Yachting: Junior sailors grab silver at world champs

New Zealand has won two silver medals at the ISAF Youth World Yachting Championships which have just concluded in Kingston, Canada.

New Zealand also finished third in the Volvo Trophy for overall team performance behind Australia and Denmark -- the best result for a Kiwi team at this event in five years.

Silver medals came in the boys' double-handed 29er class for Paul Snow-Hansen and Blair Tuke and Josh Junior in the single-handed Laser class.

New Zealand finished inside the top 10 in all seven classes contested at the event.

For Snow-Hansen (Wakatere Boating Club) and Tuke (Kerikeri Cruising Club) in the 29er, the silver medal was assured before the start of today's race with an unassailable points margin over third place.

It was an impressive result for the pair who have only been together a few months in the skiff class, although both are proven talented sailors with past wins in other junior and youth dinghies.

Josh Junior (Worser Bay Boating Club) was in second place heading into the final race today although he needed a solid race to secure the silver medal with the Finnish and German sailors hot on his heals and within striking distance.

- NZPA