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The 2005 NZL Youth Team © yachtingnz.org.nz

The ten member team includes:

• Single-handed dinghy boys - Laser
  Blair McLAY
• Single-handed dinghy girls - Laser Radial
  Olivia POWRIE
• Double-handed dinghy boys - 420
  Peter BURLING and Bruce KENNEDY
• Double-handed dinghy girls - 420
  Georgina HILL and Michelle KENNEDY
• Multihull open - Hobie 16
  Rory GODMAN and Kelly GODMAN
• Windsurfer boys - Mistral
  Antonnio COZZOLINO
• Windsurfer girls - Mistral
  Steffanie WILLIAMS

The Selection panel, which includes John CLINTON, Paul PAGE and Ian NEELY have considered the winners of each Youth Trial class that competed at YouthSail 2005 and selected a full ten member team. In July they will join more than 200 sailors from over 35 countries in Korea for the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship 2005.

The announcement took place when the final day of racing at YouthSail 2005 was abandoned due to strong winds. Stand-out performances of the regatta were in the Laser class and the boys' 420. Blair McLAY of Torbay Sailing Club won eight out of nine races impressing selectors with his performance. They are excited about his prospects in Korea. McLAY has the benefit of previous international experience having taken part in the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Poland last year and travelling to Australian regattas this season.

Peter BURLING and Bruce KENNEDY won seven out of nine races in the boys' 420 division demonstrating their skills which impressed team selector and Yachting New Zealand Academy Coach, Ian NEELY.

'BURLING and KENNEDY were very slick,' said NEELY. 'They know how to sail fast. Overall, I'm very impressed with the standard of this year's team. A lot of them have put in plenty of hard work over the past year and it's showing in the way they've sailed here at Murrays Bay.'

Three members of the team have been to the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship previously. POWRIE has attended the past two years competing in the girls' 420 event, this year switching to the new Olympic equipment, the Laser Radial. Both McLAY and COZZOLINO traveled to Poland last year.

The brother and sister pair of Rory and Kelly GODMAN, sailing the Hobie have travelled to Auckland from Dunedin, and though the only Hobie entry at YouthSail 2005, have done enough to convince the selection panel that they are capable of a top ten result in Korea. Over the weekend they have sailed with a fleet of senior Hobie sailors at Takapuna Yacht Club. At 13 years-old, Kelly GODMAN is one of the youngest sailors ever to be selected for the New Zealand Youth Team.

'The thing that that clinched it for us with the Hobie pair was their sailing at Takapuna yesterday,' says selector, Paul PAGE.

Bruce KENDALL will share his knowledge of the sailing venue, Busan, Korea with the Youth Team before they depart in July. KENDALL won Olympic Gold at Busan in 1988 and has recently been back.

Also announced was the 19-strong Yachting New Zealand Youth Squad which includes the team members and will now embark on a training schedule to prepare the team for the international competition.

YouthSail 2005 Final Results

Single-handed dinghy for boys in the Laser Standard
1st - Blair McLAY (Torbay Sailing Club) - 7 points
2nd - Matt COUTTS (Murrays Bay) - 18 points
3rd - Aaron HUME-Merry (Evans Bay) - 18 points

Single-handed dinghy for girls in the Laser Radial
1st - Olivia POWRIE (Kohimarama) - 11 points
2nd - Cushla HUME-MERRY (Evans Bay) - 13 points
3rd - Jane MONK (Otago) - 15 points

Double-handed dinghy for boys in the International 420
1st - Peter BURLING and Bruce KENNEDY (Tauranga) - 7 points
2nd - Chris DAWSON (Murrays Bay) and Scott ILLINGWORTH (Kohimarama) - 13 points
3rd - Riley DEAN and John LITTLE (Naval Point) - 24 points

Double-handed dinghy for girls in the International 420
1st - Georgina HILL and Michelle KENNEDY (Kohimarama) - 34 points
2nd - Hayley WILSON (Murrays Bay) and Rosie SARGISSON (Kohimarama) - 72 points
3rd - Stephanie HAZARD and Cindy HAMILTON (Sandspit) - 93 points

Windsurfer for boys in the Mistral
1st - Correy PLANT (Stormriders Boardsailing) - 7 points
2nd - Antonio COZZOLINO (Mistral Owners Assoc) - 13 points
3rd - Nick LICHTWARK (Takapuna) - 20 points

Windsurfer for girls in the Mistral
1st - Steffanie WILLIAMS (Kohimarama) - 47 points
2nd - Justina SELLERS (Howick) - 78 points
3rd - Kate ELLINGHAM (Wakatere) - 97 points

Multihull open in the Hobie 16 Spi
Rory and Kelly GODMAN (Otago)