During July 12 – 20th the 2024 Youth World Sailing Championships were held in Lake Garda Italy. This was a competitive event that showcased the talents of young sailors from around the world. Sixty three participants represented their nations and fiercely vied for top honours in challenging sailing conditions.
Antigua was well represented by Shanoy Malone and Emily Gaillard, who competed in the ILCA 6 one person dinghy class, in the boy and girl divisions respectively.
Shanoy Malone, 16 years old, gave notable performances, finishing in 34th place out of the 63 participants. Despite facing tough competition, this sailor demonstrated skill and determination throughout the event. Shanoy’s best results came on the final day of the competition, when he achieved an impressive 10th-place finish in one race and followed it up with an 8th-place finish in another. These strong performances on the final day highlighted the sailor's ability to learn and excel under pressure, supported by a high level of fitness after many days of racing.
Emily Gaillard, also 16 years old, competed intently throughout the event, finishing 43rd overall in the girls ‘one-person dinghy division. The very windy conditions or Lake Garda ‘Ora’ proved to be quite challenging for Emily, but she did very well with an 18th-place finish as her best result.
Overall, the 2024 Youth World Sailing Championships at Lake Garda provided a valuable platform for these young Antiguan sailors to showcase their skills and demonstrate their passion for the sport. It was a memorable event that celebrated the spirit of competition and camaraderie among youth sailors from different countries. The future looks bright for these young sailors, and they have undoubtedly gained much experience that will stay with them as they continue to pursue their sailing dreams.
The Antigua and Barbuda Sailing Association and the Antigua Yacht Club would like to thank
Energie Antigua Gym for their continuing support of sailor physical fitness. Thank you to Spunky's Motorcycle Shop for the consistent support to supply team uniforms. A big thank you to ‘Deep Blue’s’ Contribution that importantly facilitated the team’s travel to Italy.
Antigua Yacht Club.
