Two young RYA Keelboat Squad sailors will be bidding to show the big boat sailing world they are ones to watch for the future at the National Bank Youth International Match Racing Championships this week.
The invitation-only event in Auckland, New Zealand is considered one of the most prestigious events on the World youth match racing calendar.
And Southern Squad duo Sam Goodchild and Nick Wilkinson are putting their skills to the test against seven other top young international crews at the regatta, which got underway in the early hours of Thursday morning UK time (12 February).
Skipper Goodchild, 19, and 17-year-old Wilkinson, both member of Oxford Sailing Club, were part of the team that romped to RYA National Youth Match Racing glory last summer, emphatically claiming the title without dropping a single race over the three day event.
In taking National victory, Team Goodchild are now also in pole position to represent Britain at the 2009 Governor’s CupInternational Junior Match Racing Championship in California this summer.
The National Bank Youth International Match Racing Championships runs until Sunday 15 February.
