Auckland, New Zealand: 14 – 20 December
Taking on the world’s best at the 46th World Sailing Youth Championships, Point Yacht Club’s Benji Daniel together with Chad Stevenson are packing their bags to head to Auckland.
This is the second time that the youngsters are lining up against the next generation of the best-of-the-best in the sailing world. Last year in Langkawi, the enthusiastic 29er sailors finished a respectable 28th overall. The youngest and lightest in the fleet, they were competing against sailors who were four or five years their senior.
Helmsman, Daniel said, “With both of our school commitments this year, we haven’t been able to get across to the various regattas leading up to the worlds, so the last time we sailed internationally was in Langkawi. We have been putting in a lot of hours, and concentrating quite a bit on our starts which was an area we felt we could improve on.”
With an expected 400 sailors from 70 countries racing over 9 classes, the two Durban scholars are expecting some tough competition in their category. Daniel (15), a grade ten pupil at Thomas More College and Stevenson (15) from Umhlanga College have grown as a team since Langkawi.
“Sailing in Malaysia was a big learning curve for us as it was our first major event that we sailed together. A year on, and many hours on the water, we have gelled nicely and are hoping to push the guys at the front of the fleet.” the optimistic Daniel stated.
Continuing, he said, “This is the second time that the event is being hosted in Auckland. Known as the ‘City of Sails’, it is going to be a great honour for us to race in that part of the world! On the back of a record turnout from 76 countries in Malaysia, it should be a top quality event.”
Concluding, the up-and-coming sailor shared, “So many of the world’s sailing icons are Kiwis, guys who race in the big events like the Americas Cup, the Extreme Sailing Series and the Volvo Ocean Race, so it is like a dream being able to hang out in the Viaduct Marine Village, and around the New Zealand Americas Cup hangars.”
Finishing their sailing year on a high, two of Durban’s top sailors are heading to the other side of the world to compete in the World Sailing Youth Championships in Auckland this December.
For more info visit www.pyc.co.za or http://www.isafyouthworlds.com/home.php
