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With an extra event this year in the form of the Open Multihull, which for 2004 will be sailed in the Hobie 16 Race Speed, the total number of nations competing is 53, five more than competed at the previous record-breaking event held in Crozon-Morgat, France in 2001.

The Hobie 16, which for 2004 sees its first year of mandatory inclusion, will see eleven nations compete for the title of Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Champion in the class.

The additional number of nations competing mean that there are several new ones taking the journey to Poland in the summer, Latvia, Cuba, Morocco, are all funded by the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme and will attend the event for the first time in its history.

Latvia is represented by Rudolfs VETRA, an 18 year old who will sail the Boy's Single-Handed event in the Laser Class whilst Cuba is represented by Zoe Barrios FLEITAS in the Girl's Windsurfing, Jesus ALBERTO in the Boy's Single-handed Dinghy, and Anneris FALCON and Yisel Suarez CASANAS in the Girls Double-handed Dinghy, which will be the International 420 in 2004. Morocco will be sending El Amri ANAS in the Boys Single-handed Dinghy event.

As well as the first time nations, there are many sending full teams across all seven events, and all will make huge bids on stopping Australia successfully defending the Volvo Trophy for the best overall performance by a nation. Out of last year's successful Nations Cup winning team, Australia are sending Nathan OUTTERIDGE, this year helming for Iain JENSEN, as well as Elise RECHICHI, who won the Girls Double-handed event alongside Raychele MARTIN. This year her crew is Tessa PARKINSON. Corey PLANT returns in the Boys Windsurfing Event, whilst there is new blood in the remainder of the team. The renowned Craig FERRIS returns in his usual role as inspirational team leader, and Australia will be tough to beat with their mix of returning veterans and new talent.

Other Nations sending full teams are Brazil, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the home nation, Poland. All in all some tough competition for the Volvo Trophy, but one in which Australia must count as early favourites.

Of each of the events, the Single-handed classes replicate their big brothers in the Olympic field as being the most represented. There are 43 representatives in the Boys Single-handed Dinghy - Laser, 33 in the Girl's Single-handed Dinghy - Laser Radial, and 36 combined in the Boys and Girls Windsurfing Events.

Since the first ISAF Youth Worlds in 1971 in Angelholm in Sweden, 91 nations have sent sailors to compete in the world's pinnacle event for under 19 sailors.

All in all the event, hosted by the Gdynia Sport Centre, on behalf of the Polish Yachting Association and Municipality of Gdynia looks set to be one of the best Youth Worlds ever.

Nations Competing in 2004

	COUNTRY	LASER B	LASER G	420 B	420 G	MISTRAL B	MISTRAL G	HCAT 16
ARG	ARGENTINA		1	2
AUS	AUSTRALIA	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
AUT	AUSTRIA			2	2	1
BEL	BELGIUM			2	2
BER	BERMUDA		1
BLR	BELARUS	1				1	1
BRA	BRAZIL	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
BUL	BULGARIA					1
CAN	CANADA	1	1
CRO	CROATIA	1		2
CUB	CUBA	1			2		1
CYP	CYPRUS	1				1
CZE	CZECH REPUBLIC	1	1	2	2	1
DEN	DENMARK	1	1	2	2
ESP	SPAIN	1	1	2	2	1	1
EST	ESTONIA	1		2
FIN	FINLAND	1	1	2	2
FRA	FRANCE	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
GBR	GREAT BRITAIN	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
GER	GERMANY	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
GRE	GREECE	1		2	2
GUA	GUATEMALA							2
HKG	HONG KONG					1
IND	INDIA	1	1	2	2
IRL	IRELAND	1	1	2	2
ISR	ISRAEL		1	2	2	1	1
ITA	ITALY	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
JPN	JAPAN	1	1	2	2
KOR	KOREA	1		2	2	1
LAT	LATVIA	1
LTU	LITHUANIA	1	1			1
LUX	LUXEMBOURG	1
MAR	MOROCCO	1
MAS	MALAYSIAN	1		2	2
MDA	MOLDOVA	1
MON	MONACO	1	1
NED	NETHERLANDS	1	1	2	2	1	1
NOR	NORWAY	1	1		2	1
NZL	NEW ZEALAND	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
POL	POLAND	1	1	2	2	1	1	2
POR	PORTUGAL	1	1	2	2	1
PUR	PUERTO RICO	1	1	2
RSA	SOUTH AFRICA	1	1	2	2			2
SAM	SAMOA	1
SEY	SEYCHELLES	1	1			1
SIN	SINGAPORE	1	1	2	2
SLO	SLOVENIA	1
SUI	SWITZERLAND		1	2	2
SVK	SLOVAK REPUBLIC	1	1
SWE	SWEDEN	1		2
THA	THAILAND		1
TUR	TURKEY	1	1	2
USA	USA	1	1	2	2		1	2
	TOTAL	43	33	66	58	22	14	22