Winding up for the SEA Games

SINGAPORE — Sailor Elisa Yukie Yokoyama and Samantha Neubronner, her partner in the 420 class, head into next month’s Fish & Co Youth Sailing Championships well aware what is at stake.

The regatta from March 18 to 21 will serve as the final selection trial for this year’s South-east Asian (SEA) Games in Singapore.

It will see over 400 of the best sailing talents from the Republic and 10 other countries including Australia, Finland, Hong Kong, Japan and South-east Asian rivals Malaysia and Thailand competing across nine sailing and windsurfing classes at the National Sailing Centre (NSC).

For local sailors, it also serves as a qualifier for this December’s ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships in Langkawi.

Speaking at the NSC yesterday, Yokoyama, a gold medallist in the Optimist at the 2011 SEA Games, wants her shot at gold on home soil after missing out on the 2013 edition in Myanmar.

“Winning in 2011 was amazing for me as it was my first time standing at the top of the podium. Having the Games in Singapore will be special with my friends and family there, and I want to make them proud,” said the 18-year-old.

Twenty sailing gold medals will be contested at June’s SEA Games, with seven classes catered to youth sailors: Men’s and women’s youth 420, men’s and women’s optimist, optimist mixed team, men’s and women’s youth laser radial.

At the last SEA Games in 2013, Singapore topped the sailing competition with five gold, two silver and five bronze medals.

Selection trials for this year’s SEA Games are expected to be completed by the end of March, with the final list to be confirmed by April. While the Singapore Sailing Federation (SSF) was coy on medal targets, its general manager Chung Pei Ming said the Republic’s sailors are expected to feature strongly in the youth and laser classes.

“There was a push from us for more classes in sailing. We are strong in sailing, and that puts us at an advantage,” said Chung.

SSF chief executive officer Tan Wearn Haw added: “We are trying to build a legacy, and we changed the line-up to have either Olympic events or established youth or junior events.

“We also created events (like keelboat fleet racing, match racing keelboat) where sailors can win multiple medals. We are trying to create pathways and opportunities for sailors, and develop sailing as a sport.”

Yesterday’s announcement saw Fish & Co renew their title sponsorship of the youth regatta for another two years.

The restaurant chain had invested an initial six-figure sum for 2013 and 2014, with the latest deal bringing the total amount over the four-year period to an estimated S$500,000.

Disabled sailing will also get a boost, with the company partnering with SSF and the Singapore Disability Sports Council to run a seven-week course, Sailability, to allow disabled youths to learn the sport and gain confidence through sailing.

This is the first youth programme for Sailability, and this year’s youth championships will also feature about 30 disabled youth sailors for the first time.

Last year’s Asian Para Games gold medallists Jovin Tan and Yap Qian Yin (dinghy 303) got their start in the sport through the Sailability programme, where they are now its ambassadors.

Said Tan: “Over the years, the support has improved but I think there is still room for improvement. I hope to see disabled sailing growing and more people and companies coming to assist.”