March 15, 2002 (Portsmouth, RI)- The Walt Disney Company has signed on to sponsor US SAILING’s 2002 US Youth Championship. The San Diego Yacht Club will host this year’s event June 21-27, 2002.

     The event will be sailed in Laser and Club 420s. Smaller fleets of 470s and Europe classes will compete in a developmental event. As part of their sponsorship, Disney will provide financial support for costs associated with running the six-day regatta; this will include housing for 150 top young American sailors and a new web page devoted specifically to youth sailing.

     West Marine and Vanguard Sailboats will continue as event sponsors. The Notice of Race and application for entry are now available online at <http://www.ussailing.org/youthchamp/>. The application deadline (strictly enforced) is April 1, 2002. Applicants will be notified of the entry status before May 1st.

     Young sailors ages 15-20 should begin the application process at <http://www.ussailing.org/youthchamp/>, where they’ll also find tips from the selection committee on how to fill out the application. Both the skipper and crew (if choosing a double-handed class) must be US SAILING Members to apply. Membership information is available at <http://www.ussailing.org/membership/>

     The selected sailors will be competing for the Robert L. Johnstone, III Trophy (Singlehanded) or Manton D. Scott Memorial Trophy (Doublehanded), and the David M. Perry Sportsmanship Trophy. The 2001 winners were Michael Anderson-Mitterling and Graham Biehl in the 420 class and Andrew Campbell in the Laser class. Campbell, Anderson-Mitterling and Biehl have applied for this year’s event to defend their titles.

     A two-day advanced racing clinic precedes the four-day championship regatta. Clinic instructors include Olympic medallists, world and national champions, and collegiate all-Americans. Vanguard Sailboats (Portsmouth, RI) will supply a limited number of charter boats, Laser and Club 420.

     Considered the premiere youth sailing event in the country, the US Youth Championship (formerly the Junior Olympic Sailing Nationals) was first held in 1973. The top 150 sailors are selected from 300+ applications based on resumes. Traditionally held the third week of June, the event location moves around the country; the 2003 Championship will be held at the Milwaukee Yacht Club (Wisconsin), with the 2004 to be scheduled in a Southeast location and the 2005 in the Northeast.

     The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a diversified, international family entertainment and media enterprise, which includes Walt Disney Parks and Resorts; The Walt Disney Studios; ABC, Inc.; ESPN; Disney Channel; Disney Stores; television and radio stations and Internet websites. West Marine is the nation’s largest specialty retailer of recreational boating supplies and apparel, offering a broad assortment to boaters worldwide through its 232 retail stores, an international catalog mail order division, a wholesale division and an Internet site, www.westmarine.com. West Marine is the presenting sponsor of the US SAILING Junior Olympic Sailing Festivals, as part of a continuing commitment to encourage youth to enjoy boating as a positive recreational activity.