Medals Decided as The 2011 ISAF Youth Worlds end in Zadar

The medals in the eight fleets at the 41st ISAF Youth Sailing WorldChampionship in Zadar, Croatia have been decided following a dramatic finalday.

For the third consecutive year France walk away with the ISAF NationsTrophy with Spain coming in second and Poland taking third place.

Just one point separated Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games silvermedallist Veronica Fanciulli (ITA) and YOG gold medallist SiriponKaewduang-Ngam (THA) at the top of the RS:X Girls leader board ahead of thefinal race. And it was Fanciulli that came ahead of the Kaewduang-Ngam infifth place compared to the Thai RS:X sailors sixth place to win the goldmedal in Zadar. Fanciulli said, "The race was good. I finished fifthand the Thai girl finished sixth and I won the whole competition.

"At the Youth Olympic Games there was very light wind and the Thaigirl was very good in the light wind and today was a windy day and I amreally happy." Watch the full interview with Fanciulli here.

Agnieszka Bilska (POL) won the final race today but it wasn’t enoughto overhaul Naomi Cohen (ISR) who finished second to clinch the bronzemedal.

In the RS:X Boys Korea’s Cho Wonwoo, who won silver at the 2010 ISAFYouth Worlds, went one better in 2011 winning the gold medal. Wonwoo, who ison the ISAF Athlete Participation Programme has benefitted from the coaching

of Hugh Styles throughout the week and was delighted with his performance.He said, "I am very happy and happy to win. I was very nervous andtoday I am the winner." Full interview with Wonwoo here.

Mateo Sanz (ESP) came through in second overall followed by France’sLouis Giard who retired after the finish today but had already done enoughto clinch the bronze medal.

Maxime Mazard (FRA) came out on top in the Laser Radial Boys following abattle against Giovanni Coccoluto (ITA). The Frenchman finished 13thcompared to the Italians 20th place which handed Mazard the gold medal.Mazard said, "It was my first ISAF Youth Worlds and it was fantastic.Everyone was really close and the Italian was eight places behind me and I

just did my race as normal.

"I don’t think I realise what’s happened." Watch aninterview with Mazard here.

Zan-Luka Zelko (SLO) recorded two race wins throughout the week and afterhis 11th place finish today he receives the silver medal for Slovenia.Coccoluto’s 20th place finish saw him slip down to pick up the bronzemedal.

Norway’s Tiril Bue brought a six point cushion into the final day andafter finishing sixth today she won the gold medal. Bue said, "It wasgreat, especially the three last days. They were the best. I love Zadar. Itis sunny and warm and great wind conditions. It is just crazy. I neverthought I would win the whole championship." Tiril Bue spoke to ISAFafter the racing, watch an interview here.

The competition for silver and bronze was tense leading up to the final daywith two points separating second and fourth place. Manami Doi (JPN) wentinto the final race second, Paulina Czubachowska (POL) started in third andErika Reineke (USA) was fourth.

In the end Reineke came through in second after finishing fifth today but alate charge by France’s Sandy Fauthoux, which saw the French girlfinish second, meant she picked up the bronze medal by two points after Doicame down in 11th and Czubachowska ended the last race in 15th position.

Martin Lowy and Kim Andrade (BRA) clinched the gold medal in the SL16 afterthey came seventh in the final race of the championship. The boys fromBrazil have had an excellent regatta and won eight races out of the 12sailed in Zadar. Lowy said, "It was very good. Everything is perfect.I love it." Watch the emotion of the boys from Brazil here.

Denmark’s Nicolaj Bjornholt Christiansen and Daniel BjornholtChristiansen finished with a bullet today to pick up the silver medal andGreat Britain’s Rupert White and Nikola Boniface came through insecond to secure the bronze medal.

Consistent results at the front of the fleet is vital and Spain’sCarlos Robles and Florian Trittel exemplified this point after finishing inthe top six in 11 races in the 29er to seal the gold medal. After the raceRobles said, "I am really happy. We were celebrating on the course forages with the Spanish Laser Radial sailor."

And Trittel added, "I am very happy. It is a beautiful day today anda perfect championship for us." ISAF spoke to the pair immediatelyafter the racing.

Antoine Screve and Max Agnese (USA) pipped the Netherlands Max Deckers andAnnette Duetz to the silver medal following their second place finish todaycompared to the Dutch duos fourth place.

Like their compatriots Jordi Xammar and Alex Claville (ESP) also showed alevel of control and consistency that saw them awarded the gold medal.Xammar receives his second ISAF Youth Worlds gold medal following hissuccess with Joan Herp at the 2010 regatta in Istanbul, Turkey. Xammar said,"It is incredible. Nothing to say apart from thanks to everybody

helping me to arrive here. I just want to say thanks to the people that helpme everyday with my training. Today is for saying thanks for all thehelp." A delighted Xammar spoke to ISAF following the crewscelebrations.

Daichi Mototsu and Yuki Hino won the silver medal after their bullet todayand Australia’s Angus Galloway and Alexander Gough received the bronzemedal.

Lara Vadlau and Tanja Frank (AUT) won gold in the 420 Girls following anervy race against Morgan Kiss and Christina Lewis (USA). The Austriansfinished the final race in eighth compared to the Americans third placemeaning they were tied on 34 points apiece. Both teams had two race wins butthe Austrians came out on top having had three second place finishes. Vadlausaid, "We are very proud and it was a hard job to win and finally wedid. We had lots of luck but everyone needs luck to win."

Frank added, "We were happy but we didn’t know when we came offthe water so we went to the list and asking everyone if we had win. And wewere happy when we found out we had won." View the full interviewhere.

Fiona Kidd (CAN), the Chairman of the ISAF Youth World ChampionshipSub-committee rounded off the 41st ISAF Youth Worlds, "Theorganisation has been world class. The organising committee has done anexceptional job both on and off the water. Logistically it is a verydifficult event but here we’ve had superb sailing, the race managementhas been excellent and on shore they’ve done a super job in terms ofmaking every body enjoy the event.

"It’s great to see all the sailors having a good time.We’ve had two fantastic days of racing today and yesterday and I think

we got all the races in. At the end of the day the best sailors won andthey’ve all had a fantastic time."

For more information, contact:secretariat@isaf.co.uk

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