29er fleet. Every year is as tough as the last and everyone gets better each year and everyone is continually improving so it will no doubt be a very tough regatta to win. We now know the people we are up against, better than we did last year, and have had more time to train and compete against them in the build-up to this regatta so it will be interesting to see what happens.
Batten concluded: "To win the Youth Nationals for a third consecutive time would be an amazing achievement for myself. I know there is only a small handful of sailors who have managed to achieve this in the past so to be able to do win three national titles would be incredible -- it would feel like I was joining an elite club which would be great."

The 420 class looks set to be a close contest with 2013 Youth National champions Tim Riley and Luke Burywood now competing against one another in a bid to defend their crowns with their respective new teammates. 2013 ISAF Youth Worlds bronze medallist Oli Greber and new teammate Jess Eales are among the top runners in the mixed multihull Spitfire event and no doubt will be dominant in the hunt for success.

The Laser Radial is the largest fleet of the Championships boasting 106 boats. With such large numbers the fleet is set to be one of the most competitive classes with a select number of sailors possessing the racing skills required to clinch championship honours.
With two-time RYA Youth National Champion and 2012 ISAF Youth Worlds gold medallist Saskia Sills not competing due to illness, the door has been left wide open for her twin sister Imogen to steal the show in the RS:X windsurfing fleet, while Robert York, winner of the RYA Olympic Classes Spring Series event in March will be the one to beat in the 16-strong RS:X boys fleet.

HRH The Princess Royal, President of the Royal Yachting Association, will also visit the event on Thursday (17 April) to see the latest crop of talented sailors coming through the ranks.