The Official
Website of the
International
Sailing Federation

More than 340 of the world's best young sailors representing 62 nations will gather in Istanbul next week for the 40th edition of the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship. The Youth Worlds is renowned for giving the sailing world a hint of its future champions with past medallists including Russell Coutts, Ben Ainslie, Alessandra Sensini and Robert Scheidt but is also a global celebration of youth sailing and a unique learning experience for the young sailors who have been chosen to represent their nation.

A key figure in this educational-side to the Youth Worlds is the championship coach and this year the competitors in Istanbul will have the opportunity to learn from world-famous Danish sailor Kristine Roug.

Kristine Roug said: "It's a real honour to be appointed as championship coach for the 2010 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship. I attended the Youth Worlds in Madeira in 2003 as a national coach and have worked as a coach for many years, training sailors from lots of different countries and at all levels of skill."

"This will be my first visit to Istanbul and I am really looking forward to working with so many young, talented sailors from all over the world. They are the future of our sport and it is a fantastic championship. "

The championship coach, whose appointment is funded by ISAFs World Youth Sailing Trust, provides coaching to the sailors at the Youth Worlds whose nations have been unable to send support staff to the championship, in particular to those sailors competing thanks to funding support from the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme (APP). The APP sailors gets the benefit of daily briefings from the championship coach, whilst all competitors can attend the video debrief sessions held at the end of each day's racing.

Kristine Roug is one of Denmark's most famous sailing names, making Olympic history for her country back in 1996 when she became the first Danish woman to win an Olympic gold medal in sailing, the first for a Danish woman in any sport for nearly 50 years.

Roug was just 21 years old when she won the women's one person dinghy gold medal sailing the Europe and already had three World Champion titles under her belt. In 1994 she won both the Europe World Championship and the IYRU Sailing World Championship in the Laser Radial. She continued to dominate the Europe Class, winning her second world title in 1995.

Her success continued after the Olympic Games and Roug completed her set of Europe World Championship medals, winning the silver in 1997 and the bronze in 1998 before claiming her third world title in 2000. In 1998 she also successfully defended her IYRU Sailing World Championship title, claiming the gold in the Laser Radial in 1998 in Dubai.
Roug's achievements were acknowledged by her nomination to the ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards in 1994, 1995 and 1996.

Antonio Gonzalez de la Madrid, ISAF Competitions Manager and Technical Delegate for the 2010 Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, said, "I am very pleased to welcome Kristine Roug to the 2010 Youth Worlds. Kristine is a world-class sailor and an excellent role model for our young sailors. I am sure she will be a great inspiration to all the competitors."

The primary focus of the championship coach will be the APP sailors, however, assistance is available to all those who would like it, including team leaders, coaches and competitors.

The comprehensive coaching support will include:

Pre-event Preparation -

Self preparation
Boat Preparation - including Boat Handling - Boat Tuning
Race Strategy - including Starting Tactics, Racing Rules, Compass Work, Meteorology
Preview the Sailing Instructions

Video Debriefs daily by Classes -

The video debriefs have proved a valuable element of the coaching given to the competitors, and for many it is the first time they have been able to post-race view themselves on the water and receive coaching instruction and advice.

The World Youth Sailing Trust funds the appointment of the championship coach at each edition of the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship. The Trust is a charitable organization of ISAF members, who focus their support towards youth events.

Find out more on the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship at www.isafyouthworlds.com