SPORT/RECREATION COMMISSION--Lunenburg to host Youth Sailing Champiohship

SPORT/RECREATION COMMISSION--Lunenburg to host Youth Sailing Championship

Lunenburg is aiming to renew its place as a centre for world sailing. In 2002, the Lunenburg Yacht Club will host the prestigious Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship, attracting sailors under the age of 19 from more than 50 nations.

The province's support helped the Lunenburg Yacht Club, and World Youth Sailing Canada 2002 Ltd., the volunteer organizing committee, in their successful bid to host the event.

Rodney MacDonald, minister responsible for the Sport and Recreation Commission, today announced $130,000 in funding from the Recreation Facility Development program over two years, along with $20,000 of promotion and advertising support from the Department of Tourism and Culture. Justice Minister Michael Baker was in attendance.

"Improving this facility means Lunenburg will be capable of hosting other major national and international sailing events and is an investment for the province," said Mr. MacDonald.

"Volunteers involved in hosting this $1.4 million event will gain valuable experience and organizational expertise that benefits, and stays, in the community."

"In hosting this world championship event, we will have captured the imagination, organization and resources to promote the sport of sailing, and to also prove that we have what it takes to compete on the world stage when it comes to hosting major international events," said Ron Whynacht, chair of the World Youth Sailing Canada 2002 Ltd., the organization responsible for the event.

Mr. Whynacht said the legacy from this world championship will leave the South Shore with an economic shot in the arm, as well as a world class facility. The facility will provide opportunities for local athletes, coaches, visitors and the general public in the years to come.

"I am very pleased to see the provincial government recognize the importance of this world class sporting event, not only to Lunenburg County but to all of Nova Scotia," said Mr. Baker.

"This will give the world an opportunity to appreciate the tremendous recreational opportunities that the South Shore of Nova Scotia offers to visitors. My congratulations to the team of numerous, dedicated volunteers who are organizing this international sporting event."

The World Youth Sailing Championship is an annual event involving elite youth sailors. Each competitor wins the right to represent his/her country in one of the six classes of sail dinghies or sailboards to be raced in the championship. National teams will have a maximum of eight competitors under 19 years of age, and an official team leader and team coach.

The six classes will be women's sailboards, men's sailboards, women's singles and doubles, and men's singles and doubles.

More than 1,000 people are expected to be directly involved in and around the championship event.

The International Sailing Federation awards the World Youth Sailing championship to a host country each year. Previous championships held in Canada were in Montreal in 1989 and in Toronto in 1976.

Detailed information is available on the Internet at http://www.lyc.ns.ca/ .