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Buzios, Brazil will host the world's top youth sailors for the 39th edition of the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship from 9-18 July. It will be a groundbreaking year for the Youth Worlds, as when the 280 young sailors from 60 nations arrive in Rio de Janeiro state just a couple of months after the departure of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet it will be the championship's first visit to South America. The Youth Worlds will also celebrate a century of nations this year; Botswana and Nigeria will attend the championship for the first time in 2009, increasing the total number of nations who have competed since the first event back in 1971 to 101.

A key factor in the increasing number of nations competing at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship has been the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme (APP), which provides funding support to assist sailors attend the championship. Since its introduction in 2003, the APP has directly supported the participation of over 120 sailors and helped introduced 12 new nations to the championship. This year, 23 sailors from 13 nations will benefit from APP support.

Helmut CZASNY, ISAF Competitions Manager, explains: "We received an overwhelming response with over 60 applications for APP support this year, another clear sign of the importance nations attach to the Championship. It's fantastic news to break through the 100-nation barrier and I'm delighted to welcome Botswana and Nigeria to the Youth Worlds for the first time."

In addition to subsidised travel and entry, the APP also provides free, top-level coaching during the championship. The APP sailors gets the benefit of daily briefings from the World Youth Sailing Trust coach, whilst all competitors can attend the video debrief sessions held at the end of each day's racing. This year there is a new coach for the Championship, with Argentina's two-time Olympic medallist and Volvo Ocean Race competitor Santiago LANGE taking over the reigns from legendary British coach Jim SALTONSTALL, whose 30-year association with the Youth Worlds finally came to end last year in Århus, Denmark.

Along with Botswana and Nigeria other nations to benefit from APP funding this year are Andorra, the Bahamas, the British Virgin Islands, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Netherlands Antilles, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, Serbia and South Africa.

Nations Approved For 2009 ISAF Athlete Participation Programme

Nation - Event - Equipment

Andorra - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Bahamas - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Botswana - Open Multihull - Hobie 16
Botswana - Open Multihull - Hobie 16
British Virgin Islands - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
British Virgin Islands - Girl's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Czech Republic - Girl's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Ecuador - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Moldova - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Netherland Antilles - Girl's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Netherland Antilles - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Nigeria - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Nigeria - Girl's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Paraguay - Girl's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Paraguay - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Peru - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Samoa - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
Serbia - Girl's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
South Africa - Boy's Two Person Dinghy - 420
South Africa - Boy's Two Person Dinghy - 420
South Africa - Boy's One Person Dinghy - Laser Radial
South Africa - Open Multihull - Hobie 16
South Africa - Open Multihull - Hobie 16

Find out more on the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme and the 2009 APP sailors at www.sailing.org/app.

Learn more about the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship at www.sailing.org/youthworlds.