This weekend will bring together NSW’s best youth sailors as they vie for the Club Marine NSW Youth Match Racing Championship. Ten teams from across the state will test their skills in the annual challenge, this year again held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia from 3-4 August.

As a World Sailing Grade 4 event, competitors are looking to stake their place as the top NSW match racer in the lead up to the Youth National and World Championships in coming weeks.

Though this is a youth event, match racing veteran Tom Grimes will be representing the CYCA as the top ranked, sitting at number 24 in the Open World rankings. Grimes will be representing Australia in the Youth Match Racing World Championship in Russia in two weeks’ time.

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club last weekend hosted the CrackerJack Cup on their recently launched fleet of Olympic Elliott 6m’s, and will be entering two up and coming match racing skippers in Harrison Miller and Darby Jones. Juliet Costanzo (RPAYC) will this year bring an all-female team to the Championship and will be tough competition as the only female skipper this year.

This year marks the 14th consecutive year that Club Marine has been the title sponsor of the event. “Not only is it great to see so many up and coming sailing stars, enjoying being out in the elements and the comradery that comes with it, but as the next generation of boat owners, the skills learned today will put them in good stead on the water in the future,” commented Club Marine NSW State Manager, Brent McKinnon.

“Club Marine values the experience and knowledge that competitors gain through yacht club programs Australia wide and this Youth Championships is a demonstration of this, at the highest level.

“We wish all crews the best of luck.”

The two-day event has seen the CYCA’s Youth Sailing Academy dominate the championship, taking the title in all except the inaugural event in 2001.

Follow the racing results live at cyca.com.au or of the CYCA YSA Facebook Page.