ANTIGUA YACHT CLUB

Rhone Kirby photographed alongside the America's Cup Trophy at Antigua Yacht Club Marina in April this year.

We're delighted to announce that Antiguan youth sailor Rhone Kirby will be representing Antigua Yacht Club at the Youth Olympic Games to be held this summer in Nanjing, China from August 16-28.

Rhone participated in the Byte CII North American Championships & 2014 Youth Olympic Games Qualifier (North America & Caribbean) in Florida last February but missed qualifying by just a hair.  However, Antigua Yacht Club received a letter last week from the Events Administrator of the ISAF Secretariat informing it that 'Antigua has been allocated an additional unused quota place for the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing later in August'.  The Youth Olympic Committee obviously felt that Rhone's performance at the qualifiers was worthy of him moving on to the Youth Olympic Games.

As a result, Rhone will be heading to Nanjing, China for two weeks in August and will be accompanied by Antigua Yacht Club's head instructor and coach, Karl James.  Antigua's National Olympic Committee will be paying for all expenses.

Rhone is 16 years old and will sail in a Byte dinghy in the Youth Olympic Games.  He learned to sail dinghies at Antigua Yacht Club and has also been a member of the teenage racing team on the National Sailing Academy's Cork 1720 keelboats for the past three years.

Huge congratulations to Rhone on this remarkable achievement which definitely hasn't come without commitment, determination and hard work.  Congratulations also to coach Karl James on helping Rhone to fulfil his dreams!

We will have a more complete story with more details of Rhone's background and past sailing achievements in the next issue of Antigua's Yachting Insider.