Buenos Aires Prepares To host 100 Sailors At The Youth Olympic Games

The third Youth Olympic Games, to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 6-18 October 2018, will welcome 100 sailors from 44 different nations.

Five sailing events will take place at Club Náutico San Isidro in the Argentine capital, including debuts for two classes – Girl’s and Boy’s Kiteboarding (Twin Tip Racing) and the Mixed Multihull (Nacra 15). Elsewhere, Girl’s and Boy’s Windsurfing (Techno 293+) will return for its third consecutive Games.

The Nacra 15 will race in one fleet, with up to 12 opening series races and one final race.

In the Techno 293+, the first race of the opening series will be a fleet race. Following the first race, either a fleet or slalom single elimination series race will be held. All fleet races will race in one group and each slalom race will be divided into four heats with semi-finals and finals to decide who gets maximum points from that race. The final race will be a fleet race, featuring all the competitors.

The Twin Tip Racing Kiteboarding, however, will include up to 24 qualifying races, with a heats-based system eventually determining which four athletes will progress to the final. The racecourse will also contain several obstacles as an extra challenge for the kiteboarders.

A host of qualification regattas across all five events were held to help dictate which nations would compete at the Youth Olympic Games. Places were awarded to the highest performing nations in the World Championships of each class before a series of continental qualification regattas across six regions took place. Hosts Argentina were automatically awarded a spot in each fleet.

No fewer than eight medal-winning athletes from this year’s Youth Sailing World Championships, held in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, will be competing in the Youth Olympic Games, including three World Champions.

Nacra 15 sailors Teresa Romairone and Dante Cittadini stormed to gold in Corpus Christi by an astonishing 36 points, dominating the fleet with just one race finish outside the top five throughout the competition. The Argentine duo will be sailing on home waters at Buenos Aires, with Cittadini also selected as his country’s official flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony.

Islay Watson (GBR) is the other 2018 Youth Worlds gold medallist participating at the Youth Olympic Games. In a competitive RS:X Girls fleet, the British windsurfer won three out of her last four races to claim the title by two points. In Buenos Aires she will be racing on the Techno 293+ and will be joined by some tough competitors.

Veerle ten Have (NZL) and Giorgia Speciale (ITA) shared the podium with Watson in Texas and they will both be aiming to claim the Girl’s Windsurfing fleet in Buenos Aires.

17-year-old Ten Have, who took the silver medal at the Youth Worlds, has had a busy few months – she also made an appearance at the Hempel Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, finishing 52nd overall out of 62 sailors.

Speciale, meanwhile, picked up bronze in Corpus Christi, finishing 23 points ahead of fourth-placed Palma Cargo (CRO), who will also race at the Games. The Italian heads to Argentina in good form, with a recent 2018 RS:X Youth European Championship title under her belt.

Her compatriot Nicolo Renna is the sole male RS:X Youth Worlds medal-winner to be making the trip to South America; he won silver in Corpus Christi, 12 points ahead of third place.

World Champion Geronimo Nores won’t be at the Youth Olympic Games but his younger brother Manuel (USA) is part of the Techno 293+ line-up in Buenos Aires. Similarly, the younger sister of Youth Worlds bronze medal-winner Fabien Pianazza, Manon, is amongst the Girl’s Windsurfing pack.

Concluding the 2018 Youth Worlds podium representatives are silver medal-winners Andrea Spagnolli and Giulia Fava (ITA), who will be taking on Romairone and Cittadini in the Nacra 15 fleet.

Elsewhere, some of the brightest young names in Kiteboarding will light up the water as the discipline makes its Youth Olympic Games debut.

The winners of the 2018 Kiteboarding TwinTip: Racing Youth Worlds completely dominated the regatta. Both Deury Corneil (DOM) and Nina Font Castells (ESP) ran riot to claim a winning total of just four points each, and they’ll be eager to recapture that form on the global Olympic stage.

And there were several teenage competitors at this year’s Kiteboarding TwinTip: Racing World Championships in Italy, with many of the Youth Olympic Games representatives tasting success.

Sofia Tomasoni (ITA) won her first senior championship, while the Pump Kite Trophy was won by Poland’s Oliwia Hlobuczek.

Tomasoni qualified for the Youth Olympic Games via the Africa and Europe Qualification tournament in Dakhla, Morocco, in February this year, where Toni Vodisek (SLO) also snatched a place in the Boy’s event after a tight battle with France’s Benoit Gomez.

Elsewhere, Jingle Che (CHN), who became Asia’s first Kiteboarding World Champion in 2017 at the age of 16, finished first in the Asia/Oceania Kiteboarding Qualifier regatta in March this year to seal her spot at the Games.

From the two previous Youth Olympic Games, held in Singapore in 2010 and China in 2014, a host of participants have gone on to compete in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Several medallists are continuing to perform at the highest level of sailing – six previous Youth Olympic Games medal winners were present at the Hempel Sailing World Championships in Aarhus, including Kieran Holmes-Martin (GBR), Techno 293+ bronze medallist in 2010, and Daphne van der Vaart (NED), Techno 293+ silver medallist in 2010.

Additionally, all 31 sports are also represented by Athlete Role Models, who will provide support in a mentoring capacity throughout the competition. Taking on the task for sailing are Rio 2016 Nacra 17 gold medallists and Argentine nationals Cecilia Carranza Saroli and Santiago Lange; Lange himself is from San Isidro, the very heart of this year’s Games.

Windsurfing racing begins at 12:00 local time (UTC-3) on Sunday 7 October, with the Kiteboarding and Nacra 15 events following suit at the same time on Monday 8 October.

Windsurfing will then finish one day earlier on Friday 12 October, before Kiteboarding and the Nacra 15 wrap up on Saturday 13 October.

Liz Owen
World Sailing

Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games: 11 Nations Making Their Equestrian YOG Debut

A total of 30 highly talented equestrian athletes from six continents have earned their tickets to represent their nations at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) – the world’s largest multi-sport youth event – in Buenos Aires (ARG) next month. And 11 nations will be making their YOG debut.

The athletes, aged between 15 and 18 years, have made the grade after a series of tough global qualifiers, including the FEI World Jumping Challenge series, European and Regional Championships and wider international youth events.

“Representing your country at a young age, at such a prestigious event, is an undeniable honour,” said FEI President Ingmar De Vos. “The YOG is a springboard to the Olympic Games and to the FEI World Equestrian Games. The international equestrian community wishes all our YOG athletes the best for this very important equestrian career stepping stone!”

The full list of qualified Youth Olympic Games athletes and their nations, can be viewed here.

Team spirit

Every equestrian athlete at the YOG will have the challenge of competing on borrowed horses, which is a major test of earned trust and combined courage.

The athletes will be introduced to their horses, which have been carefully selected by a group of experts in the months running into the Games, for the very first time on 4 October, just four days before the equestrian events start on 8 October.

All athletes will then compete in the Team competition – with a twist – on 8-9 October followed by the Individual competitions on 12-13 October.

“The YOG teams are composed of athletes from the same continent, so this is not just a test of the ability of our athletes to bond with their horses, but also their capacity to bond with each other as they bid for a team medal,” the FEI President explained.

YOG-tasti – beaming young equestrian smiles expected at YOG 2018 in Buenos Aires, where 30 highly talented equestrian athletes from six continents will compete for Individual and team medals! Pictured here: YOG 2014 individual medallists Emily Fraser (NZL) gold (centre), Martina Campi (ARG) silver (left), Jake Hunter (AUS) bronze (right). (Richard Juilliart/FEI)

Historic venue

The YOG Equestrian events will be held at the historic Club Hipico Argentino, founded in 1909, and nestled in the Buenos Aires’ Green Park district, famous for its forest and lakes.

The YOG Equestrian events will see 30 athletes from 30 nations compete: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Egypt, Great Britain, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Qatar, South Africa, Syria, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Eleven National Olympic Committees will be making their YOG debut: Bolivia, Haiti, Hungary, Honduras, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritius, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zambia.

Buenos Aires 2018 Introducing Sport To Over One Million Local Youth

Yesterday, the Buenos Aires 2018 Organising Committee (BAYOGOC) outlined, at the final meeting with the International Olympic Committee (IOC)’s Coordination Commission, how its vision of bringing sport to the young people of Argentina has come to fruition and that preparations are on track with just over four months to go to the 3rd Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) this October.

Argentinian hockey legend Luciana Aymar during her announcement as a Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Ambassador
Credit: IOC/Pablo Elias

Using the Youth Olympic Games as a catalyst, BAYOGOC has implemented a very ambitious youth engagement programme by organising over 1,300 sporting and cultural events and initiatives in schools and community sports clubs over the last four years. One million young people will have actively participated in YOG-themed activities, from sport initiation and inspirational talks with Olympians to sport-themed cultural projects – all implemented by a dedicated young team. In addition to this, 210,000 school children will experience Games-time YOG schools programmes; and the free access to all four parks aims to allow local youth, families and sport fans to enjoy young elite sports competition and festival atmosphere.

Early May, Youth Olympic Village (YOV) completion was celebrated with a handover ceremony at which local communities were invited. The YOV will become affordable housing in legacy mode. Guests were invited to try out the various sports that will appear at the Games, along with Olympic champions such as Luis Scola and Paula Pareto, both strong YOG ambassadors.

BAYOGOC outlined to the Coordination Commission the volunteer plans that will be in place which will mobilise 8,300 volunteers to support the Games-time efforts. Interest in the programme was extremely high, with 36,000 registering interest from more than 130 countries.

During the IOC visit, the Coordination Commission members visited the YOV and all 4 parks, including nearby Youth Olympic Park under construction, where 50 per cent of the athletes will compete. They were the first to meet #Pandi, the official mascot, which was unveiled this week and represents the jaguar, a native wildcat of Argentina. With a strong digital profile, it aims to inspire youths to embrace sport as a tool to make the world a better place, while also raising awareness about the species’ risk of extinction.

Argentinian hockey legend Luciana Aymar during her announcement as a Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Ambassador
Credit: IOC/Pablo Elias

The local organisers outlined an extensive programme of events to build awareness of the YOG in the final lead-up to the Games. Next month (23 June) will see an Olympic Day festival held in the Green Park, which will showcase some of the Games-time action. In July, the Youth Olympic Flame will be lit in Athens, Greece, before taking on a two-month tour throughout Argentina.

IOC Coordination Commission Chair Li Lingwei said: “Buenos Aires 2018 always set out to bring sport to the people and they have already succeeded in this mission with their ambitious engagement programme to get young people active. During Games time, it will truly be a celebration of sport across the whole city. We are really impressed with the progress made and the implementation of an exciting vision mixing sport, music, food and entertainment in an urban setting.”

Gerardo Werthein, BAYOGOC President, said: “We have shown hundreds of thousands of children how practising sports can improve their lives and how the Olympic values apply in their everyday lives. We have planted the seed of Olympism in the schools of Buenos Aires.

Argentinian hockey legend Luciana Aymar during her announcement as a Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Ambassador
Credit: IOC/Pablo Elias

“Additionally, Buenos Aires 2018 will be the Youth Olympic Games for the digital era. We will engage the youth of the world through a digital platform, which will allow a level of interaction never seen before. We will bring the Youth Olympic voice to all corners of the globe,” he added.

For fans around the world, the Buenos Aires 2018 team are working on the most immersive Games-time platform, set to launch in July, for users to personalise their Games-time experience to catch all the action according to their interests. The Olympic Channel will also broadcast for the first time 24/7 YOG content, including live action, highlights and additional features.

Building on all the above programmes and initiatives, Buenos Aires 2018 promises to leave an outstanding legacy across sport (newly built and refurbished facilities, sport equipment, national high performance sports centre, detection programme, etc.), human, social and urban fields, demonstrating how the Youth Olympic Games can be been used as a catalyst in a more global perspective and vision for the future of the host city.

The YOG Buenos Aires 2018 take place from 6 to 18 October.

Ryu Seungmin And Galia Dvorak to Mentor Table Tennis Youth Olympians at Buenos Aires 2018

Olympic Champion RYU Seungmin (KOR) and three-time Olympian Galia DVORAK (ESP) have been announced as the Table Tennis Athlete Role Model (ARMs) for the upcoming third Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

RYU and DVORAK will be heading to Buenos Aires in October to support, inspire and mentor young table tennis athletes through educational activities and workshops at the Games, to offer advice on areas such as skills development, healthy lifestyle and future careers.

RYU made history after winning his Olympic Men’s Singles Gold at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games in Greece, and moved on to claim a bronze and a silver Olympic medal in the team events in Beijing 2008 & London 2012 respectively.

The three time Olympic medallist, who is also a member of the IOC Athlete’s Commission, shared “I’m very honoured to be appointed as an athlete role model. Thank you for giving me this great opportunity and I will put all my effort to share my experience with my young athletes. As an IOC member and Olympian, I will do my best to give them inspirations.”

“I am thrilled about being an athlete role model for the Youth Olympic Games and to be taking part in this amazing and inspiring programme,” stated DVORAK after the announcement. “I am looking forward to participate in the planned activities and to share my experiences with the goal of inspiring the young athletes to be the best they can, both on and off the field of play. In the same way, I believe that this experience and the contact with the young athletes will be a very enriching experience for me and I am sure that I will learn a lot from them.”

Olympians Ryu Seungmin and Galia Dvorak announced as athlete role model (ARM) for Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games

Both DVORAK and RYU will be accessible to the athletes both in the Youth Olympic Village and in the competition venue to share their experiences and inspire young athletes to be the best they can both on and off the field of play.

The Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games Table Tennis event in the Tecnópolis Park from 6-18 October 2018. The event will feature 32 boys and 32 girls who will battle for the 3 Gold medals available at the Games: Boy’s Singles, Girls’ Singles, Mixed International Teams event, which will consist of one boy and one girl who have qualified for the singles event.

Olympic Basketball Champion Luis Scola Becomes Youth Olympic Ambassador for Buenos Aires 2018

Argentinian Olympic basketball champion Luis Scola was announced today by the International Olympic Committee as an Ambassador for the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Buenos Aires 2018.

To mark the announcement, the 37-year-old veteran NBA player joined 300 youngsters at the historic Club Gimnasia y Esgrima Villa del Parque, in downtown Buenos Aires. The students learnt from the best with a 3×3 basketball skills clinic, followed by a “Chat with Champion” session and live painting by students using basketball and the Olympic values as inspiration.

Luis said: ““I am honored to be an Ambassador for the Youth Olympics, especially in my home town! Being here and seeing the excitement from all the kids is just a taste of what is to come. Buenos Aires 2018 are constantly forward thinking to make sure this is an event that appeals to young people and I can’t wait to be a part of it. It will really be a special atmosphere here next October.”

Luis was chosen by the IOC for his international sporting achievements and willingness to support the next generation through the YOG in his home nation. With 10 NBA seasons under his belt, Luis also won an Olympic gold in Athens in 2004, bronze at Beijing 2008 and was the Argentinian flagbearer at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. He is renowned for being one of “The Golden Generation” of Argentinian basketball players who, over a 12-year period, through their achievements at major tournaments, have changed the face of basketball nationwide – in its professionalism, style of play and team spirit.

Luis Scola by Brenda Staples Photography
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.fr

Off the field of play, Luis is an active member of the IOC’s Athletes’ Commission, representing the views and interests of current and future Olympians, and has already been seen around Buenos Aires with the Organising Committee supporting community events that have reached close to 400,000 people with sport and cultural activities ahead of the Games.

Luis announced earlier this month that his will leave the Brooklyn Nets to continue his career in China with the Shanxi Brave Dragons. He joins fellow Argentinian, hockey Olympic medallist Luciana Aymar as an Ambassador for the Games, which will take place from 6 to 18 October next year.

The IOC chooses Olympians to be Ambassadors for each edition of the YOG to help reach and inspire young people to get active. Sporting legends such as Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, Yelena Isinbaeva, Michelle Wie, Yao Ming and Chad le Clos have supported previous summer YOGs. The promotional campaigns are shared with the 60 million fans the IOC has on its social media channels.

For more information on the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, go to http://www.buenosaires2018.com.