GBR Youth Challenge selected for Red Bull Youth America's Cup trials

GBR Youth Challenge has been announced as the British team challenging for the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. The team will compete at the selection series in San Francisco between the 18th and 24th of February 2013, using the same AC45 catamarans as the America's Cup World Series. They will be competing against 11 other nations for the opportunity to sail in the first Red Bull Youth America's Cup. After the selections teams will go into an intensive training program in pursuit of the ultimate youth sailing goal, to win the youth Americas Cup in San Francisco. The eight sailors that make up GBR Youth Challenge have come together with the aim of winning the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. All have proven themselves to be some of the best young sailors in Britain competing in events of the very highest level including RC44 world championships, TP52 Medcup, Extreme Sailing Series and F18 world championships. Their focus and drive set them apart from the rest as they all have the longing to be allowed the chance to compete on yacht racing’s world stage. The team is led by James French, a talented sailor from the Isle of Wight, who has taken every opportunity to better himself from a young age. He will be joined by Trystan Seal, Peter Austin, Will Semken, Adam Lees, Adam Piggott, Andrew Sinclair and Tom Forrester Coles. A number of the team have come through the British Keelboat Academy a joint RYA and UKSA programme aiming to develop young British sailors. According to James French, "We have been very fortunate to receive financial backing from Team Concise (teamconcise.com) to help us get this far. Team Concise is committed to helping young British sailors. Their main focus so far has always been offshore racing in Class 40's and its amazing to see the success they have already had there. It's a real advantage to GBR Youth Challenge to have another young team with a phenomenal race record assist us with our program." Moving further down along the campaign path the team are looking for likeminded companies and individual’s to join the campaign to help them progress. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone to become involved with, as the possible rewards could be fruitful as well as promoting youth sailing. We are passionate about youth sailing and hope that we can bring together a group of likeminded individuals to move forward and get a chance to compete in the most prestigious event in the sailing world. GBR Youth Challenge For more information please do not hesitate to contact James French. gbrchallenge@gmail.com Editors note The America's Cup has a long history in Britain, the first race being sailed around the Isle of Wight in 1851. Britain has had a long tradition of challengers all the way through from the foundation of the cup. From the outside, the race has changed dramatically, moving from wood to carbon fibre in the search for perfection. Even though the boats are now modern racing machines the essence of the races has not been lost, it is a pure test of skill and tactical calls with the only difference between the two teams competing is the people sailing the boats. After the success of the Americas Cup World Series, stopping in Plymouth for spectacular grandstand racing, the plans were laid down for an opportunity for young sailors to have a route to the top. It is first time that there has been a clear pathway to give youth sailors the experience they need to compete the most prestigious event in sailing. We are proud to be forging a pathway in the first Red Bull Youth Americas cup with the hope that more will follow and be inspired to take up the challenge of representing Britain at the Youth Americas Cup.