Kiel Week 2016 to host 470 Junior World Championships

The 470 Junior World Championships 2016 will take place from June 22 to 26 at the Olympic Sailing Center Kiel-Schilksee during the legendary Kiel Week (June 18 - 26).

Due to Azerbaijan's cancellation to host the World Championships, a bid process was swiftly put in place to find an alternative venue. The International 470 Class was delighted to receive excellent bids from Australia, Italy, Germany, Spain and Slovenia, along with expressions of interest from several other countries. At the weekend the International 470 Class announced Kiel to host the Championships.

"We are pleased that we can offer an amazing highlight in the Kiel Week with this World Championships. It fits to the Olympic bid for 2024 to bring the international sailing youth to Kiel." said the head of organization for the Kiel Week regattas, Dirk Ramhorst.

It will be the first international championship for this Olympic class in Germany since ten years. The 470 two-handed dinghy, which was designed in 1963 in France, was awarded 1969 as International and then 1976 as Olympic Class. Since the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul (South Korea) the 470 will also be sailed by female Olympic teams.

For Junior World Championships normally six sailing days are provided, according to class rules. For Kiel organizers and Class Association agreed to five days – with two days of sailing each in qualification and final round. The medal race will be sailed on June 26 next to the medal races of the other Olympic classes of the Kiel Week.

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