Sponsor found for 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship

Bank comes on board for July's regatta in Croatia

The 2011 ISAF Youth Sailing World Championship being held at Sailing Club Uskok in Zadar, Croatia has attracted local bank, OTP banka, as its golden sponsor.

OTP banka have previously worked with Sailing Club Uskok after they sponsored the 2008 Open Junior European Championship and the annual Sea Organs Festival.

On behalf of OTP banka, Damir Odak said: “OTP banka has always supported top-level sports and we are very proud of the great accomplishments that athletes from Zadar have achieved, especially sailors, knowing that we helped in their growth. OTP banka has been supporting Sailing Club Uskok for a number of years now, and we are very pleased that we can help once again in organising yet another spectacle of sports.”

The official flag of the championship was raised last Wednesday to start the countdown towards the 41st edition of the ISAF Youth Worlds.

And from 7-16 July, the flag will be a sign for more than 360 sailors from 57 countries that Zadar is the venue that will host the annual gathering of the best youth sailors in the world.

Antun Vrdoljak, Croatia’s representative in the International Olympic Committee, and local sailors Lovro Ivanov and Marko Caric, who will be competing in the 29er class were on hand to help raise the flag.

“This championship is a big event for Croatia and Zadar and it is great that SC Uskok is capable of hosting such an event,” said Vrdoljak. “I hope that through the promotion that this event is going to have it will attract new generations, and more children, to try this beautiful sport. This is a sensational area for sailing.”

Sailing Club Uskok has previously hosted six major championships: 470 European Championship in 1999, 420 European and 470 World Championship in 2004, 470 and 420 combined Junior European Championship in 2008 and in 2009 they hosted the 49er European Championship.