| PORTSMOUTH, RI. USA-(18-12-2003) With the holidays around the corner,
most youth are looking forward to a school vacation, perhaps even a trip to
Florida.
More than 575 junior sailors will be in Miami December 26-30 to
race in US SAILING’s Junior Olympic Sailing Festival Orange Bowl at the
Coral Reef Yacht Club and US Sailing Center. This is a record number in the
27 years this event has been held and 26 percent increase over last year’s
event. Sailors are coming from 26 states and four countries to race in the
regatta. The event, presented by West Marine and also sponsored by Gill, is
part of the USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival, which helps young sailing
enthusiasts, 18 years old and younger, who already have on-the-water
experience develop their sailing skills while having fun on and off the
water.
“We’re very excited that so many young sailors are participating in this fun
event,” said US SAILING Inshore Director Lee Parks, who runs the Junior
Olympic Sailing Festival program. “The Orange Bowl is the fastest growing
Junior Olympic Sailing Festival in the country.”
Olympic gold medalist Magnus Liljedahl will present the awards on the final
day of the event, December 30. Awards will be given to the top five
finishers in each class: Optimist, Laser, Laser Radial, 29er, and Club 420.
The Magnus Liljedahl Sportsmanship Trophy and the Arthur Merrill Trophy for
the top southern Florida Optimist sailor will also be awarded.
The USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival program is organized by US SAILING,
national governing body for the sport of sailing and sailboat racing. This
year, more than 4,000 junior sailors will participate in 20 Junior Olympic
events at yacht clubs and community sailing programs across the country.
West Marine, official marine retailer of US SAILING, is presenting sponsor
of the program. Gill is official supplier of technical apparel.
For more information about USA Junior Olympic Sailing, please contact Lee
Parks, US SAILING Inshore Director, at 401-683-0800 or via e-mail at
juniorolympics@ussailing.org. More information on these events can also be
found at www.ussailing.org/youth/racing/jo.
The mission of the United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) is to
encourage participation and promote excellence in sailing and racing in the
U.S. Headquartered in Portsmouth, US SAILING offers training and education
programs, develops and supports a wide range of sailing organizations,
associations and communities, and provides administration and oversight of
competitive sailing across the country. For more information, visit
www.ussailing.org.
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