Youth Sailing World Championships in December has been canceled

BRISTOL, Rhode Island—The 2020 Youth Sailing World Championships, which was slated to take place in Salvador, Brazil beginning Dec. 12, has officially been canceled, it was announced. The race, originally set to run from Dec. 12-19, was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A statement issued by US Sailing said the Youth Sailing World Championship “is a crucial point on the path of US Sailing’s Olympic Development Program sailors.”

“As a result of the cancelation, US Sailing’s posted athlete selection procedures for the event are currently under review for amendments,” the US Sailing statement continued. “In the meantime, US Sailing remains dedicated to the development of these athletes and classes.”

World Sailing and the Confederação Brasileira de Vela (CBVela), the two organizations that canceled the championships “in anticipation of global travel restrictions” said they are trying to determine when Brazil could next host the Youth Worlds event.

The 2021 iteration of the Youth World Championships will take place at The Hague, Netherlands; the racing event will take place in July 2021, according to World Sailing.

“Our priority is, and always has been supporting the sailors who want to achieve excellence. We are committed to these athletes and the future of high-performance sailing in the United States,” Leandro Spina, US Sailing’s Olympic Development Director, said in a released statement. “We have a lot of talent in this country, and we look forward to getting back on the water at full capacity. Until then, we will adapt and find ways to continue identifying and supporting our young athletes.”