Ever wanted to sail into the New Year at a great holiday spot in the Caribbean? Youth Sailing Netherlands Antilles (YSNA) is organizing for the 4th time the Curacao Youth Championships. Last year more than 70 youth-sailors participated in two youth classes, the Optimist and the Splash, the popular teenager boat.
The event will take place during the Christmas-break at January 2-4. The date of the event has been moved forward towards the holiday season because of schools complaining that kids will miss too many days at school. Jan Thiel beach at the South Coast of the island has been chosen as the venue. This venue will also be the spot where the OPTINAM 2008 will be held.
The event is made more attractive by combining the championships with a top clinic December 28-30 for Optimist and Splash sailors. The clinic will be given by two-times Optimist World champion Martin Jenkins from Argentina.
Last year, Ian Barrows (St. Thomas) won the Optimist event with local Ard van Aanholt in second and Wesley Scott from Trinidad in third place. The Splash event was won by Michael van Wickeren (Cur), with Irena Doets from Holland and Philipine van Aanholt as second and third. This year sailors from the USA, Holland, Colombia, Bonaire, USVI and Puerto Rico are expected.
To prepare for CYC2008 and the OPTINAM, the local kids have been training hard, not only at the Spanish Water but also in front of Zanzibar at Jan Thiel Beach. Cor van Aanholt, president YSNA, and event manager Inga van Uchelen will use the CYC2008 as a rehearsal for the big thing, the OPTINAM 2008. Both events are made financially feasible through ENNIA and Banco di Caribe.
