14 American Athletes Set to Compete at the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships 

by

Hundreds of the world’s best youth sailors are set to compete in the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships on Lake Garda, Italy beginning on July 13, 2024, and14 of these athletes are representing the United States. The opening ceremony takes place on July 13, with racing to follow through July 19.  

US Youth Team athletes were selected based on the US Sailing Athlete Selection System and Requirements for the Youth Sailing World Championships. This includes qualification at the following events: 

  • For the Nacra 15 class:  
  • Nacra 15 Midwinters East | January 13 – 15, 2024 | Lauderdale YC, Ft. Lauderdale, FL  
  • For the iQFOiL class:  
  • iQFOiL Youth World Qualifiers | March 15-17, 2024 | Kaneohe Yacht Club, Kaneohe, HI  
  • For the ILCA 6, i420, and 29er classes:  
  • ODP Midwinters West | March 21-24, 2024 | Alamitos Bay YC, Long Beach, CA 

2024 US Youth Team: 

  • Male/Mixed Skiff – 29er – Fynn & Pierce Olsen (Miami Beach, FL) 
  • Female Skiff – 29er – Molly Bonham (Annapolis, MD) & Annie Sitzmann (Severna Park, MD) 
  • Male/Mixed Two Person Dinghy – i420 – Freddie Parkin* (Riverside, CT) & Estella Morris (Larchmont, NY) 
  • Female Two Person Dinghy – i420 – Ava McAliley (Miami, FL) & Michelle Kaneti (Mamaroneck, NY) 
  • Male One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 – Jake Homberger (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) 
  • Female One Person Dinghy – ILCA 6 – Isabella Mendoza Cabezas (Miami, FL) 
  • Male Windsurfer – Youth iQFOiL – Makani Andrews* (Kaneohe, HI) 
  • Female Windsurfer – Youth iQFOiL – Sage Andrews* (Kaneohe, HI) 
  • Mixed Two Person Multihull – Nacra 15 – Dylan Tomko (Canyon Lake, TX) & Casey Small (Houston, TX) 

*denotes returning Youth Worlds Team member 

2024 Youth Worlds Regatta Coaches:  

  • Phil Muller (iQFOiL, Team Leader) 
  • Sophia Reineke (ILCA 6) 
  • Paris Henken (29er) 
  • Steve Keen (i420) 
  • Rosie Chapman (Nacra 15)  

Just this week, i40 Male/Mixed Team Freddie Parkin / Estella Morris just won the 420 Open European Championship in the Male/Mixed Class with a 13-point lead over the second-place team. This is an extremely difficult regatta and a great sign of their skill level, showing great promise for their performance in Italy on the world stage. 

Also of note, ILCA 6 Male, Jake Homberger, recently won the ILCA 6 North American Championship, showing that he is at the top of the domestic fleet and looking forward to testing himself against the international group. Additionally, iQFOiL Male, Makani Andrews, finished 7th place and was the top American at the iQFOiL Youth & Junior European Championships. 

“Team USA is ready for this year’s pinnacle youth event, the 2024 Youth Sailing World Championships,” shared US Sailing Youth Performance Manager and Youth Worlds Team Leader, Phil Muller.” We have a special opportunity this year to bring an experienced and female forward coaching staff. I’m personally looking forward to spending time on iQFOiL circle as my Youth Worlds experience as an athlete was in the windsurfer 1,000 years ago.” 

World Sailing has partnered with several Italian clubs located on the lake to host the event: 

  • Fraglia della Vela Riva 
  • Lega Navale Italiana Riva del Garda 
  • Circolo Vela Arco, Circolo Surf Torbole 
  • Circolo Vela Torbole  
  • Fraglia Vela Malcesine  

In total, 11 events will be sailed, including the the 29er Skiff, i420 Two Person Dinghy, ILCA 6 One Person Dinghy along with the Mixed Two Person Multihull, the Nacra 15. 2021 saw the introduction of Formula Kite in Oman, and iQFOiL was introduced in 2022 at The Hague. 

“Our entire team of youth athletes represents the stars and stripes from their home states Hawaii, Connecticut, New York, Maryland, Texas and Florida,” adds Muller. “Our sailors have prepared for this event with a European pre-regatta and now focused on their specific skill development in this next test.” 

Follow along: