By FIONA McILROY
New Zealand's best young sailors dip their toes in uncharted waters next month when they contest the world youth championships in France.
One of the two coaches, John Clinton, believes the age of the competitors makes it hard to determine where the toughest competition will come from. The
general standard of the 10-strong New Zealand team was high and there were no weak links.
"Sailing is very interesting at this level because each competitor's level of sailing matures radically each year, so it is very hard to pinpoint how overseas teams will perform," he said.
But he believes, going by past Olympic results, that the New Zealanders' strongest competition will come from Britain and Australia.
Many outstanding New Zealand sailors have won individual classes in the regatta.
The Laser class was won by Russell Coutts in 1981, Dean Barker in 1991 and Dan Slater in 1994.
Chris Dickson took the men's double-handed class three years running between 1978-80.
Team manager Julie Worth said this year's team have a good chance of taking the Volvo Trophy - for the top nation in the competition.
They have captured the trophy - previously known as the Nautica Cup - only once, in 1994.
"All the girls went to Sydney [for last year's championship] so they've got experience," she said. "Everybody has been training long hours, so we have the potential to do well in all classes."
The team, all from Auckland clubs, is using the championships to gain international experience.
Shelley Bassett and Karen Lambert, the 420 women's crew, is competing in Kiel Week, in Germany, as part of their build-up.
The Mistral board sailors, Thomas Ashley and Anna Eason, are already training in France.
Laser Radial contender Kate O'Brien is training in Canada.
The rest - Geoff Woolley and Scott Wilkinson in the 420 class, Michael Bullot in the Laser, Hobie 16 sailors Chris Kitchen and Mark Overington, and Clinton and fellow coach Peter Fox - fly out next week.
Racing starts at Crozon-Morgat, four hours west of Paris, on July 4.
