THE RYA Youth National Championships have opened entries with the UK’s premiere youth racing event set to get underway at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy.

The championships, which will take place between April 12 and 19 of next year, will see kiteboarding and para sailing join the action for the first time, and hundreds of Britain’s most talented young sailors are expected to descend on WPNSA for the week-long regatta that serves as a celebration of youth sailing.

Historically, the Youth Nationals is contested in British Youth Sailing’s Recognised Classes – Laser Radial, 420, 29er, Nacra 15 and BIC Techno 293 – and remains unchanged in 2019.

The Topper and Laser 4.7 classes will join the line-up for the first time to attract the country’s strongest junior sailors.

And in another first for the regatta, this year sees the addition of the RS Venture Connect, Hansa 303 and 2.4mR para classes as well as twin tip kiteboarding.

The inclusion of the para classes reaffirms British Youth Sailing’s commitment to their long-term future in the UK by continuing to develop a pathway.

Twin-tip kiting will feature after Formula Kite’s inclusion in the list of events for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

It also builds on the #kite4gold talent search, a joint venture run with the British Kite Sports Association, the English Institute of Sport and UK Sport to identify talented female riders capable of winning gold at Paris 2024.

Mark Nicholls, the RYA’s Youth Racing Manager, felt the opportunity to improve sailing skills during the championships is imperative to the young stars of the future.

He said: “The Youth National Championships offers so much to young sailors. For some it’s their first experience of racing in big fleets, for others it is a chance to impress and gain a place on our youth squads. But we can still do more.

“By adding kiteboarding and para classes we feel we are encouraging more sailors at a grass roots level to get involved and have a great experience which they can take forward throughout their time in the sport.”

Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy last hosted the Youth National Championships in 2015.

The regatta will make use of the world-class facilities it offers as part of the legacy of the London 2012 Olympics.

It will be used as a selection regatta for the Youth World Championships, which this year takes place in Gydnia, Poland.

Entrants must be aged under 21 on December 31, 2019 with the exception of the 420, Topper, Twin Tip and para classes.

Discounted early bird entries close on January 31, 2019. For more details about the regatta click here.

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