 | | | From left: Neil Marcellini and Ian Brill, with their 29er sailboat USA 10, at Long Beach, Calif. Photo provided | | | | | | Neil Marcellini (Acalanes graduate, Richmond Yacht Club, age 18) and crew Ian Brill (Mission Bay Yacht Club, age 17) won gold medals in the U.S. Youth Sailing Championships, 29er skiff fleet, in June in Corpus Christi, Texas. They were tied on the last day of racing with 29er team David Eastwood (Santa Barbara) and Sam Merson (San Diego), but moved into first place on a tie-breaker of more second place finishes in combination of regatta scores from Corpus Christi, and the March 29er Mid Winters West event in Coronado, Calif. By winning, they qualified to represent the U.S. at the Youth World Sailing Championship in Sanya, China.
Marcellini and Brill have been racing and training as members of the U.S. Sailing Olympic Development Program for the past two seasons in many locations, including San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Long Beach and Miami. This summer they competed in the Gold Fleets in Long Beach, Calif., finishing eighth of 116 teams in 29er Nationals, and 10th of 129 in 29er Worlds.
Team USA for Youth Worlds includes top male and female U.S. Youth Champion sailors in the 29er, Laser, 420, Nacra 15, and RX windsurfer groups. They have prepared for the Youth Worlds by attending training camps this fall on East and West coasts with Olympic Development coaches. Athletes and coaches will travel to Hong Kong with Team USA, then on to Youth World Sailing Championship in Sanya, Dec 9-16.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA