Classes: Windsurf – Mistral, Techno 293, Raceboard master
WINDSURFING'S YOUTH HEADS TOWARDS MARSALA. IN A FEW DAYS THE WORLD YOUTH WINDSURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS TAKE PLACE AND THE WORLD MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH PACO WIRZ DEFENDING HIS TITLE WON IN POLAND
On the 31st of July the opening ceremony of the World Youth Windsurfing Championships and the Masters Championships will undergo, the event will be held this year in the Sicilian waters of Marsala. An event that will allow us to see the work of some of the up and coming windsurf champions who will race in the three classes recognised by ISAF, Mistral Techno 293 and Raceboard class. It is still uncertain the participation of Laura Linares who is from Marsala.

by Fabrizio Dalle Nogare

Marsala prepares itself for a great week of windsurfing, with some of the best younger specialists on their tables and sails who will find themselves in this Sicilian town to carry out the World Youth Windsurfing Championships and the World Masters Championships. Marsala will also welcome the European Sailing Championships up until the 12th of August. These events are being organised by the Lilybetani Sailing Clubs made up by the Marsala Rowing Club, the Sailing Club and the Marsala Lega Navale. Mario Ferrera - president of the Marsala Lega Navale said, " we have registered a good number of particiapnts for this event, the first athletes from Israel, Hong Kong and Poland have already arrived here in Marsala and we await the others, we hope that the good wind conditions keep up throughout next week for the races". The athletes who will be racing on Mistral boards will be using the Marsala Lega Navale as their base.
The opening ceremony will take place on Monday the 31st of July at 18.30. The first races will take place the day after on two different racing circuits up until the 5th of august when the prize giving will take place, on the 1st of august a third race circuit will be used for the European Sailing Championships which will go ahead until the 12th of august.
Lots of athletes are expeceted to take part in this world event, last year in Poland 269 athletes participated. This year begins a new category for the Techno 293 class (under 17) and the new youth category for the Raceboard (under20). A few young athletes from 15 to 20 years old will been seen in the race with the new RS:X table who will surely give life to a new fleet of wishful athletes in seek of the olympics. A compelled decision for who still has the ability to compete in an event aimed at the younger athletes that simply allows them to change the sail with the Olympic Class one (9.5) and participate at the selection for the Olympic games.
 

The Italian athletes hope to do well after the results Laura Linares gave last week in the ISAF World Youth Championships, where the young champion dominated among the RS:X tables. Her exciting success in Weymouth made those who have followed her developments very proud. "The victory made by Laura Linares was great news for Italian Windsurfing" said Vincenzo Pottino national Federvela counsellor - For a while now there has been good results, this shows us that Laura won't let anyone down as she knows how to work under pressure". The participation of Laura Linares in the event will be let known at the last minute, even though the young athlete will probably take part in the World Championships as confirmed by her father and coach Valerio. The young promising Italian windsurfer who is not long back from a demanding but triumphant English expedition will take off again on the 14th of August for the pre-olympic races in Qindao, China to test the race circuit where the 2008 olympics will be held.
There will be lots of medals awarded by ISAF, which will include 6 world titles in the Mistral class (IMCO-MJOD) Under20/17/15 male and female, four titles between the Techno 293 Under 17/15 male and female and only two titles for the Raceboard under 20 male and Master, which doesn't include any female title this year. Other than the Italians competing in the World Championships there will be athletes from 12 nations across the world, such as the strong windsurfers from Hong Kong who gave a good performance at the European Open Championships in Mondello, there will also be the teams from Israel and Great Britain.
Representing the Italians there will be many Sicilian athletes divided into the three different classes, who will build up a large majority of the Italians athletes competing in this event.
 

World Youth Windsurfing Championships and Masters Championships2005 in Sopot

Website of the event