Warren Jones International Youth Regatta 2020: Competitors announcement!

2019 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta - Day 5 © Drew Malcolm

The 2020 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta will be taking place from Monday, 27 January to Friday 31 January, sailed in Perth Waters for the fourth time and this year, to be hosted by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club.

In 2019, the Warren Jones International Youth Regatta saw a surge of interest in competing in the event with 29 expressions of interest received, with representatives from seven nations. It was an extremely tough playing field which saw the regatta's first ever European champions finishing on top of the podium; Jelmer van Beek and his Team Dutch Wave representing the Netherlands from Vereniging Watersport De Twee Provinciën.

Luckily for van Beek, this was his last chance to compete in the under-25 event before he would age out and become ineligible to defend his title. Van Beek beat local sailor Will Boulden and his Alpha Racing Team from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club 3-0 in the final, leaving Boulden as the bridesmaid for two years running.

In 2020, the event will celebrate its' 18th Birthday and will see an even more expansive and elite line up of competitors battle it out in the arena of Perth Waters, right outside the Central Business District and Elizabeth Quay. The Regatta will once again feature as the headliner of the City of Perth Festival of Sail where a range of other local and community events will be held.

Interest to compete in the event in 2020 reached new heights with 30 Expressions of Interest received representing 10 different nationalities. 10 of 12 invitations to compete in the event were distributed today with the acceptance date no later than 29 November 2019.

Congratulations to the following competitors for receiving invitations to compete in the 2020 Warren Jones International Youth Regatta;

Local competitors

• Will Boulden from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club - Representing Western Australia - currently ranked 33rd
• Ethan Prieto-Low from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club - Representing Western Australia - currently ranked 104th

• Harry Price from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia - Representing New South Wales - currently ranked 4th
• Tom Grimes from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia - Representing New South Wales - currently ranked 13th

• Nick Egnot-Johnson from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron - Representing New Zealand - currently ranked 3rd
• Matt Whitfield from Penarth Yacht Club - Representing Great Britain - currently ranked 22nd
• Aurélien Pierroz from Société des régates du Havre - Representing France - currently ranked 24th
• Rocco Attilli from Centro Velico 3v - Representing Italy - currently ranked 30th
• Emil Kjaer from the Royal Danish Yacht Club - Representing Denmark - currently ranked 39th
• Johanna Bergqvist from Gothenburg Royal Yacht Club - Representing Sweden - currently ranked 40th